Partnering to Move the Needle on Community Financial Empowerment
New multi-year funding commitment paired with financial literacy expertise is a recipe for impact between AIMCo Foundation and National
Bank of Canada.
At National Bank of Canada, commitment to women’s financial independence goes beyond simply writing cheques to community organizations. It’s a deeply embedded corporate purpose that integrates personal finance services with professional expertise and targeted community investment to ensure women across Canada can easily find the information they need to build financial resilience.
In 2024, National Bank continued its commitment to community financial empowerment by pledging $30,000 over three years in support of the AIMCo Foundation’s mission to empower all Albertans toward a secure and prosperous financial future.
“Multi-year support has a unique impact on our mission to empower prosperity by allowing us to provide long-term funding to the agencies making change happen for Albertans,” says Shayenne Selleck, executive director of the AIMCo Foundation. “We’re immensely grateful to the team at National Bank for recognizing the importance of this work, and are excited for our partnership.”
Unexpected Beneficiaries of Financial Empowerment
Women’s financial independence is a topic that impacts everyone — including many women financial professionals who spend their days researching and investing on behalf of others while being under-involved in their personal household financial planning.
This message was reinforced on International Women’s Day in 2024 with National Bank’s expertise front and centre. AIMCo’s Women and Allies for Gender Equity employee resource group hosted a virtual event in partnership with National Bank and the AIMCo Foundation to bring attention to a topic often considered taboo in Canada, especially among finance professionals.
Keynote speaker Vanessa Stockbrugger, Regional Vice-President – Wealth, Western Canada, Private Banking 1859, National Bank, has spent much of her career working on financial planning with women and families. She engaged AIMCo colleagues in a discussion about why women face barriers to financial independence and provided tactical ways women can take charge of their financial futures, as well as how men can be allies in this space.
“Financial empowerment starts with awareness and grows through action. At National Bank, we believe in equipping women with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to take control of their financial futures,” says Stockbrugger. “It was an honour to speak with AIMCo colleagues and help spark conversations that can lead to lasting change — not just for individuals, but for families and communities as well.”
“Vanessa’s expertise and experience made people feel comfortable sharing their financial stories and questions, which is not an easy thing to do when discussing personal finance,” says Selleck. “The conversation was really just the beginning and we’re so grateful to National Bank for investing in women’s financial independence through both their financial support of the Foundation, as well as the resources they provide and the work they do every day.”
***
In 2024, corporate partners from across Canada and around the world contributed more than $400,000 to advance financial literacy and education in Alberta. Multi-year sustainable funding like that provided by National Bank of Canada allows the AIMCo Foundation to deliver meaningful, year-over-year grants and scholarships that ensure beneficiaries are receiving continued support to meet their financial empowerment needs at different stages in their lives.
Learn more about our corporate supporters and browse our impact report, Empowering Access, to see all we accomplished together in 2024.
