Bank of America Programs for Women
We know that when women thrive, whole families, whole communities and whole economies thrive. That’s why we are committed to investing in women.
Our programs supporting women entrepreneurs provide access to training, mentorship, capital, markets, and philanthropic support, helping to empower women in communities around the globe.
Providing affordable capital with the
Tory Burch Foundation
The Tory Burch Foundation and Bank of America Capital Program connects U.S. women entrepreneurs to affordable loans to help grow their businesses, increasing the number and size of businesses owned and led by women. Loans are administered through community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that provide credit and financial services to underserved markets and populations, including women entrepreneurs. We have committed $100 million to connect women small business owners to affordable loans. Since 2014, more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs have received over $95 million in loans to help them grow their businesses. Learn more.
A business certificate from Cornell University—free, for women entrepreneurs
Through Bank of America’s partnership with Cornell University, 100,000 women will have the ability to pursue a business education through the only online Ivy League program offering a certificate in women’s entrepreneurship at no cost; 90% of students identify as women of color. More than 61,000 women have enrolled, and we have delivered more than 900,000 hours of training. As part of our $1.2 billion commitment to advance racial equality and economic opportunity we are providing seats for partner nonprofit organizations including the National Urban League, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders and Prospera, to create more enrollment opportunities for Black and Hispanic-Latino entrepreneurs. Learn more.
Mentoring and inspiring with Vital Voices
Since its inception in 2011, the Global Ambassadors Program, a partnership between Bank of America and Vital Voices, has supported more than 350 women from 85 countries—by helping women grow their businesses and organizations. Through this partnership, we have provided more than 7,000 hours of training and mentorship to women from across the globe. Learn more.
Sharing our expertise through the Cherie Blair Foundation
We partner with the Cherie Blair Foundation in their Mentoring Women in Business program to connect women small business leaders in Asia, Africa, LATAM and the Middle East to mentoring expertise that will enable them to advance their business. Our partnership is a combination of philanthropic funding and providing expertise through more than 1,000 Bank of America employees who have participated as mentors. Through the program, we’ve supported more than 35,000 hours of mentoring to more than 2,700 women entrepreneurs across the globe. Learn more.
The Bank of America Access to Capital Directory for Women Entrepreneurs
Access to capital is one of the greatest needs for any entrepreneur. Yet access to capital has traditionally been a significant challenge for women-owned businesses. In recent years, though, many new funding sources have arisen that are specifically targeted to women. To help women access the information they need, Bank of America, in partnership with Seneca Women, has launched a directory of funding opportunities that are of special interest to women. The directory is a comprehensive database that features hundreds of organizations providing funding for women-owned businesses across the U.S. Learn more.
Providing a platform for women’s voices
Our Global Women’s Forums, two-hour thought leadership events featuring high profile panelists, have been held around the world in locations such as Tokyo, Chicago, London, Johannesburg, Singapore, Dublin, Los Angeles, São Paulo and New York. These conversations focus on how women’s leadership and entrepreneurship are addressing some of the most urgent issues of our time, including social and economic inequality. Our forums have included distinguished speakers such as Christiane Amanpour, Mika Brzezinski, Valerie Jarrett, Martha Stewart, Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver.
