 
AFI Program Resource Center Financial Literacy Enhancement Initiative
Financial education is a critical component of the Assets for Independence (AFI) program, giving participants the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their finances and create a stronger financial future through savings and asset building. Financial education not only provides participants with skills and motivation to help them find money to save regularly in their IDA, it also gives them the skills to understand and repair credit, use financial services effectively, plan for their futures, and more. Most importantly, financial education can give people the knowledge and skills to hold onto the assets they have worked so hard to acquire in the IDA Project.
Recognizing the importance of financial education to AFI participants, the AFI Resource Center has created the AFI Financial Literacy Enhancement Initiative.
The goal of the Initiative is to support AFI grantees in designing and delivering top-quality, transformative financial education within the context of their projects.
To meet this goal, the Initiative will:
- Financial Education Training;
- Technical Assistance;
- Tools and Resources; and
- FDIC’s MoneySmart Curriculum.
These components of the Initiative are described more fully below.
Financial Education Training
As part of the Financial Literacy Enhancement Initiative, a number of training events will be made available to AFI grantees over the coming months. These trainings will include sessions both on financial education content and on financial education training methods, so participants will have an opportunity to learn more about core financial education concepts as well as develop skills to become great trainers and facilitators.
Information about upcoming training events will be listed here.
Technical Assistance
If your project needs technical assistance related to the development or delivery of financial education, please contact the AFI Resource Center by email at AFIProgram@acf.hhs.gov, or by phone at (202) 401-4626.
A case manager will refer your question to a financial education expert. Technical assistance may be provided to you in the form of a telephone or email consultation. We can offer in-person technical assistance as well on a case-by-case basis. Technical assistance is offered at no cost to you.
Tools and Resources
Visit this section regularly for new resources, such as periodic “Hints & Tips” for delivering effective financial education, as well as articles featuring promising practices used by grantees in their delivery of financial education to clients. This section will also provide information on conference calls hosted by AFI on financial education topics.
- Segmenting the market for financial education;
- Options for financial education – beyond the classroom model;
- Next level financial education – what to provide once the basics have been taught;
- Evaluating financial education curricula; and
- Policy initiatives on financial education and how they might affect you.
Suggestions: If you have ideas for other tools and resources you’d like to see, please let us know. Click here to send us an e-mail.
FDIC’s Money Smart Curriculum
Money Smart is available in two versions: an instructor-led version and a computer-based instruction (CBI) version. Both versions consist of the same 10 modules.
The instructor-led version of Money Smart is for those who plan to teach financial education to others in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Russian. A version for the visually impaired is also available. Each of the 10 modules is structured in an identical manner and includes: A comprehensive, fully scripted guide for instructors, including everything necessary to start teaching the program, including easy to follow cues, script, and interactive class exercises, overheads, in Word and PowerPoint format, and a Take-home guide for participants.
Each module takes between 1-2 hours of classroom time to teach. The modules may be taught in any order or combination.
The CBI version enables individuals to complete Money Smart at their own pace on a computer in English or Spanish. The CBI is available online or can be ordered on CD-ROM.
The materials can be easily reproduced and have no copyright restrictions.
To order copies of the Money Smart curriculum for your organization, please click here.
More Information/Questions?
For additional information, please contact the AFI Resource Center on (202) 401-4626 or at AFIProgram@acf.hhs.gov.
Feedback/Suggestions?
We need your help to make the Initiative a success! We want to create the tools and resources that will be most useful to you as AFI grantees. Please let us know what types of materials would be most helpful and which financial education topics you could use help on. Please complete the following short questionnaire to let us know how we can best serve you, or send us your thoughts directly by clicking here to send us an e-mail.