On a mission to educate, prepare, and attract diverse new talent to the insurance industry.

Project InVest is a program presented to High School Seniors who are participants of The Academy of Business & Finance within their high school. The program focuses on the basics of Insurance. It gives the students an opportunity to learn and get excited about this great industry. We step inside a classroom for 45 minutes or less, with simple course material which is provided by the National Organization of Project InVest. 

Each year, we host our Roger M. Gurney Memorial Golf Outing. The proceeds of this golf outing raise valuable scholarship dollars for deserving high school graduates of BIG I WNY’s Project Invest program.  The Project Invest program has sponsored various local events supporting the insurance industry throughout the years and continues to serve an important role in educating younger generations on the role insurance plays in their everyday life.

We currently have 4 schools participating in our local Project Invest program. The schools are: Clarence High School, Depew High School, Hamburg High School & Lakeshore High School.

During the 2024-25 school year, we awarded ten outstanding students with scholarships ranging from $250 up to $1,000 for a total of $5,000 in scholarships. We hope these funds allow the students to obtain a higher education, as well as look to the insurance industry when they are ready to enter the workforce.

We are always looking for volunteers to get involved with teaching a class. There is no minimum commitment – you can participate in one class, two classes, or more! It’s a great way to pay it forward and share our knowledge and experience with our future professionals.

And if you are already convinced you’d like to help shape the future generation of insurance professionals, take a look at the Project InVest website: http://www.investprogram.org/ and contact Will Salter (william.salter@erieinsurance.com) for volunteer opportunities!