Financial Literacy Programs

The National Financial Educators Council certifies and features financial literacy programs that represent the best practices in the industry. The materials featured on this page are not only educational, they are also designed to entertain and engage the audience thus producing a richer learning experience.

The NFEC offers a wide variety of services that can be designed around your coursework objectives and budget. Listed below is a brief overview of select products and services that can be included in your program:

Financial Literacy Software - Virtual learning centers, games and simulation.

Workshops and Events - Nationally recognized events, classes and workshops. 

Financial Education Products - Top rated financial literacy products for individuals.

Teaching Financial Literacy - Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) training.

Financial Education Services – Consulting and program development.

Employee Financial Education –  Programs that educate and deliver a ROI

If you would like our Solution Experts to review your current program or provide suggestions on coursework that you are developing, fill out the information below.  They will assist you in developing lessons and promotions that will best align with your objectives.  Learn more about our solutions now: 

For those organizations that are looking to spread the message the NFEC offers complete Promotion Packages with all the programs we provide.  You receive turnkey solutions to your promotion and community outreach material that can be custom branded for your organization.

With all the programs mentioned above the NFECs’ focus in on creating education events that are also entertaining and engaging.  We seek to inspire the participants to continue to take positive action toward their financial future.

Although there is still a shortage of financial literacy programs; the recent economic strain has put a renewed effort in providing people of all ages a quality financial education.  Today there is more financial literacy funding opportunities available and professional financial education organizations that are helping to fulfill the need. 

This article will focus on the financial literacy programs that are available and recommended by the National Financial Educators Council.  The NFEC evaluates the financial literacy programs on the market to ensure it meets their standards.  All of the programs mentioned below are endorsed and certified by the NFEC.

Financial education events can be a great kickoff to any financial literacy program.  Events give us a way to connect with the community and educate the people we serve.  Here are a few events offered and recommended by the NFEC:   

The Real Money Experience is an experiential financial education workshop that has students making financial decisions they will face later in life.  This is customizable and is a great feature of any financial literacy program.  Joanna Mueller, Program Coordinator for the Simon Family Foundation, had this to say about the RMX event “The event was amazing and we had great comments from the students.  You could tell by their questions they were asking that they were thinking about their finances and what their parents had to deal with.”

Money XLive is a full production financial literacy event that brings out top sport stars and celebrities to motivate and education the audience.  This financial education program serves audiences of 1,000 or more and has kicked off national financial literacy initiatives. Kenressa Pierce from Verity Credit Union had this to say: “The Money XLive program covers the financial literacy that schools are presently lacking today. A lot of schools may not be able to afford to bring Money XLive to their campus. Working with a local Credit Union to bring financial literacy into the classroom can be an affordable alternative.”

Money XLive multimedia combines live presenters with celebrity and sport star videos.  This program is especially effective with youth ranging from junior high through college.  Natalie Nahas, Financial Education Coordinator for the Los Angeles Police Credit Union had this to say about Money XLive Multimedia, “It was a huge success! A lot of excellent feedback from both the kids and parents regarding the videos. I think next time we need to put it on at a bigger venue.”
Evolve is a flexible program that can be delivered over a day, a week or semester.  This in depth learning experience produces measurable results and has received great reviews from the students.

The NFECs’ workplace financial literacy program offers employers a way to comply with Employee Retirement Income Security Act while educating their employees.  High level studies have shown that having workplace financial literacy programs in place increase the productivity and emotional state of employees.

The financial education programs mentioned above are delivered turnkey or fully hosted by certified educators.  If you want to host your own financial literacy programs we have included additional tips below to help.The first recommendation is to ensure your trainers receive their financial educator certification. Training is an important part of any financial education program as trained instructors ensure the message is delivered effectively and retained by the students.

Also be careful to choose highly rated financial literacy curriculum will improve the test results of your financial literacy programs. NFEC curriculum combines the national standards with real world information.  Collaborating with teachers, financial professionals and leading experts, the NFEC curriculum is an important piece of any financial education program.

The NFEC also offers a variety of virtual financial literacy programs.  This includes their acclaimed multimedia learning center Money Smarts Multimedia Personal Finance Course and other virtual financial education programs.  Upon completion of our virtual classrooms students receive a certificate in financial education and have a new found motivation for picking up money skills.

With all the financial literacy programs the NFEC also has a team of world class financial education speakers available to support your efforts.  These experts know how to entertain and engage an audience while delivering a practical financial education program. 

Whatever financial literacy program you choose it’s important to realize that you are making a lasting difference in the lives of those you reach. Keep up your commendable efforts and together we can improve the lives of individuals, families and communities worldwide. 

Mom? Dad? Don’t rent out my room after I go to college. Chances are, I’ll be back.

That’s what a new study shows.  85% of college seniors planned to move back home with their parents after graduation according to a poll by Twentysomething Inc. That financial literacy statistic and many others like it conclusively show that more financial literacy programs are needed to help today’s youth get on the right foot financially.

“The trend is rising, and it’s not getting any better,” according to the National Financial Educator’s Council  “Living independently is getting more difficult with each new generation of graduates, and one of the key problems is that we providing these youth with financial education programs that equip them with a good sense of how to run their finances.”

The NFEC, an advocate of financial literacy programs, also has tips for parents and educators who want to teach their children practical money skills to fill in the gap left by most schools. They include:

Tip The earlier people begin to develop a good savings habit the better off they will be.  Include the practical activity like opening a savings account in your financial literacy program.  Participants get energized when they see their money growing – especially when they do not have to actively work for that growth.  And since today’s youth are comfortable with technology show them how to manage the personal finances by having them set up an automated savings plan and budget online.

Tip Financial literacy programs that do not relate money to their living style (aka lifestyle) often miss the mark with today’s youth.  Nowadays our children are focused on more than just money – for many it’s about experiencing life. Spend some time with your students and uncover their short and long term goals. Then figure out how your financial literacy program can help them live that lifestyle they want sooner. It’s important to relate their aspirations to earning and managing money to help them reach their goals faster.

Tip Your financial literacy program should focus on helping participant set up the proper account structure and getting their accounts open ASAP.  With the large number of the population being unbanked (and paying high fees just to cash a check), this is an important lesson that can show immediate benefits.  Be sure your financial education program has participants open their basic, foundation level, accounts.  

Tip Youth gives our children a huge advantage when it comes to their financial health due to compounding interest. This should be one of the first topics you discuss in your financial literacy program as it motivates students to listen.  Financial literacy programs that demonstrate the distinct advantage of ‘time’ that our youth have in their favor stand a better chance of the information being heard and retained.  And when it comes right down to is, don’t you wish you fully understood compounding interest and how to take advantage of it when you were a teenager?

Tip  It may sound like a tall order, since many parents don’t understand how the markets work, but imagine how much better off we’d all be if everyone had a basic education on the financial markets at an early age. A simple lesson like how to identify trends and then take advantage of them is a simple concept that will have a profound impact on their life. By ensuring your financial literacy programs give students a high level overview of the financial markets they will better understand how global events affect their pocketbooks.

Our future generations will need to understand the increasely complex global economy.  Ensure your financial literacy programs are effective and include the points mentioned above.