Progress 64 West and YouthBridge Community Foundation of Greater St. Louis join forces to offer scholarships for aspiring entrepreneurs.

(St. Louis, Mo., April 21, 2023) Progress 64 West and YouthBridge Community Foundation of Greater St. Louis recently announced the establishment of the Progress 64 Entrepreneurial Scholarship Fund, which will assist high school seniors in achieving their educational goals.

The joint effort’s mission is to support, encourage, and foster young entrepreneurs by awarding scholarships to high school seniors living or going to school in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County. The one-year awards can be used at trade schools, as well as two- and four-year colleges and universities.

To qualify for consideration, students must submit an executive summary of a business plan that includes a business concept description; market analysis, including market need, competition, and profit strategy; operations plan; and sales and marketing strategies. The application deadline is Oct. 23, 2023. Application details will be posted in August on Youthbridge Community Foundation’s website at youthbridge.org.

Founded in 1877, YouthBridge Community Foundation is a nonprofit that partners with individuals, families, and businesses to support charities and communities needs in the St. Louis region, especially those focused on children and families.

“It’s a great fit with our mission,” states Barbara Carswell, CEO of YouthBridge. “We focus on children and youth, and the scholarship program that has benefited students in West St. Louis and St. Charles counties is now expanding to all high school students in St. Louis City, County and St. Charles County.”

Progress 64 West was established in 1987 to promote the responsible growth of commerce in the greater St. Louis region, with a particular emphasis given to the I-64 corridor from I-270 west ward to I-70. A partnership of citizens, business and civic leaders, the organization’s vision focused on economic prosperity by championing workforce improvements and infrastructure projects.

In 2004, civic organization Progress 64 West initiated its scholarship program, then named in honor of St. Louis business leader Louis S. Sachs. Sachs was known for his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to envision what could be. Renamed as the Progress 64 Entrepreneurial Scholarship Fund, the program is now positioned to provide more scholarships for a larger pool of candidates.

According to Michael Doster, of Doster, Nations, Ullom & Boyle, LLC and a member of the scholarship committee, “Our partnership with YouthBridge will provide the opportunity for more donors to come alongside our existing scholarship sponsors in making tax-deductible donations that enrich the lives of local students.”

For more information, visit youthbridge.org/p64fund/.