The NFEC History with Financial Service Providers
The NFEC did not start as a Council – our beginnings were boots on the ground, delivering financial education and coaching services in local communities. Our vision from day one was focused on helping people with their finances so they can live more rewarding, secure lives.
Our partnerships with the financial services industry has fueled our growth and ability to empower more people with financial literacy education in all US states and in over 60 countries.
We understand the needs of financial service providers and we built our materials and designed our campaign not only to provide social impact benefits; but also to include a comprehensive benefit package to help you expand your business.
Serving Financial Service Providers Since 2006
Since inception, the NFEC has been serving the financial services industry – including programs for 3 of the top 20 (in revenue) financial service and insurance sectors. Additionally, we have over 1,400 financial services individuals and organizations of all sizes. This experience has led our company to breakthroughs that make a measurable impact on their businesses.
The NFEC was founded by Vince Shorb, who brought over a decade of experience in the financial services industry to proactively help people with their finances. Our expert team and Advisory Board comprising stakeholders across all financial services sectors ensure our commitment to serving this industry
IACET Accredited Education Company & Certified B Corporation
The National Financial Educators Council is the only financial education company focused on scalable financial wellness programming that is both a Certified B Corporation and an IACET Accredited education company.
These designations put us in a unique position to offer educational-grade financial education resources that support the development and deployment of financial education-based social impact campaigns.
Financial Service Provider Case Studies
Case Study: Transamerica’s Financial Educators Academy
Transamerica had a vision to help educate a variety of beneficiaries (clients, personnel, prospective clients) and support their team of advisors. The NFEC was tasked with building a comprehensive financial education program that included development of a certification training program for financial professionals, customized curriculum, specialized testing and surveys, marketing promotions, and key note speaking for the program milestone events.
The overall program arms financial professionals with tools they need to improve financial literacy in whole communities. To access those resources, Transamerica requires each person to become “Certified Financial Education Instructors,” with a goal to deliver real results and have real impact on those they reach.
Read more about how this program started in 2013 with demand- and supply-side surveys of Transamerica stakeholders and resulted in the development of Transamerica Financial Educators Academy, training of hundreds of advisors and empowering people in communities with financial knowledge.
While the certified instructor program was in production, the NFEC customized curriculum to meet Transamerica’s specific needs. Our team worked with their compliance department and project leaders to ensure that the final version satisfied their needs. An extremely flexible, ready-to-use library of teaching tools was developed, including private-labeled PowerPoint® presentations, instructor’s guide and script, student guides, pre- and post-session assessments, homework activities, and certificates. These downloadable materials can be customized with each financial advisor’s logo and printed through the print-on-demand portal.
Promotional and co-promotional tools were developed by the NFEC and the Transamerica Financial Educators Academy. The resulting email and advertising templates help advisors promote events in their community. Customized graduation certificates also were created to commemorate attendees’ accomplishments and encourage participants to continue discussing the financial education topics with their families at home.
The campaign was launched on National Financial Educators Day, founded by the NFEC to honor financial educators. NFEC’s CEO, Vince Shorb, gave the keynote address at the Transamerica’s Retirement Readiness Summit, especially recognizing the exceptional efforts of three individuals who promoted financial wellness over the past year: Deb Rubin, Tom Hoffman, and Jania Stout. Customized awards were distributed by the NFEC and all attendees expressed excitement about the launch of the Transamerica Financial Educators Academy (TFEA).
The overall program arms financial professionals with the training and tools they need to improve financial literacy in whole communities. The program offers financial professionals the opportunity to become “Certified Financial Education Instructors,” with a goal to deliver real results and have real impact on customers and prospects.
The NFEC commends Transamerica’s leadership. They have launched one of the most comprehensive financial education initiatives in the financial industry today. Their dedication to serving communities across the country will have a lasting positive impact on the people and communities this campaign reaches.
Initial Partnership Announcement – Financial Educators Day 2014
The National Financial Educators Council celebrated Financial Educators Day at Transamerica’s Retirement Readiness Summit in Miami on April 25, 2014. At the event, NFEC CEO Vince Shorb spoke to the financial professionals in attendance about advocacy for financial wellness. The live event concluded with recognition of the exceptional efforts of three individuals who made special efforts to promote financial wellness over the past year.
Financial Educators Day, which takes place the last Friday of April, is set aside to recognize innovative leaders working to improve the financial capabilities of people in their communities. This year Deb Rubin, Tom Hoffman, and Jania Stout were honored during Transamerica’s second annual Retirement Readiness Summit. Deb Rubin, senior vice president of TPA and specialist advisor distribution for Transamerica Retirement Solutions, received the NFEC’s 2014 Financial Education Leadership Award for her dedication to improving retirement outcomes for American workers.
Pictured: NFEC’s CEO, Vince Shorb with Stig O. Nybo (President, Transamerica Retirement Solutions – Pension Sales and Distribution) presenting the NFEC’s Financial Education Leadership Award to Deb Ruben (Transamerica Retirement Solutions Senior Vice President, TPA and RIA Distribution). Congratulations to Deb for a well-deserved award.
Case Study: SunTrust Foundation Center at Wake Technical College
The NFEC designed, deployed and manage a campus wide campaign at Wake Technical Community College with the SunTrust Foundation as the sponsor since 2013. To meet the goal of raising financial literacy competencies among Wake Tech students, staff, and community members the NFEC developed the multimethod programming and developed the branding for the SunTrust Foundation Center for Financial Education at Wake Technical Community College.
Combining live events, financial education-based contests, an eLearning center, interactive experiences, and a personal finance mobile app, the NFEC built an authentic, dynamic learning experience while giving students access to practical financial education programming.
To date this initiative has included more than 150 live instructional events for students, parents, faculty and staff. In addition to live instruction, promotional events and contests encourage active participation while raising awareness about the program. Online and mobile learning also contribute to the educational mix. The NFEC’s proprietary eLearning platform forms the backbone of the Center’s online personal finance initiative.
The campaign’s focus on increasing the reach of the programming was achieved through a mixture of building new partnerships, campus-wide marketing, generating media coverage, building an online presence, word-of-mouth networking, and other collaborative efforts.
For Wake Tech College, the NFEC designed a comprehensive financial wellness program incorporating live events, media outreach and promotion, workshops, crash courses, and contests. This holistic effort was made possible by the sponsorship of the SunTrust Foundation.
The NFEC designed the Wake Tech campaign with the goal of raising financial competencies among the broadest possible group of students, parents, staff, and community members. The campaign had multiple components:
Center for Financial Education
At program outset, the NFEC helped Wake Tech and the SunTrust Foundation open the Center for Financial Education which serves students, faculty, and the whole community with financial education and resources.
Customized Instruction
The NFEC implements the Center’s acclaimed Financial Empowerment Workshop series which takes place over four college class periods and covers lessons in credit, debt, savings, money management, and investment basics. Multimedia videos and real-world activities are featured to engage participants while they improve their financial foundation. Two 90-minute crash courses also have been created – one to help students reduce or eliminate debt, and one aimed particularly at helping educators and staff take action toward retirement planning.
Live Events
High-profile open house events showcase the NFEC’s financial education opportunities at Wake Tech, including the College Family Finance event for students accompanied by parents and the Financial Empowerment event for students who attend alone. Each April the NFEC helps Wake Tech celebrate Financial Literacy Month with free access to online financial education, a booth at the Spring Fling, and other exciting activities.
The campaign also hosts an annual Financial Scavenger Hunt contest, a reality-based competition that helps people learn money management skills while getting a chance to win fun prizes. The contest includes activities that help build solid financial foundations, such as reviewing SunTrust’s student checking account options and calculating compound interest.
Each Wake Tech semester ends with a Closing Ceremonies event wrapping up the financial education campaign activities with fun, food, and participant recognition.
Media Outreach
The NFEC supports Wake Tech to gain important media coverage, distribute flyers around campus, build presence online and in the social media, conduct word-of-mouth networking, and use the NFEC’s email listserv to reach more than 20,000 people with information about the SunTrust and Wake Tech-sponsored financial literacy events.
Collaborative Partnerships
Part of the NFEC’s financial literacy mission involves building collaborative partnerships to maximize the use of resources and extend program reach and support. At Wake Tech the NFEC has facilitated collaborations with a variety of community and campus organizations including Jack and Jill of America, the COSMO department, dental hygiene program, and Business 125 courses. These collaborations make it possible for the campaign to reach hundreds of students, staff, and community members with financial education courses each year.
With the support of the NFEC and SunTrust, the Wake Tech financial education initiative has achieved sustainability across campus and in the surrounding community. Demonstrating the sponsors’ commitment to improving financial outcomes for students, staff, faculty, and community members alike, this program has been steadily expanding over the past three years and shows every indication of continuing to extend its reach and positive impact. This initiative epitomizes how successful collaboration between the college, organizations, and students can empower the whole community with financial knowledge.
Case Study: Old National Bank
Award-winning Old National Bank Exhibits Clear Commitment to Promoting Financial Wellness.
Strengthening communities and empowering citizens to manage their own financial futures form two cornerstones of the mission and vision of Old National Bank, subsidiary of Old National Corporation in Evansville, Indiana. In 2015 ONB’s community education and outreach programs earned the bank well-deserved recognition – in the form of two first-place American Bankers Association Community Commitment Awards.
The first award was given to Old National’s 12 Steps to Financial Success, a program designed to empower at-risk adults – specifically those incarcerated for non-violent offenses – to take control of their futures. This financial literacy program educates inmates with key money management tools that help them avoid re-incarceration and achieve financial success. A prime example of this program at work is the partnership between ONB and the Henderson County Detention Center’s Substance Abuse Program, where more than 150 female inmates have completed the training so far.
The second recognition was given to ONB financial empowerment officer Ben Joergens, who was awarded the American Bankers Association George Bailey Distinguished Service Award – a distinction given to a non-CEO bank employee who shows outstanding initiative, commitment to the bank’s customers and communities, and inspires others. Joergen’s efforts have included financial education presentations reaching more than 5,000 adults and children in 2014 alone – through partnerships with 27 non-profits, schools, and universities.
In addition to the ABA awards, ONB demonstrates its commitment to empowering communities through its financial literacy education, volunteer and community engagement programs. In 2015, ONB associates taught over 900 total financial education sessions that reached 17,000 individuals. This Real Life Finance program was delivered in partnership with the National Financial Educators Council, with curricula designed to be custom-tailored to the needs of each individual or group being served.
ONB’s volunteer program, called ONe Community, matches community needs with the engagement and development of bank associates. By giving bank associates 24 hours per year of volunteer flex time, ONB leverages skills-based, pro bono volunteering to help citizens in the community make positive changes toward secure futures. For example, Old National Internal Audit associates volunteer at the local YWCA.
In 2016, ONB launched the highly-successful Pay it Forward campaign, where Associate and Community Engagement teams in each of 14 regions took the lead in implementing creative ways to take $500 (donated by ONB) and “pay it forward.” For example, associates put together care packages for cancer patients and the homeless, served law enforcement and fire personnel with lunches and care packages, collected books for children, and purchased groceries for families in need and food pantries.
The ABA awards, along with the successful volunteerism and corporate sponsorships, clearly demonstrate how Old National has made community empowerment a pillar of its identity. ONB will continue to maintain a strong commitment to financial literacy, not only because it’s a natural industry fit, but because the organization recognizes the powerful positive impact financial education can have on individuals and communities alike.
Case Study: First Financial Security’s LiSA Literacy Project
The NFEC’s work on First Financial Security’s LiSA Literacy Project centered around developing private-labeled curriculum developed, marketing support, targeted studies (women & money), Certification for their instructors, initiative design, support staff training and promotions.