Financial Education is at the core of the Texas Credit Union Foudation's mission, "Empowering people to improve their financial well being."
Enabling young people and adults to manage their resources and plan for a secure financial future is the driver behind this mission. Basic personal financial understanding and skill literally improves lives!
The Texas Credit Union Foundation has developed several programs and partnerships to implement our mission.
NEFE High School Financial Planning Program
The National Endowment for Financial Education's High School Financial Planning Program is a free comprehensive high school level financial education curriculum. This curriculum has been approved by the Texas Education Agency for use in Texas high schools to meet mandated financial education requirements.
TCUF provides free "train the trainer" workshops to credit union staff, community volunteers, teachers and parents. These workshops give hands-on guidance for implementing this curriculum in a classroom or community program. By the end of 2007, TCUF will have trained, free of charge, over 1,000 individuals and approximately 100 credit unions in 23 training sessions across the state. Annual donations to the Foundation provide the funding for this program.
Financial Education Grants and Sponsorships
The Texas Credit Union Foundation provides grants and scholarships for programs that promote or implement financial education in schools, community based organizations, and through credit unions. These include Texas Council on Economic Education, Newspapers in Education, Junior Finance Literacy Academy, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, Texas Asset Building Network, BizKid$/Junior Achievement Worldwide, and Texas Jump$tart Coalition.
Texas Jump$tart Coalition
As part of its commitment to leading the financial education movement in Texas, TCUF has partnered with the Texas Jump$tart Coalition and occupies a seat on the board of directors. The Texas Jump$tart Coalition's advocacy efforts resulted in the passage of landmark legislation that requires financial education for Texas high school students. Texas Jump$tart also offers a comprehensive clearinghouse of financial education material and information on its website. Texas is one of only 9 states that requires financial education in the schools. Texas credit unions have partnered with TCUF and Jump$tart to make these efforts successful.
Awards
In 2006, the Texas Credit Union Foundation created the FOCUS Awards, to honor the credit union, chapter and individual that have the most impacted financial education for Texans.
