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About the OBA Education Foundation
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Organized by the Oregon Bankers Association in 2013, the OBA Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a primary mission of education. The Foundation supports programs aimed at increasing the financial literacy of Oregonians and the education, development and recruitment of future Oregon bankers. The Foundation is governed by its own board of directors, which meets quarterly.
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SUPPORTED PROGRAMS
UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS
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Our Vision
A vibrant and diverse banking and business community that attracts the best talent
and empowers all Oregonians to be financially educated and secure.
and empowers all Oregonians to be financially educated and secure.
Supported Programs
The need for financial education is greater than ever, and recognition of this fact continues to gain public attention at the local, state and national levels. Bankers are experts at money management, so it's a natural fit for our industry to be involved in consumer education programs. Bankers are taking the lead in communities nationwide with financial literacy programs aimed at small children, high school students, adults, senior citizens and persons with limited access to financial services, including recent immigrants and low-to moderate income residents.
The OBA Education Foundation supports the following financial literacy initiatives, resources and organizations.
The OBA Education Foundation supports the following financial literacy initiatives, resources and organizations.
Meet a BankWork$ Graduate Turned Banker |
BankWork$ Fundamentals
BankWork$ is a unique, industry-supported virtual training program that prepares participants for a career with stability and opportunity for advancement in the financial services industry. The training is provided at no cost and conducted over eight weeks. Eligibility Requirements:
Class Schedule: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 8am – 1pm (PT) 10am – 3pm (CT) 11am – 4pm (ET) |
Junior Achievement (JA) Finance Park®
At JA Finance Park, students across Oregon and SW Washington have the unique opportunity to experience their personal financial futures first-hand. JA Finance Park helps students build a foundation upon which they can make intelligent financial decisions that last a lifetime, including decisions related to income, expenses, savings, and credit. Options are available to use either the entry level (geared toward middle school) or advanced (geared toward high school) curriculum.
At JA Finance Park, students across Oregon and SW Washington have the unique opportunity to experience their personal financial futures first-hand. JA Finance Park helps students build a foundation upon which they can make intelligent financial decisions that last a lifetime, including decisions related to income, expenses, savings, and credit. Options are available to use either the entry level (geared toward middle school) or advanced (geared toward high school) curriculum.
Financial Beginnings
Financial Beginnings provides educational programs that incorporate all aspects of personal finance to give individuals the foundation they need to make informed financial decisions. Their programs are created with various learners and circumstances in mind. Coursework is provided for all grades and age groups. Their programs are taught by volunteers, many of whom are from the banking community.
Financial Beginnings provides educational programs that incorporate all aspects of personal finance to give individuals the foundation they need to make informed financial decisions. Their programs are created with various learners and circumstances in mind. Coursework is provided for all grades and age groups. Their programs are taught by volunteers, many of whom are from the banking community.
FinAbility
FinAbilitiy is a survivor-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit that financially empowers survivors of domestic abuse. They offer resources to help survivors achieve financial security and thrive, including starter kits, virtual classes, and 1-on-1 financial counseling.
FinAbilitiy is a survivor-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit that financially empowers survivors of domestic abuse. They offer resources to help survivors achieve financial security and thrive, including starter kits, virtual classes, and 1-on-1 financial counseling.
Get Smart About Credit Day
Credit is an important financial tool for most Americans. It helps people realize their dreams like purchasing a home, funding a college education, or lending a hand in an emergency. The choices people make about how to use their first credit card, or handle their first loan, can change their life for years to come.
That's why bankers are going into high school classrooms, connecting with youth groups, and visiting college campuses across America on Get Smart About Credit Day (held each October). During this event, bankers help young people get smart about credit now, so they can make smart financial choices later.
Credit is an important financial tool for most Americans. It helps people realize their dreams like purchasing a home, funding a college education, or lending a hand in an emergency. The choices people make about how to use their first credit card, or handle their first loan, can change their life for years to come.
That's why bankers are going into high school classrooms, connecting with youth groups, and visiting college campuses across America on Get Smart About Credit Day (held each October). During this event, bankers help young people get smart about credit now, so they can make smart financial choices later.
Teach Children to Save Day
It's never too early, or too late, to teach kids the skills they need to budget, save and manage money. Without financial education, young people will learn about money from the school of hard knocks. On Teach Children to Save Day (held each April), thousands of bankers from across the nation and right here in Oregon connect with kids in classrooms and after school programs to share "real life" lessons about money. These efforts help young people take an important first step in mastering their financial ABCs and learning how to save.
It's never too early, or too late, to teach kids the skills they need to budget, save and manage money. Without financial education, young people will learn about money from the school of hard knocks. On Teach Children to Save Day (held each April), thousands of bankers from across the nation and right here in Oregon connect with kids in classrooms and after school programs to share "real life" lessons about money. These efforts help young people take an important first step in mastering their financial ABCs and learning how to save.
Financial Education Resource Guide
The OBA Education Foundation is pleased to provide the Financial Education Resource Guide. Explore this guide to find the tools to manage all aspects of your financial life - from creating a budget to managing your credit and protecting your identity. Whether you're a teacher needing materials for your classroom or a banker seeking to interact with your community, you'll find many helpful resources here to assist in your efforts.
The OBA Education Foundation is pleased to provide the Financial Education Resource Guide. Explore this guide to find the tools to manage all aspects of your financial life - from creating a budget to managing your credit and protecting your identity. Whether you're a teacher needing materials for your classroom or a banker seeking to interact with your community, you'll find many helpful resources here to assist in your efforts.
University Partnerships
The OBA Education Foundation is committed to attracting and educating the next generation of bankers in Oregon. In keeping with its mission, one of the Foundation’s goals is to raise awareness at the college level of the career opportunities within banking. The Foundation is also committed to developing commercial banking courses with its university partners. Through continued support from the Foundation, courses in commercial banking now thrive at the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Eastern Oregon University.
Oregon State University
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In 2013, the OBA Education Foundation began a partnership with the College of Business at Oregon State University. Together, OSU and the Foundation are focused on providing the College of Business finance department with resources and programs necessary for students to enter and excel in the banking industry.
The investment substantially supports the enhancement of the College’s Commercial Banking courses and the creation of finance-specific, curated engagement opportunities for students and faculty. The OBA will retain its prestigious seat on the College’s Finance Advisory Council and will collaborate with the College on the following:
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Meet an OSU Graduate Turned Banker
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University of Oregon
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The Foundation took over support of a partnership established between OBA and the University of Oregon in 2012. The highly successful partnership supports expanding commercial banking courses and experiential learning opportunities at the University’s Lundquist College of Business.
As a direct result of the Foundation’s support and engagement with the University of Oregon, students now have access to multiple commercial banking and credit classes. Hundreds of students have participated in these classes, and a commercial banking track is now available as part of the UO Finance major. |
Meet UO Graduates Turned Bankers
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Eastern Oregon University
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In 2023, the Foundation entered into a new partnership with Eastern Oregon University to support the university’s expansion of commercial banking curriculum, learning experiences and career exposure. The goal is to expand opportunities for Eastern Oregon students to learn about and become career bankers
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University of Portland
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Since 2017, the Foundation has supported the University’s innovative financial education programming on campus, including unique events taking place during Financial Literacy Month in April. University of Portland serves as a model for campus based financial education and empowerment programs.
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Scholarships
Pacific Coast Banking School ‘Rise Above the Rest’ Scholarship
Pacific Coast Banking School (PCBS) and the OBA Education Foundation, have partnered to promote advanced education for high-potential employees in the financial services industry. The two organizations are offering a joint scholarship for a first-year student from an OBA member bank to attend PCBS.
The scholarship amount is $4,500 payable as a tuition offset in $1,500 per year increments over the three years of the school. After the scholarship is applied, the remaining tuition balance is the responsibility of the applicant or his/her bank.
Scholarship applicants must work in Oregon for an OBA member bank. To access additional information about the scholarship, including application materials, click here. The deadline for submitting scholarship applications to the OBA Education Foundation is March 3, 2025. Nominees must also submit a PCBS application. Qualifying applications will be forwarded to the Scholarship Review Committee, and nominees will be informed of the Committee’s decision by March 17, 2025.
PCBS offers career-changing graduate-level financial and risk management education, hand-in-hand with strong leadership training. Participants attend an intensive two-week resident session each August for three consecutive summers. Between sessions, students complete a series of written extension assignments based on the required core classes taken in the preceding session.
The 2025 session dates for Pacific Coast Banking School are August 17 – August 29. Tuition before the scholarship is applied is $7,100, which includes a non-refundable registration fee of $350, single room accommodations, most meals, and classes, along with administrative faculty support for intersession work.
Since 1938, Pacific Coast Banking School, in partnership with the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, has offered a premier three-year graduate-level leadership and financial management education program focused on the banking industry. The PCBS family includes over 12,000 bankers, with hundreds currently in key leadership roles in banks across the country. Premier instructors and cutting-edge curriculum offer practical answers to today’s most critical banking dilemmas faced by bankers from all aspects of banking and all sizes of banks.
Pacific Coast Banking School (PCBS) and the OBA Education Foundation, have partnered to promote advanced education for high-potential employees in the financial services industry. The two organizations are offering a joint scholarship for a first-year student from an OBA member bank to attend PCBS.
The scholarship amount is $4,500 payable as a tuition offset in $1,500 per year increments over the three years of the school. After the scholarship is applied, the remaining tuition balance is the responsibility of the applicant or his/her bank.
Scholarship applicants must work in Oregon for an OBA member bank. To access additional information about the scholarship, including application materials, click here. The deadline for submitting scholarship applications to the OBA Education Foundation is March 3, 2025. Nominees must also submit a PCBS application. Qualifying applications will be forwarded to the Scholarship Review Committee, and nominees will be informed of the Committee’s decision by March 17, 2025.
PCBS offers career-changing graduate-level financial and risk management education, hand-in-hand with strong leadership training. Participants attend an intensive two-week resident session each August for three consecutive summers. Between sessions, students complete a series of written extension assignments based on the required core classes taken in the preceding session.
The 2025 session dates for Pacific Coast Banking School are August 17 – August 29. Tuition before the scholarship is applied is $7,100, which includes a non-refundable registration fee of $350, single room accommodations, most meals, and classes, along with administrative faculty support for intersession work.
Since 1938, Pacific Coast Banking School, in partnership with the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, has offered a premier three-year graduate-level leadership and financial management education program focused on the banking industry. The PCBS family includes over 12,000 bankers, with hundreds currently in key leadership roles in banks across the country. Premier instructors and cutting-edge curriculum offer practical answers to today’s most critical banking dilemmas faced by bankers from all aspects of banking and all sizes of banks.
The deadline for the 2025 'Rise Above the Rest' Scholarship has passed. Please check back in early 2026.