PARTNERSHIP

DE&I solutions for finance

industry companies.

  • We recruit and train diverse talent.

  • We place students into internships.

  • We expose diverse students to companies.

  • We consult on DE&I issues.

 

What Companies Say

 

“Partnering with the Greenwood Project has enabled Janus Henderson to move beyond simply competing for diverse talent, actually growing the talent pool. This partnership is far more effective than most corporate programs at increasing the overall diversity in the industry. It is also extremely powerful for us as a firm as it allows us to connect with future diverse leaders while they are still in the earliest part of their professional journey, which is critical to an eventual successful hiring experience. The professionalism and preparedness of Greenwood scholars has been exceptional, and we are excited to deepen our partnership in the coming years.”

-Nick Cherney
Head of Exchange Traded Products
Janus Henderson Investors

 

“William Blair’s Community Partners program through which we funded Greenwood was created to unlock catalytic capital, looking at philanthropy beyond just a grant and more as an investment. We believe all capital has impact whether its financial, human, or social. Greenwood was ready to scale and offered a unique opportunity for William Blair to invest and engage with the talent and future leaders of our industry. We share your vision a finance industry without barriers to entry and advancement for Black and Latino leaders. This may be an investment in Greenwood but more so a partnership to create pathways and develop relationships for new talent to rise, and current employees and leaders within our firms to engage with and realize the limitless potential for a more inclusive and equitable workforce. The value add to partnering with Greenwood is limitless. It is much more than advancing our industry’s diversity initiatives, it is creating an aspiring and unparalleled workplace and marketplace with leaders who will change the landscape of financial services, talent, wealth and the well-being of our businesses and communities.”

-Laura Coy
Head of Philanthropy Strategy and ESG Integration
William Blair

 

What We Ask of Partners:

 

Invest

 

At Greenwood Project, we invest significant resources into each of our interns. It is a 100% free program for students. We also pay students to participate in our programs so that they do not have to worry about choosing between a paid job and this professional development experience.

Students receive extensive training through Wall Street Prep and sit for industry certifications (like Bloomberg Market Concepts and CFA Foundations).

Beyond this training, we also support students with other resources such as travel stipends, support for professional attire, and ongoing professional development.

Supporting each student in this way is expensive, but it is worth it. We believe investing in students in this way helps them overcome extensive, systemic barriers to entry.

We ask partners to invest in this work in order to engage with and recruit our students.

Hire

HS Student Speaking.jpg
 

After an investment, we ask partner firms to hire summer interns. Our model recognizes the unique circumstances of diverse students from underprivileged backgrounds:

  • Firms reserve internship placements for Greenwood Project scholars, understanding that traditional recruitment processes often exclude diverse talent unintentionally.

  • Firms agree to have Greenwood Project students assigned to them in a placement model, trusting that the Greenwood Project staff will find ideal alignment between firms’ job descriptions and students’ skills.

  • Firms take interns onto their payroll. We pay interns $20/hour to train with us. So, we ask that interns are compensated at least $20/hour when working with you over the summer.

  • Firms agree to provide a truncated, 6-week internship experience that begins on the first business day after the Independence Day holiday each summer. This allows students to attend an intensive, 4-week financial education course.

  • Firms provide mentors for all Greenwood Project scholars.

  • Firms allow our scholars to attend weekly meetings with the Greenwood Project team to continue their professional development.

Engage

 

After hiring interns, we ask partner firms to engage with our students throughout our summer trainings. Volunteer opportunities for employees include:

  • Lunch and Learn Sessions

  • Mentoring

  • Mock Interviews

  • Jam Sessions

  • Stock Pitch Judging

In 2021, Greenwood Project engaged over 200 volunteers during our summer sessions from partner firms.

Ready to partner?