The Robert Toigo Foundation was founded in the late 1980s with a vision to directly address the lack of diversity within the finance industry. Our goal from the start has been to prompt the industry to open its doors to a workforce visibly more proportionate to the talent that exists globally and as diverse as the markets it serves. In order to be a catalyst for change, the Foundation recognized the need to forge strong, life-long relationships with aspiring minority professionals committed to careers in finance and with the finance firms seeking that talent. A relationship with one-and not the other-would not allow Toigo to achieve its mission to change the face of finance.

Toigo is one of a few diversity programs that provides both scholarships and enrichment services. It is the only non-profit providing this support to young professionals committed to careers in finance.

By focusing on a small, highly qualified talent pool, we are able to develop and deliver unique programs that support the individual's needs and to tailor that individual support as career needs change. For other non-profit foundations, the focus is on reaching a broader population of students. In contrast, Toigo's efforts concentrate on select MBA students who have an innate sense of the importance of changing the overall culture of finance and a strong sense of ethical leadership. Many of our Alumni are emerging as prominent business leaders and each year a new class of Fellows is chosen with an eye to increasing the strength of the Toigo brand.

The core of our work focuses on inspiring young professionals of color to consider finance as a career path and to support them as they embark on their journey. As part of these efforts, the Foundation provides Fellowships (merit-based awards) to current MBA (and JD/MBA and Masters in Finance candidates) coupled with a lifetime of professional leadership development, career services, networking and mentoring. Our network of Toigo Alumni and Fellows is over 600 strong, representing all sectors of finance and all levels of leadership.

The close relationship and interchange the Foundation forges with our Fellows and Alumni, in turn, enables us to provide rare and invaluable insights to industry sponsors that support our work and seek to hire Toigo professionals. Our 18-year collaborative relationship with financial services firms in all sectors is aimed at fostering work environments where highly qualified minority talent can thrive and contribute, and where the organization can share in a spirit of inclusion and directly benefit from this important business strategy.

The unique interchange between Toigo, minority talent, and industry firms is at the core of what we do and what we deliver. And, importantly, it is what differentiates the Foundation from other non-profits committed to diversity and inclusion.