From the boardroom … Judy Crowe

At Bank First we take the business of investing in our Members who serve communities very seriously. We do this is in a number of very practical ways.

Each year though the Teaching Initiatives Program (TIP) we contribute grants to schools where teachers want to initiate a program to improve the educational outcomes of their students. This could be a curriculum initiative, a program to improve students understanding of their environment, an idea that deepens student awareness of the school’s connection with its indigenous community, or support for students who face particular challenges in the school environment.

A panel that includes both our Bank First CEO and Board Chair considers the applications and makes the very difficult decision to select the winners. We receive many applications from metropolitan and rural schools across all sectors. We also support kindergartens through the program.

Each year I am astounded at the creativity of teachers seeking new ways to extend the horizons of their students.

I am also aware of the time it takes to prepare applications, including the details of the budgets required for the initiative.