IVINS, Utah (SEPTEMBER 3, 2025) — The Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort, Utah’s annual PGA TOUR event, has announced its official community impact initiative, the Bank of Utah financial literacy program. This new initiative will support financial education, life skills programming and entrepreneurial confidence for youth across the Beehive State.
Developed in partnership with The Policy Project, Bank of Utah will bring practical financial literacy programming to Teen Centers, transforming these trusted spaces into launchpads where students can learn to manage money, plan for the future and build the confidence to become tomorrow's leaders.
Powered by the Bank of Utah Championship’s impact funding, The Policy Project and Bank of Utah will design and launch this financial literacy program during the 2025–26 school year. With 20 new Teen Centers opening in the fall of 2025 — bringing the total to 86 statewide — and the inaugural Bank of Utah Championship capturing attention across Utah, the timing is ideal to combine visibility with meaningful impact. This initiative is in line with the PGA TOUR’s commitment to make significant charitable impacts in the communities where it plays, creating a championship legacy that will live far beyond the fairways — touching communities statewide and equipping Utah’s youth with skills that will last a lifetime.
“The Bank of Utah Championship is honored to partner with The Policy Project on this important new program that will positively impact teens across Utah,” said Patrick Manning, Managing Director of Black Desert Resort. “With decades of expertise and trusted financial knowledge, Bank of Utah will create a program that equips young people with critical life skills and the confidence to manage their finances. At Black Desert, we’re proud to support the outstanding work being done by Bank of Utah and The Policy Project.”
Bank of Utah President Branden Hansen spoke to the program’s lasting impact: “This initiative is an investment in Utah’s future — bringing together the statewide reach of The Policy Project, the legacy of Bank of Utah and the community-first spirit of the PGA TOUR. Through the Bank of Utah financial literacy program, we’ll help teens unlock their full potential and improve their lives, and grow into builders and leaders in their communities.”
Teen Centers are dedicated spaces within schools that provide students with access to basic needs, supportive services and a safe environment that helps them focus on their education and well-being. Each center is tailored to its local community, with services determined by school and community leaders to address student needs. The addition of financial literacy through life skills programming builds on the robust wraparound services already offered in Teen Centers and reflects the tournament’s role in strengthening Utah communities.
One of The Policy Project’s core values is to address root causes and deliver lasting solutions. Teen Centers demonstrate this approach by removing barriers to learning and helping students finish school, build self-reliance and successfully launch into adulthood. In 2022, The Policy Project identified the need for Teen Centers in response to rising rates of student homelessness in Utah. By 2023, it had secured state and private funding to expand the model statewide and distributed funds to schools across the state. Between 2024 and 2025, it celebrated and supported dozens of new Teen Center openings and convened a network of leaders to share best practices and ensure lasting impact.
Building on more than 70 years of guiding Utahns through life’s financial milestones, Bank of Utah will contribute its expertise to help design a financial literacy program that is both practical and relevant to the needs of the Teen Centers. Once developed, Bank of Utah employees will be invited to volunteer in Teen Centers across the state, serving as mentors and role models who help teens put financial concepts into practice.
Following its historic debut in 2024 — the first PGA TOUR event held in Utah in more than 60 years — the Bank of Utah Championship will return to Black Desert Resort in Southern Utah’s Greater Zion region October 23–26. For more information, visit BankofUtahChampionship.com.
About Bank of Utah
Founded in Ogden in 1952, Bank of Utah has been part of the state’s story for more than 70 years. We’ve supported small businesses and helped individuals and families build their futures in communities across Utah, from quiet mountain towns to thriving city centers. With 18 full-service branches, dedicated trust teams, and mortgage specialists throughout the state, Bank of Utah provides personal service and forward-thinking financial tools. The bank’s comprehensive offerings include business and personal banking, mortgage and commercial lending, personal and corporate trust services, and wealth management and investment services.
Recognized as one of the Top 15 U.S. Community Banks of 2024 by S&P Global Market Intelligence and named Utah’s Best Bank by GOBankingRates in 2025, Bank of Utah blends local insight with award-winning strength. Whether it’s the little details in a banking experience or the big moments in life, Bank of Utah is here to help Utahns succeed. Our commitment is to remain strong, trustworthy, advanced, secure and appreciative — to work side by side with clients on their financial journeys, so they can confidently say: “This is my Utah. Bank of Utah is my bank.” Learn more here or call 801-409-5000.
About The Policy Project
The Policy Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that acts as a policy accelerator to do real good for real people. The Policy Project develops thoughtful policy solutions to drive systemic change and engage community members to foster cultural change — taking both a top-down and bottom-up approach to improve the lives of children and families in every corner of Utah.
In just a few short years, this approach has delivered lasting impact. Through thoughtful policy and the power of community, The Policy Project’s legislative initiatives have provided period products in every Utah school, built Teen Resource Centers in 70+ high schools to help vulnerable students graduate and thrive, expanded child sexual abuse prevention education to K–6 students, limited distracting cell phone use in classrooms, and expanded access to no cost school meals.
And they’re just getting started. Their next chapter will focus on bold policy solutions to expand access to housing, childcare, and other critical supports for families across Utah — and beyond. Discover how The Policy Project is shaping change at www.thepolicyproject.org.
About Black Desert Resort
Set amidst the vermilion sandstone cliffs and striking black lava beds of Greater Zion, Black Desert Resort is poised to become a premier destination for luxury hospitality, golf, and Southern Utah adventure. Developed by Reef Capital Partners, Black Desert Resort is anchored by a Tom Weiskopf-designed championship golf course, which hosts annual events on the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. Set to open in Summer 2025, the resort’s first phase will include nearly 800 rooms and suites, seven dining venues, a 15,000-square-foot spa, a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, and 45,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor meeting and event space. Future phases will include a water park, more rooms and suites, and additional dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Spanning over 600 acres of scenic landscape, Black Desert Resort offers easy access to 200+ acres of preserved land and six miles of hiking trails. To learn more about Black Desert Resort, visit www.blackdesertresort.com.
Reef Capital Partners is a vertically integrated real estate investment, development, and operations firm dedicated to enhancing communities through transformative and impactful projects across North America. With a portfolio that includes marquee destinations like Black Desert Resort, Marcella Club, Cornerstone Golf Club, Coco Palms, Cutalong at Tributer, and Sweetens Cove, Reef combines visionary design with investment expertise to create experiences that endure for generations. Learn more at www.reefcp.com.
