Are You Passionate About Helping People with Their Money to Improve Their Lives?

WESTERVILLE, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education^® (AFCPE^®) is excited to offer scholarships to individuals and community-based organizations who are passionate about helping people with their money, and seeking the knowledge and skills of comprehensive training and AFC^® certification. Scholarships focus on building capacity and reducing inequality to ensure that all people, regardless of income or background, have access to the highest standards of financial counseling and education.

"AFCPE is financial education in its purest form," says Alyssa Delgado, Sr. Prosperity Coach at Catalyst Miami. "The pursuit of [the AFC] certification is helping our team create safer spaces for clients where they can foster healthy financial habits and gain confidence to pursue cycles of prosperity independently. Additionally, it is also encouraging higher self-awareness amongst staff, facilitating growth at both professional and personal levels."

Individual Certification Scholarships

Thanks to funding provided by the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), JPMorgan Chase & Co., and AFCPE's Strategic Impact Fund, this year's certification scholarships are open to people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, persons with a disability, and individuals who are fluent in more than one language. For those who do not identify with one of the above categories, AFCPE also offers need-based scholarships.

"AFCPE uniquely supports personal finance professionals from all areas of the field and all walks of life," says Rebecca Wiggins, AFCPE Executive Director. "Equity and inclusion are a fundamental part of our mission to ensure all people, regardless of income or background, have access to the highest standards of professionalism to achieve financial security."

"It requires a united effort of many individuals and organizations to advance financial well-being, particularly for populations that are under-resourced. We are honored to partner with AFCPE to provide financial support that empowers future counselors and educators with the highest-quality learning to effectively serve their communities," says Billy Hensley, Ph.D., president and CEO of the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE). "This is a unique alliance that supports and diversifies personal finance professionals who are playing a pivotal role in the economic health and recovery of our country."

"Financial health is the cornerstone of building resilient and prosperous communities," says Courtney Hodapp, Head of National Stakeholder and Policy Engagement for JPMorgan Chase. "We are committed to expanding the pool and diversity of personal finance professionals so that all people have the opportunity to achieve their financial health goals."

Group Capacity Building Scholarships

For community-based organizations, AFCPE has set aside more than $125,000 in grant funding to certify and educate their staff and volunteers. The purpose of these scholarships is to equip employees with the knowledge and skills to build confidence, increase organizational capacity, and create lasting impact in the communities where they live and work.

"The AFCPE program has been the most comprehensive education I have ever received in the field of Financial Counseling," says Chad Covert, Appalachian Opportunity Fund. "I feel much more equipped to meet my clients where they are by helping them evaluate their values and set goals."

Groups can design their scholarship proposals to meet their unique needs. All requests must include at least one AFC certification, and organizations may select one or more Essentials Courses, including Money Management, Financial Inclusion, College Finance, or Military.

For groups interested in applying, AFCPE will hold a virtual info session on Wednesday, September 8 at 12 PM ET.

"Everything that I learned from the course I now use for my personal life," says Courtney Hicks, University of the District of Columbia Student who is currently taking the Money Management Essentials Course as part of the grant given to SFEPD. "The AFCPE course has provided so many tools to help me serve my community, and I am excited to continue my education in the financial field."

About AFCPE^®:

AFCPE ensures the highest integrity of the financial counseling profession by certifying, connecting, and supporting diverse professionals. Our comprehensive certification and training programs represent the gold standard for financial counseling, coaching, and education, including the AFC^® (Accredited Financial Counselor^®) certification which is accredited by NCCA and nationally recognized by CFPB and DoD.

Visit afcpe.org to learn more. Application deadline is September 30, 2021.

SOURCE AFCPE