“I wish I had learned more about finances when I was younger,” is a notion commonly expressed by Vanguard clients and crew alike. For crew, the ability to educate clients on savings and investing topics is among the most meaningful aspects of their day-to-day roles. While Vanguard strives to give investors the best chance for investment success by offering world-class products, services, and advice, it also seeks to fulfill this mission by driving positive impact in the communities where we operate. In this spirit, Vanguard Community Stewardship recently partnered with the Arizona Science Center to support their Girls in STEM program and its recent financial literacy event titled, “Making Cents of Life: Dive Into Your Future.”

The half-day immersive event was a great success and included participation from over 30 girls ranging from fourth through eighth grade. The day kicked-off with a panel discussion of Vanguard women who shared personal stories about careers in finance, and the role financial literacy has played in their lives. From there, the girls experienced a series of hands-on activities designed to show how different aspects of financial literacy, including budgeting, saving, and decision-making could all work together to help achieve broader life goals.

Jenna C., a Lead Analyst within Vanguard’s Investment Stewardship team, and member of Vanguard’s Skills-Based Volunteer (SBV) program, along with Amanda M., a Product Owner within Vanguard’s Retail Brokerage Trading and Operations team and site lead for Vanguard’s My Classroom Economy (MCE) program, were both instrumental in developing the engaging financial literacy event.

“One of the most rewarding aspects about being a Vanguard crewmember is the ability to integrate your passions, talents, and expertise towards making a positive impact in the lives of others,” shared Jenna. “The experience in bringing the Girls in STEM event to life, in partnership with others who are passionate about financial literacy education – especially among young women – has truly been one the most meaningful experiences I have had at Vanguard.”

The event was made possible through a grant from Vanguard’s Hometown Grant Program, a crew-led investment committee engaged in allotting charitable contributions to high-impact local nonprofits. As a beneficiary of these grants, the Arizona Science Center reached out to Vanguard to collaborate on the event for which the proceeds would fund its signature Girls in STEM program.

“Girls in STEM was a fantastic opportunity to promote positive financial habits while also collaborating with other community organizations, including the Arizona Science Center, which recognizes the importance of early financial literacy education,” said Amanda. “The ultimate success of the event exemplified that this was truly a valuable partnership, and one that made me proud to be a Vanguard crew member and client-owner.”

Even though I discovered that teaching was not for me, part of the appeal of MyHE and MyCE was being connected to the world of education again and being able to give back to students in a different capacity. Moreover, the MyHE program fascinated me as parents and children work together to create a household economy. Someone within the home is assigned to be the banker and children can earn money from completing chores — they can even get bonuses and be charged fees. Children learn money management and budgeting through this hands-on approach.

Volunteering for MyHE and MyCE has not only been enjoyable but has given me a chance to learn various technologies and explore new roles. During my time as a developer, I was offered an opportunity to serve as a Team Lead for the MyHE program. That experience helped with my decision to pursue the role of Scrum Master in my “day” job at Vanguard.

As a Team Lead for the MyHE technical team, I’ve gained tips on project management from colleagues and volunteers along the way and have learned about the importance of effective collaboration and documentation. Volunteering has been a very rewarding experience and I have appreciated seeing the team come together and learn and grow. We have come so far over the past year, and I have enjoyed working with and learning from crew who come from many different backgrounds within Vanguard.

One project that has given me great gratification has been the remaking of the MyHE interface on the web. Our team has been tasked with further digitizing and enhancing the in-home economy experience for users. To do this, we’ve organized team learning sessions on the User Interface framework and established a weekly “Study Hall” to block off time for collaboration and problem solving. We are now in the final stages of completing this user interface overhaul and I’m so proud of the work the team has done.

MyHE and MyCE are wonderful for people who want to give back and hone their skills. They are also an excellent way to connect with colleagues across Vanguard in a new and exciting way.

– Melissa R.

The 2021 Vanguard Gives Back Campaign took place from November 15 through November 19. This year’s theme, Every ______ counts, emphasized the many causes and organizations that do important work in our communities around the world.
The annual campaign provides our crew with an opportunity to support Vanguard Strong Start for Kids or other community agencies and causes that are close to their hearts. This year’s activities included some friendly competition and opportunities to Learn, Act, and Give.

Learn

During the campaign, crew joined discussions featuring leaders from several of our Crew Resource Groups, where they heard about their connections to Strong Start agencies and learned how those agencies are addressing the childcare crisis. They also learned how the work of Strong Start for Kids is furthering Vanguard’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Act

There are many ways in which crew acted. For example, they participated in our Strong Start for Kids 5K. Whether as an individual or by forming a team including family and friends, crew registered to run, walk, or move for kids and logged their miles. Further, Vanguard offered unique service projects for crew interested that benefitted Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP) and Promising Pages in Pennsylvania, Arizona and North Carolina. Lastly, crew had an opportunity to sign up for a variety of other virtual Days of Service volunteer activities with fellow colleagues.

Give

Whether it’s pledging time or money, we are proud to see our crew make meaningful contributions in the community that have a lasting impact.

Check out the photos below that crew submitted to share their Every ____ counts!

When you hear “domestic violence survivor,” do you feel uncomfortable, or do you experience a sense of strength and purpose? For me, it is the latter as I advocate for survivors as a Direct Volunteer and Vice President of the Board for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC).

My journey with this amazing organization started many years ago during a Vanguard “Day of Service,” where a group of volunteers look to make a difference for a non-profit organization. I spent the day organizing their emergency clothing room and through that, learned more about the services the agency provides, including housing programs, counseling services, legal assistance, and education and outreach programs to the community. Each piece of clothing that I was folding and organizing was going to clothe a child or adult who needed the support of this agency to help break the cycle of domestic violence. It was at that moment I knew this was where my philanthropic focus would be.

Me and Freddie

After learning more about the agency through other project activities, I took the next step becoming a Direct Volunteer which entailed a 45-hour training, five-hour practicum, and criminal clearances. I worked directly with survivors, alongside my therapy dog Freddie, and learned that everyone’s survivor story is different, and that domestic violence does not discriminate upon someone’s age, gender, race, religion, nor socioeconomic status.

The one consistency I saw through these experiences was courage and resiliency. Courage and resiliency for a survivor to reclaim their lives, their happiness, and the dignity that every human deserves. Courage and resiliency for employees who face the effects of domestic violence every day and continue to empower survivors on their journey of freedom. Courage and resiliency for volunteers and board members, some who are survivors themselves, to advocate for a socially uncomfortable topic which has now become amplified today as “a pandemic within the pandemic.”

I recently received the Pennsylvania Governor’s Victim Service Pathfinder Award for my community service with the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County.

Working with survivors and seeing the challenges they faced empowered me to increase my impact in the organization. I am humbled to share that I was elected to the Board of Directors three years ago. The industry experience I gained at Vanguard, including participating in their non-profit board training, along with my organizational experience being a direct volunteer, gave me a unique perspective to be able to represent differing stakeholders impacted by the agency. And the Board experience allows me to expand my knowledge in areas of interest that I may not experience in my day-to-day activities.

I reflect on my community service journey as non-profit organizations, like DVCCC, need the support and talent of professionals to achieve their goals and have a positive impact in society. If you are interested in getting involved, here are a few things to consider:

• Find your passion – What are your values? What drives you? Do you have a personal connection to the cause? Find the organizations that best connect with you. Just like working out, if you are doing exercises you don’t like, you won’t stick with it – same goes for engaging with non-profits.
• Start small – Whether it is through a day of volunteering or attending an event, get to know the vibe of the agency you are looking to support to see if it resonates with you. This can help you determine your focus.
• Focus on one – Although there are so many worthy agencies and causes, focusing on one will allow you to learn more about those you serve and in what capacity you want to serve.
• Learn to say no – This might seem like a strange one, but know your limits. If you say yes to something and can’t follow through, this could negatively affect someone’s life. Know how much time, treasure, and talent that you can dedicate without disrupting other areas of your life.
• Aspire to advocacy – As you found your passion and see how your contributions positively impact the organization, evolve from volunteer level to advocate. Both roles are critical to the success of a non-profit, but becoming an advocate enables your impact to grow exponentially. This could mean you become a Board Member, vocal promoter, financial backer, etc. of the agency you believe in. It is a superpower that many have but need to unleash to make the world a better place.

As Vanguard’s founder John Bogle used to say, “Even one person can make a difference.” Being a fierce advocate for those breaking the cycle of violence, I aspire to live those words every day and I hope sharing my philanthropic journey will inspire you to make your own difference.

-Lara D.

Vanguard is being recognized for its pro bono contributions in the Philadelphia area over the past two years by Philadelphia VIP, a nonprofit organization that offers free legal services to the city’s residents, small businesses, and nonprofits with civil matters.

Philadelphia VIP awarded Vanguard with this year’s Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. Award, which honors the volunteer or practice setting that had the biggest increase in volunteer participation or number of cases represented over the past two years. Vanguard volunteers were honored at Philadelphia VIP’s virtual Awards Night held on Tuesday, October 12.

“As a life-long Philadelphian, it meant a lot to me to help individuals in need of legal services in the community through Vanguard’s Pro Bono Program,” said Robin H., who led the Financial Institution Pro Bono Day event, which was the project cited for the award. “The clients were in such dire need for legal assistance.”

A sense of purpose and community

Vanguard joined other financial institutions from across the U.S. on January 14, 2021, to provide pro bono virtual legal services to vulnerable communities. Fourteen volunteers from Office of the General Counsel’s (OGC) Pro Bono Committee assisted clients, mostly nonprofit social service agencies struggling with tax filings related to their incorporation.

Committee Lead Carrie S. shared, “Being a part of the Pro Bono Committee for the last two years has provided not only the opportunity to help underserved people and organizations, but also a sense of purpose and community during a time when we couldn’t gather in person. I’m really proud of what we’ve created and sustained as a committee and a broader OGC community.”

Enthusiasm for serving

Vanguard pro bono volunteers have had diverse opportunities to provide legal services to the community throughout the year, including:

• Assisting the PA Innocence Project in screening cases for potential exoneration.
• Assisting immigrants with asylum applications.
• Advocating for students with educational challenges.
• Filing legal name change documents for low-income transgender individuals.

“The Pro Bono Committee has created new and expanded opportunities where all within OGC have the ability to serve the community. It has galvanized the division and generated enthusiasm for serving,” said Committee Sponsor Keri M. “I am so proud of the committee and all who participated, especially now—when service during the pandemic had to move to virtual and everyone carries the weight of community and personal stressors.”

The Vanguard’s Hometown Grants Program supports local human service needs and contributes to the vibrancy of the regions of Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina and London that Vanguard calls home.

It is funded by the Vanguard Group Foundation and run by a committee of Vanguard volunteers. These committees develop strategies for support based on a collaborative selection process to determine the most effective organizations with the highest impact through financial reporting analysis, tangible assessment of how the money was spent and testimonials.

Since the inception of the Hometown Grants Program in 2018, Vanguard has provided support to over 200 unique organizations worldwide.

We recently sat down with site leads across our regions to learn more about their personal experiences with the program. Here is what they had to say:

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a Vanguard Hometown Grants volunteer has been realizing the positive enrichments we’ve made around the Phoenix Metropolitan area. After growing up in one of the lowest income neighborhoods in Phoenix, it’s touching to be able to give back to those with the greatest needs in my community. Additionally, serving the committee amid the pandemic has only further exacerbated the needs of our community, including increased homelessness, food insecurity and mental illness rates. With this in mind, we pivoted our strategy to focus on new and existing organizations that could maximize their donations and influence across the valley.

Working as a project analyst at Vanguard has enhanced my volunteer work as a Hometown Grants Investment Committee member, as I am able to deeply explore the financial strength and impacts of an organization and strategically advocate on their behalf. In fact, three of my researched organizations were chosen for funding out of five rigorous and competitive funding cycles.

During the time serving on our investment committee, Arizona Hometown Grants has supported 15 impactful organizations focused on adolescent mental and physical health, homelessness and arts and culture.

It has been extremely rewarding to serve Vanguard’s committed enrichment of our communities and I have been humbled to observe the crucial work of these amazing non-profit organizations.

– Suzanne V.

I was drawn to the Hometown Grants Program as I was interested in leveraging the skills that I had gained in my professional auditing career to make a positive difference in our local community. Further, curiosity and a willingness to learn more about the charity sector only increased the appeal to get involved. The Hometown Grants Program would ultimately put my analytical skills to work, while providing the opportunity to network and collaborate with other Vanguard crew and local charity partners.

As a member of the Hometown Grants Committee, I have really enjoyed all aspects of the work and the committee meetings are the highlight of my week! I joined during the early stages of the pandemic in April 2020. The first thing we did was refresh our grant-making strategy, and I learned a lot by helping with the research and analysis to understand the areas of enduring need in our local community, as well as the areas of pressing need that had spiked as a result of the pandemic. Tackling youth violence, mental health and rough sleeping are core to our approach. We also added a new gift strategy to address issues related to domestic violence, which has unfortunately increased during the pandemic.

I have also had the opportunity to get involved in initiatives to improve our governance and processes for our Hometown Grants UK Committee, such as improving our grant evaluation process to better monitor the success that we are able to achieve with charity partners.

Mostly, I appreciate the robust discussions and debates that we have as a committee, and I have learned a lot from my fellow members, as we are a diverse and supportive group that is not afraid to challenge each other to ensure we achieve the best outcomes.

My biggest takeaway in serving the program is this: It’s important to take the time to be clear (in our investment policy) about the approach and criteria for prioritizing the charities that we partner with. This helps the selection, filtering and due diligence process, and also enables us to have good conversations with these charities about how best to target our funding. Evaluating the impact that our funding has made is also interesting and rewarding to do. I feel privileged to be part of the Hometown Grants Program, and I’m proud to work for a company that gives its crew the opportunity and resources to help make a difference! I’m looking forward to extending my volunteering impact and experience post-Hometown Grants by getting involved as a trustee on a local charity.

– Jack W.

Remember that smell when you opened a fresh, new box of crayons? The satisfaction of using a pristine pink eraser or choosing your favorite color of construction paper for an art project? Or the anticipation of opening the cover of a brand-new book?

Vanguard crew are helping the next generation create their own favorite childhood experiences by supporting school readiness efforts in their communities. The Jump Start the School Year giving event is providing needed supplies for under-resourced early learning centers in Arizona and North Carolina. The purchases — crayons, erasers, construction paper, books, and more — will support children during the critical early years of development, helping them to grow, thrive, and learn.

In Arizona, the drive supports Child Crisis Arizona, which provides support for some of Arizona’s most vulnerable children, youth, and families.

The North Carolina drive supports Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, which leverages the long-term advantages of bilingualism to prepare Spanish-speaking children for success in school and life.

“I was blown away when I learned that 57% of students in Mecklenburg County are economically disadvantaged heading into yet another pandemic-impacted academic year. This can mean limited access to school supplies and school readiness support. Charlotte Bilingual Preschool helps close that gap by preparing Spanish-speaking preschoolers for long term academic success. As a bilingual student myself, it’s an effort that I am excited to see Vanguard crew contribute towards!”
– Heba A., Senior Manager

“I’m proud to participate in Charlotte’s new giving event supporting local students at a school which works to leverage the long-term advantages of bilingualism to prepare Spanish-speaking children for success in school and life. I purchased a board book set that brings the alphabet to life throughout the journey from A to Z. I also bought a book which showcases women who changed the world. It’s the perfect goodnight book to inspire big dreams.”
– Amanda S., Project Manager

“I am excited to participate in Arizona’s virtual Back to School Drive supporting a local agency. Through this drive, I was able to learn more about their work in providing children and youth in Arizona with a safe environment through prevention, intervention, and education programs. Further, I purchased art supplies, games, and a variety of books for children of all age groups. I am glad Vanguard chose to support this agency and moreover, am happy I could help give a child a jumpstart on school!”
– Bethany B., Retail Money Movement Manager

The Jump Start the School Year giving event is part of Vanguard’s signature charitable initiative, the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program™. The program provides funding, volunteer time and talent, as well as other nonfinancial assets to give children growing up in poverty in Greater Philadelphia, Charlotte, Phoenix, and London the opportunity to grow, thrive, and learn, with a focus on improving school readiness. The program is supported by generous crew contributions during our annual giving campaign and through the corresponding corporate match, along with additional corporate dollars.

Philly summers can be downright oppressive when the temperature and humidity start their annual ascent, but this is the time when our community garden volunteers shine! Year after year they return to the beds to nurture their crops—all in the name of service to the community.

In March of 2020, our crew were sent home due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant the vast majority of our volunteers would not be permitted to come to the on-campus garden. The volunteers were heartbroken to scale back operations when the need for nutrition was greater than ever. The Vanguard Community Garden typically contributes thousands of pounds of fresh, organic produce to local food pantries to fight food insecurity. How could we keep the garden running?

Welcome Homegrown Heroes!

A skeleton crew kept the garden going last year, but when we realized the pandemic would continue into 2021 (another growing season), we knew we needed to do more. Since many of our volunteers have their own gardens at home, we decided to ask whether crew would be willing to dedicate a portion of their gardens to raise crops for the cause. We offered to supply plants, seeds, fertilizer, etc. so they could grow vegetables in their own gardens and deliver the harvest to local food pantries in their own neighborhoods. We even encouraged crew without gardens to participate—with a porch or patio that gets some sun, you could also try your hand at farming! And so, “Homegrown Heroes” was born!

The program has been a great success so far. We created an online community for crew to swap stories, successes, failures, questions, and pictures of their gardens. We’re seeing photos of bags of fresh produce delivered to pantries we hadn’t worked with previously. Participants are exchanging information and tips, and it’s exciting to see our crew volunteers embrace this challenge while simultaneously making the program more visible, inclusive, and more productive with even greater harvest totals!

None of this would have been possible without the support of our partners at Trellis for Tomorrow, a non-profit dedicated to fighting local hunger through community garden programs. While our volunteers are working the home-front, our friends at Trellis have planted high-yielding, low-maintenance crops such as potatoes and carrots in our campus garden beds. We are projecting bed yields to rival or even surpass our highest totals this year!

I could not be prouder to be a member of the community garden team. I’m always amazed, but never surprised, at the creativity and dedication Vanguard crew put into the many volunteering opportunities available to us. Our “Homegrown Heroes” are doing more than just giving back to the community, they are spreading the spirit of giving and growing to all Vanguard crew! So, a big “shout-out” to my fellow volunteers! Keep up the good work and keep the good vibes flowing!

-Jay W.

Jay W. is a Communications Consultant in Vanguard’s Global Brand Team and 24-year Vanguard veteran. He is serving his sixth year as Communications Lead for the Pennsylvania Community Garden.

One million. That is the number of students Vanguard’s My Classroom Economy (MyCE) program has reached since its launch just under a decade ago. My Classroom Economy is a free financial literacy program and classroom management system for teachers that allows students to learn financial responsibility through hands-on learning. My Classroom Economy, and its sister program My Home Economy (for parents and guardians), are entirely powered by volunteers across Vanguard. These crew dedicate time and talent outside of their “day jobs” to fuel a “passion project” that is part of Vanguard’s suite of community programs. For me, my “day job” is in our business that serves financial advisors, specifically Registered Investment Advisors. In my role as Channel Lead, my team works with our sales group and clients to develop and execute strategy for how we can best serve this important client base. Within MyCE, I’ve volunteered in a number of roles and am proud to currently serve as the Program Chair.

Anyone that knows me has heard me say that MyCE is the perfect marriage of two of my passions- education and personal finance. Before I came to Vanguard I completed the Teach for America program, teaching seventh grade math at a school in Charlotte, North Carolina. I found my way to Vanguard by following a tip received from teammates on an intramural kickball team and channeling my finance degree. I started at Vanguard in Client Services, helping clients meet their investment needs. I remember a colleague leaning over my desk and making the connection that as a former teacher, I might want to learn about this financial literacy program Vanguard offered. I went to an information session and was hooked. My Classroom Economy linked what I loved about my pre-Vanguard career with my current one, allowing me to stay deeply connected to the education community, while growing professionally with a company I love.

I’m exceptionally proud of our recent milestone of reaching one million students. But to me, it is more than just a milestone. It is a million lives impacted and put on a more responsible financial trajectory because of the dedication of their teachers and the passion of a volunteer team. In pausing to celebrate this manifestation of how volunteer hours have made a real difference, I also was struck not only by what I’ve given to the program over the years, but what it has given me. My time with MyCE not only helped me continue to feel fulfilled professionally, but it also has played a pivotal role in driving my career at Vanguard. My peers in the program would say the same about their own experiences. Again, more than just a milestone.

After seven and a half years and several different “day jobs” at Vanguard, I’ve realized that my volunteer roles allowed me to learn new skillsets and pursue interests before making career leaps. I took on a strategic assignment with MyCE, analyzing options for a potential program expansion before joining Vanguard’s Corporate Strategy group as an analyst. MyCE helped me learn how to be a people leader, first by leading the MyCE team in North Carolina and then stepping into the Program Chair seat, leading the full volunteer team of roughly 150 crew. Along the way I’ve had the chance to sharpen skills in public speaking, stakeholder management and even sales, all of which have translated to my “day jobs”.

As I think about the next million kids that My Classroom and My Home Economy will impact, I’m confident that impact will continue to extend to those volunteers behind the scenes who power the program. I think it is so important to find a place to give back that allows you to pursue a passion. That passion will be what keeps you coming back to give your time year after year. And while you’re there, embrace the opportunities to sharpen your skills and learn new things. You might not realize it at the time (I certainly didn’t), but you might just be laying the foundation for your next career move.

-Meg T.

Communities around the world faced unprecedented need in 2020. Throughout these difficult times, Vanguard crew were a constant force for good. With all of their help, we made an incredibly positive impact in our local communities. In this blog, we celebrate some of the amazing ways our crew have shown their support of the communities where we work and live. Here’s to accomplishing great things in 2021 as well.

My Classroom Economy Financial Education Program

To help students learn financial responsibility, our crew developed a free curriculum that enables teachers to build the financial literacy of K–12 students through fun, experiential learning. Through the program, students gain money management skills and learn the importance of long-term
planning, responsible budgeting, and delayed gratification.

Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program

Our signature charitable initiative, the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids ProgramTM, gives young children growing up in poverty in Greater Philadelphia, Charlotte, Phoenix, and London the opportunity to grow, thrive, and learn, with a focus on improving school readiness. Our philanthropic program is supported by our crew’s volunteer time and talent along with generous contributions during the annual giving campaign, including a 100% company match and additional corporate dollars.

Hometown Grants Program

The Hometown Grants Program provides community grants to nonprofit agencies in the communities near where Vanguard operates. Funded by the Vanguard Group Foundation, the program is run by local Investment Committees made up of crew volunteers who select and vet the giving strategies and grantees. These grants complement the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program by targeting needs in a community outside our strategic focus on early childhood. The Hometown Grants Program currently operates an invitation-only grants process from Vanguard’s Greater Philadelphia, Charlotte, Phoenix, and London offices.

Matching Gift Program

The Matching Gift Program, available year-round, enhances crew’s ability to give collectively with focused impact on early childhood and to magnify personal giving to other charitable causes.

If you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our Data & Analytics and Information Technology & Security career opportunities.