Goalsetter and Lifetime Cardinal Partner to Bring Financial Literacy to Stanford Student-Athletes

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Goalsetter, the award-winning financial education platform, is proud to announce a new partnership with Lifetime Cardinal Community Fund, a nonprofit supporting Stanford student-athletes through NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities and long-term career development. Together, they will provide the Goalsetter Classroom financial literacy curriculum to equip Stanford student-athletes with the tools and knowledge to make smart financial decisions during college and beyond.

Starting in October 2025, the program will offer student-athletes a mobile-first financial education platform that provides accessible, engaging, and practical education around money management, saving, credit, taxes, contracts, investing, and building generational wealth.

"From its inception, Lifetime Cardinal's mission has included financial literacy as a fundamental value to help create success for all college students and especially Student-Athletes getting NIL contracts," said Lifetime Cardinal Executive Director Chip Hall. "We have a clear responsibility to educate today's student-athletes in order to position them for future success as savvy money managers and prudent investors. Our partnership with Goalsetter helps us not only provide new opportunities for college students, but also educates them on how to manage and maximize their potential upside responsibly."

According to recent reports:

• 74% of college athletes report receiving no formal training on how to manage NIL income, taxes, or budgeting.
• 58% of student-athletes earning NIL income in 2024 were unaware they needed to pay self-employment taxes.
• Only 12% of student-athletes strongly agree they feel confident managing the money they earn through NIL deals.
• 42% of Gen Z student-athletes say they've made purchases with NIL income that they later regretted.
• Fewer than 1 in 10 colleges currently require financial literacy education as part of their NIL programming.

Source: Student-Athlete Insights & The Drake Group (NIL Education Gap Survey, March 2025); College NIL FinLit Report (March 2025); GenZ Sports Network (2024 NIL Impact Study); NCAA NIL Trends Report (2024).

Since 2021, Lifetime Cardinal has prioritized financial education for Stanford student athletes, previously offering tax seminars, access to financial advisors, and 1:1 mentorship through its Stanford alumni network. This new partnership with Goalsetter marks a significant step in scaling that commitment with a dynamic and structured digital curriculum designed specifically for student-athletes navigating the NIL era.

"This program goes beyond financial literacy by giving them the capability to develop both the mindset and skillset to make confident financial decisions for a lifetime," said Goalsetter Content and Curriculum SVP Joyce Smith.

Developed by expert educators and financial professionals, the Goalsetter curriculum offers a comprehensive and engaging learning experience rooted in real-world application. Covering essential topics such as earning, saving, investing, credit management, and financial risk, the curriculum aligns with both national and state financial literacy standards. It leverages interactive content, gamified quizzes, and relatable videos to resonate with learners and maximize engagement.

This holistic approach has driven measurable impact. Students using Goalsetter demonstrate an average 85% standard mastery and 43% growth in financial knowledge, according to recent outcome data.

The partnership with Goalsetter is part of Lifetime Cardinal's broader vision to support student-athletes not just during their time on campus, but throughout their lives. With the support of Stanford alumni, staff, and student leaders, the program will create a meaningful impact across teams and disciplines, ensuring that every athlete has access to the knowledge they need to succeed, both on and off the field.

About Lifetime Cardinal
Lifetime Cardinal is a nonprofit organization supporting Stanford student-athletes with NIL-related opportunities, professional development, and lifelong career mentorship. Since its founding in 2021, Lifetime Cardinal has served as a bridge between current athletes and the powerful Stanford alumni network, focusing on three pillars: NIL support, career readiness, and financial literacy.

About Goalsetter
Founded in 2016, the affiliated Goalsetter companies are family saving, investing, financial education, and smart spending platforms that teach the whole family to be money-smart. Centered around fun, relevant, and engaging financial education content, Goalsetter companies' innovative money platform is revolutionizing financial wellness for families with gamified features like "Learn Before You Burn" and "Learn to Earn". Goalsetter also provides comprehensive financial education to K12 schools, colleges, employers and financial institutions across the nation, transforming financial wellness for multiple demographics. Goalsetter was founded by former Nickelodeon and Discovery Education children's digital programming executive Tanya Van Court. For more about Goalsetter, visit www.goalsetter.co.

Goalsetter is a financial technology company and not a bank. Banking services are provided by Webster Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.

Goalsetter Advisors, LLC d/b/a Goalsetter Gold is a SEC-registered investment adviser and an affiliate of Goalsetter. Investment advice is provided by Goalsetter Gold and investments in your Goalsetter Gold account are not FDIC INSURED, NOT BANK GUARANTEED and MAY LOSE VALUE.

Media contact
Sonia V Diaz
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SOURCE Goalsetter