Case Study: Juma Ventures achieves unprecedented youth college savings and program expansion with Bonterra Apricot

Juma Ventures - Customer Case Study

Juma Ventures is a nonprofit that for 20 years has helped low‑income youth in Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco and New York prepare for college and careers through college services, asset‑building (Individual Development Accounts), and employment programs. Although the asset‑building program was established and broadly successful, performance data in their ETO® system revealed participant savings rates — particularly for the Class of 2012 — were below goal, signaling a need to improve enrollment processes and participant engagement.

Using ETO to pinpoint gaps, Juma streamlined bank account and direct deposit setup and boosted participant buy‑in, which quickly raised savings rates: by mid‑senior year the Class of 2013 averaged $864 (about $300 more than the prior year) and over half had already met the $1,000 goal, with some juniors reaching it early. The cumulative impact since 1999 includes $783,000 saved and nearly $960,000 in matching funds; the stronger outcomes have enabled partnerships and pilots (including CollegeSet with BlackRock to open >1,000 accounts and provide $1.5M) and supported expansion into new markets and younger cohorts.

Juma Ventures

Lisa Hunter

Director of Learning and Evaluation