Sign In
Toggle navigation

foundation logo

The Investments & Wealth Foundation provides scholarships for underrepresented professionals to pursue CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA® certifications. With your support, the Foundation will reduce the financial barrier to certification through scholarship.

Donate

Mission

Accelerate career advancement of target professionals who are currently underrepresented in the profession, thereby fostering sustainable diversity within the financial advisor profession.

Goal

To grow and support a more diverse workforce within the financial advisor profession through scholarship.



Your investment in the future of a diverse and representative financial advisor profession is not a campaign, it is vital to the future of the profession. 

The Investments & Wealth Foundation scholarship program enables women, diverse professionals, and next-generation leaders to elevate their careers and contribute to our profession.
professionals congratulating a young new colleague


Your donation is tax-deductible* and supports scholarship assistance to pursue CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA® certifications for:

  • Women

  • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

  • Veterans

  • Those who identify under the LGBTQ+ umbrella

  • Advisors from small, independent RIA or independent broker-dealer firms who don’t provide tuition reimbursement assistance

We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, color, race, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.
 
Join us in supporting the future of the profession. Make your gift today.

Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Our EIN is 87-4617128.
 
100% of your donation to the Investments & Wealth Foundation supports scholarship. The costs of the Foundation are underwritten by the Investments & Wealth Institute.
 
Institute members understand their responsibility to ensure their legacy lives on in future generations. The financial advice profession is relevant now – and always will be – and should be celebrated. 

In 2021, the Institute awarded more than $344,000 in scholarship assistance to 250 professionals seeking CIMA®, CPWA®, and/or RMA® certification.

Click here to read our 2021 Impact Report.

"I feel so fortunate to be the recipient of the Investments & Wealth Institute scholarship. The Institute’s standards are very high and it’s an honor to be part of this community."

Chi Guerrero, CIMA®, RMA®, CFP®
Scholarship Recipient | CIMA® Certificant

"The CPWA® education will help me develop the skill set and expertise to work with anyone along the wealth management continuum"

Coleman Webb, CPFA®,  CFP®
Scholarship Recipient | Candidate for CPWA® Certification

"I chose [to pursue] the CPWA because the candidate body of knowledge addresses all that I want to address with high net worth clients.... If a client met with me today they would know that I am qualified to provide solutions to their complex issues. I want Bowman Wealth Management to be uppermost in the minds of estate planning attorneys and CPAs when they seek RIAs to refer their clients. I want to earn the business because I have consistently demonstrated my ability to address the complex issues of the high net worth individual, by providing answers to questions requiring strategic thinking, advanced concepts, and forward-looking planning."

Valerie Bowman, CPWA®, RCP,  RTP
Scholarship Recipient | CPWA® Certificant

"Having earned my CPWA®, I am better positioned to successfully grow and expand my business."

Kristoffer N. Fu, CPWA®, CFP®
Scholarship Recipient | CPWA® Certificant

"By investing in yourself, you show up better for others. Like investors, finance professionals want to see a return on investment. I am sure if you ask someone who has obtained the CIMA certification or CPWA certification if they believe it was worth the investment (both in time and financial cost), they will likely say yes."

Leslie Chang, CPWA®, CFP®
Scholarship Recipient | CPWA® Certificant

"I’m excited to be studying for the RMA certification to better assist clients making the transition into retirement and accessing portfolios we have spent many years building.  The CIMA program offered a deep dive into many aspects of investments, I’m looking forward to doing the same with retirement issues. As an advisor it’s imperative we are continually learning and seeking ways to improve the experience and outcomes for our clients."

Lynn Ann Gillen, CIMA® , RMA®
Scholarship Recipient | RMA® Certificant

"These designations not only hold you to the highest ethical standards but exemplify a person who is serious about what they do and the clients that they serve....My client base is comprised of high net-worth (HNW) & ultra-high-net worth (UHNW) individuals and families. The CPWA® hones in on planning and investment topics that are most pertinent to these types of clients. Obtaining this designation will help me continue serving these clients in the highest capacity."

Wes Hedrick, CFP®
Scholarship Recipient | Candidate for CPWA® Certification

"As an investment professional or advisor, you can never stop learning and improving your skillset....This investment world is ever so changing, and you need to make sure you are constantly changing and improving along the way. And one way to do that is to continue investing in yourself through education and professional certifications."

Chadwick Roberson
Scholarship Recipient | Candidate for CIMA® Certification

"The CPWA® will be important for me and my firm as it covers all the bases, providing a full breadth of skill in addition to greater credibility. Credibility is critical to clients. As a young professional woman in finance, the CPWA® will be an immediate differentiation and help to demonstrate my knowledge, skills, and ability. I am so excited to have the opportunity to pursue the CPWA® Certification. The Scholarship expands my ability to pursue this education and grow my knowledge and practice."

Karīna Sērmūksle
Scholarship Recipient | Candidate for CPWA® Certification

"My goal is to work with high-net-worth clients and endowments. Earning the CIMA designation is an illustration to prospective clients that I possess the knowledge to effectively manage their capital. It will give me the credibility of having specialized training and knowledge. The CIMA certification is critical in helping me build trust and create relationships with wealthy sophisticated investors who have complex needs."

Shaun Taylor
Scholarship Recipient | Candidate for CIMA® Certification