Learn About the Program
The On Our Block® St. Louis Program has officially transitioned to the St. Louis Junior Bonds Program in collaboration with The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. While the name and application portal has changed, the mission remains the same: helping St. Louis families build long-term financial security for their children.
The program is designed for 300 students enrolled in 8th grade during the 2025/2026 school year that reside within the City of St. Louis OR reside in an eligible St. Louis County School district. Each selected student will benefit from a share of a $1.5 million fund, professionally managed by Edward Jones. This one-time investment—roughly $5,000 per participant at the outset—is intended to grow over time, with the full amount available for withdrawal beginning in January 2030, once all program requirements are met.
Participants will be able to use their portion of the fund for key milestones like higher education, buying a first home, starting a business, or contributing to retirement savings—whichever path helps them build a stronger financial future.
But this initiative offers more than just money. It’s a stepping stone toward a better financial future, offering free financial planning resources to help students and families make informed financial choices. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements, and from those who qualify, 300 students will be selected in a process designed to ensure equitable geographic representation, with priority given based on demonstrated income level and student need.
Rooted in a mission to bridge the wealth gap in historically excluded communities, St. Louis Junior Bonds is part of a broader commitment to economic mobility and financial independence. By planting the seeds of investment early, this initiative gives young people in underserved communities a powerful head start toward building lasting financial security.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants that meet all the criteria below will be eligible for inclusion in the selection process. Not all eligible applicants will be chosen to receive the grant and financial planning services. 300 eligible 8th graders will be selected in a process designed to ensure equitable geographic representation, with priority given based on demonstrated income level and student need.
Parents or guardians should apply on behalf of their 8th grade students. The student must be or have been in 8th grade during the 2025/2026 school year and reside within the City of St. Louis OR reside in one of the eligible St. Louis County School districts below:
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Ferguson-Florissant School District
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Hancock Place School District
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Hazelwood School District
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Jennings School District
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Normandy Schools Collaborative
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Ritenour School District
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Riverview Gardens School District
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School District of University City
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The 8th grade student must have a Social Security Number or Individual Tax Identification Number
The student and their parent/guardian participate in a limited number of free online financial planning courses offered by program partners.
The gross, total family income must be at or below 80% of the 2025 Area Median Income (AMI) for St. Louis County.
Required Documentation
The following documents are used to confirm eligibility.
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Driver’s License
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State Issued ID
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Passport
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Voter ID Card
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Military ID
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Permanent Resident Card
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Work Permit or Employment Authorization Card
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National ID Card
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Attestation Witness
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Tribal ID Card
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Birth Certificate
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Letters of Guardianship from the Court
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Attestation of guardianship
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Official 2025/2026 Registration or enrollment document
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Must include the school’s name
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Must include student’s full name
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Must confirm the student is/was in 8th grade during 2025/2026 school year
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Letter from School on school letterhead
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Confirming student’s enrollment at that school
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Must include student’s full name
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Must confirm the student is/was in 8th grade during 2025/2026 school year
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A recent report card
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Must include the school’s name
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Must include student’s full name
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Must confirm the student is/was in 8th grade during 2025/2026 school year
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Income Documents must be submitted to include all income earning members of the household. Each income earner in the home must provide one of the following examples of income documents:
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2025 Tax return
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Two Months of Pay Stubs (Current)
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WIC Letter
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SNAP Letter
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TANF Letter
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Current SSI/SSD Award Letter
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Housing Choice Voucher Letter
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Proof of Medicaid benefits
If any of the income earning household members are self-employed and their earnings are not included in the above income documents, then they should also submit:
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Income tax returns for all income earning household members from the most recent tax year, 1099s for all income earning household members, bank statements for all income earning households
If the household has no income:
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Agency attestation of no-income + beneficiary of one public benefit from this list:
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WIC Letter
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SNAP Letter
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Unemployment Benefits
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Current SSI/SSD Award Letter
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TANF Letter
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Housing Choice Voucher Letter
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Proof of Medicaid benefits
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Frequently Asked Questions
General Program Questions
St. Louis Junior Bonds is designed to help eligible students plan for and strengthen their financial futures by providing them with a financial asset and free access to financial planning services. St. Louis Junior Bonds is seeded by a one-time investment of $1.5 million on behalf of 300 eligible 8th grade students. These funds are held in an investment account managed by investment company Edward Jones. Beginning in January 2030, when all program conditions have been met, the beneficiary has reached the age of 18 and they have completed high school (graduation or equivalent) they can withdraw their share of the total value of the investment fund and use it for:
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Continuing education expenses
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Costs for home purchase
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Starting or purchasing a small business
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Opening their own retirement account
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As part of the St. Louis Junior Bonds application, you’ll need to provide:
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Parent/guardian proof of identity
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Student’s basic information
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Proof of parenthood or guardianship
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Proof of 8th-grade enrollment
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Household income details
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Student’s Valid Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)
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Parent/guardian contact information
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The requirements are as follows:
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Students must be or have been enrolled in 8th grade during the 2025/2026 school year.
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Students must reside within the City of St. Louis OR reside in an eligible St. Louis County School district
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The gross, total household income of the 8th grade student’s household must be at or below 80% of the 2025 Area Median Income for St. Louis County.
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The 8th grade student must have a valid SSN or TIN.
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The student and their parent/guardian participate in a limited number of free, online financial education courses.
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Yes! If your child resides in any of the following St. Louis County school districts, they could still qualify.
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Ferguson-Florissant School District
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Hancock Place School District
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Hazelwood School District
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Jennings School District
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Normandy Schools Collaborative
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Ritenour School District
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Riverview Gardens School District
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School District of University City
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A notice of ineligibility will be texted to the phone number and emailed to the email address listed on your application.
After the application portal closes, all eligible applications will be reviewed through a selection process designed to ensure equitable geographic representation, with priority given based on demonstrated income level and student need. Not all Verified Applicants will be selected to participate in the program.
Denial of applications can result from:
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Altered or forged documentation
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Untrue or misleading information
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All duplicate applications for the same student will be deleted and only the original application will be considered.
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Applicant is unresponsive
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Student is/was not in 8th grade during 2025/2026 school year
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Student does not reside within the boundaries of an eligible school district
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Student does not have a valid Social Security or ITIN number
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Your gross total household income is above 80% of the 2025 area median income (AMI)
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Parent/Guardian relationship to student not verified
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Not selected during the income priority Selection Process
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Consent to Enroll Form Not Submitted
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Applicant requested to withdraw their application
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Program has ended
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If your application is not approved, you will receive a notification explaining the reason. While reapplication is not available for this program cycle, we encourage you to stay connected for future opportunities and resources that help you and your family’s financial goals.
If there are multiple applications for the same student only the first completed application submitted will be reviewed for eligibility for inclusion in selection. All other submitted applications will be declined.
Once you have created a FORWARD account, you can begin your application. After your application is submitted, you will receive an email with your application ID number. The email will also have a link to follow (using your email address and the password you set up) to go to MY APPLICATIONS and find your current status.
The application site will close June 1, 2026. After that date, it will not be possible to start a new application or complete an unfinished application. All applications not completed on the platform by June 1, 2026 will not be eligible for consideration.
You may withdraw from the program at any time by submitting your request to FORWARD. Please be advised that once your participation is canceled, it cannot be reinstated.
FORWARD Customer Support
Phone: 1-855-933-5556
Email: Support@forwardplatform.zendesk.comSt. Louis Junior Bonds is entirely free. You will never be asked to pay for anything. This innovative program is made possible through generous grant funding from the James S. McDonnell Foundation and Edward Jones. Edward Jones has waived any fee to manage the investment account.
Withdrawn funds may be subject to federal, state and local taxes at the time of withdrawal.
High school completion (graduation or equivalency) is required for disbursement.
No. Once your child has been approved, changes in residency or household income will not affect their eligibility.
Need help with your application?
We’re here to support you.
Application support is available if you have questions about how to apply, need help uploading documents, or run into technical issues along the way.
This program is supported by FORWARD, which helps manage the application process and applicant support in partnership with the program administrator.
Need help over the phone? Call 1-855-582-3973.
For more information about St. Louis Junior Bonds or assistance with the application process please contact:
The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis
Main Office Number: (314) 725-7990
6825 Clayton Avenue, Suite 100, St. Louis MO 63139
