Mayors’ National Dollar Wi$e Campaign

FINANCIAL EDUCATION FOR AMERICA

FINANCIAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM MATRIX200809

THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORSCOUNCIL FOR THE NEW AMERICAN CITY

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CreditSmart2

TARGETAUDIENCE

CURRICULUMAREA

Low- to moderate-income

General consumers

Minorities

Adults

Students

Banking/budgeting/savings

Credit management

Homeownership

Retirement planning

Train-the-trainer

Low

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Min

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Ad

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Stud

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Ban

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Cred

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Ho

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Retirem

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Train-th

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Credit Booster1

incharge education foundation | Designed to lead the consumer through a step-by-step process to enhance usage of credit and management of debt.

Chapters include:

1 Basics of Improving Your Credit2 Where Do You Stand?3 Where Does All the Money Go?4 Making Sense of Your Financial Situation5 Understanding Your Credit Report & Credit History6 Understanding Your Credit Score7 Setting Your Financial Goals8 Budgeting

09 Removing Mistakes from Your Credit Report10 Improving Your Credit Score11 Resolving Severe Credit Problems on Your Own12 Getting Help for Resolving Severe Debt Problems13 Building Credit When You Do Not Have Any14 Building Credit After Divorce15 Rebuilding Credit After Bankruptcy

Money Smart

federal deposit insurance corporation | Teaches low- to moderate-income adults about finances. It is available in a teacher-based format, and directly to consumers in CD-ROM and Web-based format on the FDIC’s homepage. Available in 5 other languages including Spanish and includes a train-the-trainer component.

Modules include:

Bank on It: an introduction to bank servicesBorrowing Basics: an introduction to creditCheck it Out: how to choose and keep a checking accountMoney Matters: how to keep track of your moneyPay Yourself First: why you should save, save, saveKeep It Safe: your rights as a consumer

••••••

To Your Credit: how your credit history will affect yourcredit futureCharge It Right: how to make a credit card work for youLoan to Own: know what you’re borrowing before you buyYour Own Home: what homeownership is all about

•••••

freddie mac | Designed to help users obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to manage their finances and positively impact their credit.

CreditSmart is being distributed through organizations committed to helping underserved communities, including the National Urban League and the Rainbow/PUSH “1000 Churches Connected” initiative.

CreditSmart is available in English and Spanish and includes eleven different modules, including:

1 Your Credit & Why It Is Important2 Managing Your Money3 Goal Setting4 Banking Services, An Important Step

5 Establishing and Maintaining Credit6 Understanding Credit Scoring7 Thinking Like a Lender8 Avoiding Credit Traps

09 Restoring Your Credit10 Planning for Your Future11 Becoming a Homeowner

Mind Your Finances Classroom Edition

incharge education foundation | Mind Your Finances (CD-ROM and Web versions) is divided into seven major topics:

Clarifying GoalsOrganizing Financial RecordsMonitoring Debt-to-Income Ratio and Credit UsePreparing a Spending Plan

••••

Asking for Credit ReportsSaving MoneyStudying and Learning About Consumer Credit Issues

•••

These learning activities are tailored into a teacher’s guide and a student workbook to fit both these seven major topics and the specific needs and interests of students in grades 6-10, so they can better understand and learn the skills they need to become responsible, savvy consumers.

Freddie Mac Homebuyer Resources

freddie mac | These credit, mortgage finance, and home-buying resources are designed to assist prospective homebuyers and existing homeowners. Online only.

High School Financial Planning Program

national endowment for financial education | Created in partnership with InCharge, the HSFPP uses contemporary materials to teach the basics of personal finance to young people while they are developing habits and attitudes about money that will influence them for the rest of their lives. It is based on the philosophy that learning about money is as important as earning it—and that effective money management results from disciplined behavior, which is most easily mastered if learned early in life.

Has train-the-trainer and train-the-teacher components as well as teacher in-classroom instruction.

Also provides Web-based training as a course aimed at teachers and others who work with young people in an informal setting. It provides information on personal finance and features a myriad of suggestions and examples that can be applied to classroom exercises and discussions.

Homeownership Basics Online

u.s. department of housing and urban development | Provides prospective homeowners with modules that explain the basics of buying a home, and what is expected of a buyer. Online only.

Investing for Success

investment company institute | This Web course is an educational program jointly sponsored by the Hispanic College Fund, Inc. (HCF) and the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation (ICIEF).

This program responds to research showing that, compared to other groups with similar incomes, Hispanics are the least likely to invest. HCF, ICIEF, and the mutual fund industry have joined forces to help Latinos become knowledgeable about opportunities to build wealth and to encourage long-term financial planning to secure their children’s education and their own retirement.

Late Savers Guidebook

national endowment for financial education | A guide to help late savers prepare for retirement.

Mind Your Finances:Saving, Increasing Your Spending Power, Banking

incharge education foundation | These modules are designed to serve as resources that the general consumer can use to learn about the basic financial principles involved in these areas and to identify steps that can be taken to ensure that the consumer can direct some control over his/her economic activities.

Preparing to Buy a Home—Your Personal Workbook

countrywide home loans | Offered in English and Spanish, this workbook was created to work in conjunction with the FDIC Money Smart training materials. Topics covered include money management, the importance of credit, qualifying for a loan, and a glossary. Worksheets include a daily spending diary, income and expense worksheet, budgeting tool, mortgage shopping worksheet and more. Up to 50 complimentary copies provided upon request. Contact Countrywide Corporate Giving, corporate_giving@countrywide.com.

Young Money | Grab Todd’s Cash

incharge education foundation | “Grab Todd’s Cash” is a high-tech game designed to test a player’s money skills, a fun way to test how much one knows how to handle his/her dough.

In each chosen topic round, the player teams up with one of the “Mo’ Money Gamers.” This team challenges Todd, the “financial genius.” One can play from “Dead Broke” to “Big Wheel” by teaming up with all 8 Mo’ Money Gamers and winning Bonus Rounds!

High scores are displayed on the Web site, so people are encouraged to come back, test Todd again and again, score more points, and even learn a little bit more about managing one’s finances.

www.youngmoney.com/money_game

www.mindyourfinances.com/products/credit-booster

www.freddiemac.com/creditsmart

www.freddiemac.com/homeownership

hsfpp.nefe.org

www.hud.gov/webcasts/archives/homeforall.cfm

www.icief.org | spanish www.invertirconexito.org

www.smartaboutmoney.org/nefe/uploadfiles/Late%20Savers.pdf

elearning.mindyourfinances.com

www.mindyourfinances.com

www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart

CD-ROM

booklet/workbook

online available in Spanish

JA Finance Parkjunior achievement | Offers students personal financial management and career exploration through classroom instruction and active participation in a simulated community. The curriculum serves as an integrated unit to prepare students for an all-day visit to JA Finance Park.

NeighborWorksthe neighborworks network | Includes the neighborhood revitalization and educational services offered by Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, Neighborhood Housing Services of America, and a national network of public and private partnerships. Through their “Financial Fitness Training Program” local NeighborWorks affiliates teach the basics of finances and consumer skills such as setting financial goals, assets and liabilities, and using banks wisely.

National Foundation for Credit CounselingA national nonprofit network of 1,450 Neighborhood Financial Care Centers designed to provide assistance to people dealing with stressful financial situations.

www.nw.org/network/pubs/studies/documents/finfitstartup.pdfwww.nhsnyc.org/content/buy/homebuyer_education.html

www.nfcc.org

360 Degrees of Financial Literacyamerican institute of certified public accountants | Articles and fact sheets on topics covering homeownership, retirement planning, money management, credit, and many other subjects.

www.360financialliteracy.org

Financial Literacy andEducation CommissionA partnership of 20 federal agencies, maintains the MyMoney.gov Web site and 1.888.MYMONEY toll-free hotline that provide access to a wide variety of publications and tools that can assist consumers better understand their money—how to save it, invest it, and manage it wisely to meet important personal goals.

www.mymoney.gov

Jump$tart Coalitionfor Personal Financial LiteracyJump$tart maintains a clearinghouse of resources that seek to promote financial literacy.

www.jumpstartcoalition.org

Corporation for Enterprise DevelopmentPromotes asset-building and economic opportunity strategies, primarily in low-income and distressed communities, that bring together community practice, public policy, and private markets. CFED has promoted the IDA as a means of enabling low-income individuals to develop assets and is currently drafting certification standards for IDA Programs. CFED coordinates the American Dream Demonstration (ADD), a large-scale IDA program which has designed and implemented IDA initiatives in 13 locations around the country.

Assets for Independence Demonstration (AFI)The first federal law to fund IDA programs. Administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this initiative has been authorized to fund 5-year project grants to establish new IDAs across the country.

Federal Reserve SystemThe Fed has developed a campaign to call attention to the importance of personal financial education entitled “There’s a Lot to Learn about Money.” The campaign includes public service announcements as well as educational resources.

www. acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding/assets.html

www.federalreserveeducation.org

www.cfed.org

additional resources

Federal Citizen Information CenterPublishes a Consumer Information Catalog four times a year containing over 200 free and low-cost publications of practical interest to consumers. Also produces one of the most popular federal publications, the Consumer Action Handbook, and its Spanish-language companion, the Guía del Consumidor.

www.pueblo.gsa.gov | www.ConsumerAction.gov | www.consumidor.gov

NATIONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY RESOURCES OTHER RESOURCES

NATIONAL FINANCIAL EDUCATION CLEARINGHOUSES

MAYORS’ NATIONAL DOLLAR WI$E CAMPAIGNFINANCIAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM MATRIX | 200809

General curricula10 Money Smart

Retirement planning06 Investing for Success07 Late Savers Guidebook

OF RECOMMENDEDCURRICULA

What is the Matrix?The Dollar Wi$e Financial Education Curriculum Matrix lists comprehensive curriculum materials that will assist cities, their mayors, and their staffs to enhance their local financial education efforts. These items meet the financial education needs of a wide variety of audiences. The easy-to-use format allows you to locate just the curriculum item you need for your target group. Items in this Matrix cover a variety of topics, including banking, budgeting, and savings; credit management; homeownership; and retirement planning.

How this Matrix was compiledThe curriculum items in this Matrix were specifically chosen for their high quality and availability. They are widely accepted standards in the field of financial education, produced by national organizations that are actively engaged in increasing financial literacy. These items are easily accessible

in print, on CD-ROM, and/or online. These organizations offer their materials for free or low cost to Dollar Wi$e local campaigns. A panel of financial education experts chosen by the Dollar Wi$e advisory board selected the items included in this Matrix. These experts carefully measured each item against standards established by the advisory board.

Additional resourcesThis Matrix also lists additional resources that can enhance local financial education efforts. These include national financial literacy resources and clearinghouses, among others.

Updates & feedbackWe welcome any feedback you can offer—praise, criticism, suggestions, and new ideas—on this publication. Additionally, please notify the Mayors’ National Dollar Wi$e Campaign if it appears that a listing in this document is incorrect or outdated. Thank you.

This Matrix

highlights items

that are among

the best financial

education

materials

currently

available,

specifically

chosen for their

high quality,

availability, and

low cost.

PLEASE RECYCLE

The United StatesConference of Mayors

Manuel A. DiazMayor of MiamiPresident

Greg NickelsMayor of SeattleVice President

Elizabeth B. KautzMayor of BurnsvilleSecond Vice President

Tom CochranCEO and Executive Director

1620 Eye Street NWWashington, D.C. 20006

202.293.7330 | Fax 202.293.2353usmayors.org

Council for the New American City2008 MembersAmerican Management Services, Inc.Cherokee Investment Partners, LLCCountrywide Financial CorporationDuPontFannie MaeInitiative for a Competitive Inner CityInternational Council of Shopping CentersMortgage Bankers AssociationNational Association of Home BuildersNational Association of REALTORS®National Urban LeagueNationwide Retirement SolutionsSafeguard PropertiesWells Fargo

Jerry AbramsonMayor of Louisville

Antonio VillaraigosaMayor of Los Angeles

Co-Chairs, Council for the New American City

Dave GattonDirector, Council for the New American City

Banking/budgeting/savings04 High School Financial

Planning Program06 Investing for Success07 Late Savers Guidebook09 Mind Your Finances10 Money Smart12 Young Money | Grab

Todd’s Cash

Credit management01 Credit Booster02 CreditSmart08 Mind Your Finances

Classroom Edition09 Mind Your Finances10 Money Smart12 Young Money | Grab

Todd’s Cash

Homeownership03 Freddie Mac Homebuyer

Resources05 Homeownership Basics

Online10 Money Smart11 Preparing to Buy a

Home—Your Personal Workbook

index

FOR MORE INFORMATION

202.861.6759 dollarwise@usmayors.org www.dollarwiseonline.org