Awards

2023: Sage Financial Solutions

Sage Financial Solutions is a longtime partner and a leader in financial coach training and professional development in ways that meet the real-world needs of inclusive communities. Our organizations first partnered as certification and training partners for the CFPB Financial Coaching Initiative in 2015, and we continue to work together to ensure that all people have access to the highest quality financial coaching, counseling, and education.

2022: FINRA Investor Education Foundation

This award recognizes organizations that believe in, and value, the highest standards – in best practices; ethical behavior; diverse, ethical, and inclusive communities; personal finance education; career advancement; information sharing; professionalism; and rigorous certification.

This year we are proud to recognize FINRA Foundation for their ongoing efforts and partnership to increase financial readiness in the military community. The FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship program has made an incredible impact over the last 17 years – not only for the financial wellbeing of the military community, but also in the lives of the military spouses who have had the opportunity to earn their AFC. Additionally, they support military financial educators through FINRA Foundation-sponsored continuing education programming.

2021: National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE)

This award recognizes organizations that believe in, and value, the highest standards – in best practices; ethical behavior; diverse, ethical, and inclusive communities; personal finance education; career advancement; information sharing; professionalism; and rigorous certification.

This year we are proud to recognize NEFE for their longtime support of AFCPE, and their commitment to providing AFC^® certification scholarships for people of color. NEFE’s work embodies AFCPE’s mission and vision, to ensure that all people, regardless of income or background, have the opportunity to achieve lasting financial well-being. Their generosity is helping to build capacity directly within communities – for financial professional, their clients, and the communities that they serve.

2019: North Carolina State Employees Credit Union (NCSECU)

In 2015, SECU enrolled their first round of employees in the AFC certification program. Today, more than 1,000 SECU employees hold the AFC designation. The AFC was part of SECU’s plan to create a more formalized and consistent financial counseling approach, which involves a comprehensive process of assessment, education, and guidance to help their members employ strategies to take control of their finances.

Their commitment to certify their financial professionals speaks volumes to the Credit Union’s desire for excellence in providing a higher level of service that will help their members reach financial success. It represents a standard of quality that we hope to see more financial institutions provide to the consumers that they serve.

About NCSECU:
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for nearly 82 years. The Credit Union also offers a diversified line of financial advisory services including retirement and education planning, tax preparation, insurance, trust and estate planning services, and investments through its partners and affiliated entities. SECU serves over 2.4 million members through 266 branch offices, nearly 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone and a website, www.ncsecu.org.

2018: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB)

The CFPB has demonstrated this commitment through the innovative national Financial Coaching Initiative. The program trained sixty (60) professionals to become AFC® (Accredited Financial Counselor®) and FFC® (Financial Fitness Coach) professionals, with ongoing professional development support. The Financial Coaches were then placed in sites across the country to focus on serving veterans and economically vulnerable communities.

Because of the focus on high standards and consistency in professional training and delivery, the program data has shown tremendous results with 84% of active clients saw improvements in their financial situation, including enhanced money management, increased savings, lowered debt levels, and improved credit scores. Additionally, an astounding 93% of clients have either established, made progress on, or completed their goals.

About the CFPB:
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is a 21st century agency that helps consumer finance markets work by regularly identifying and addressing outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome regulations, by making rules more effective, by consistently enforcing federal consumer financial law, and by empowering consumers to take more control over their economic lives. For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov.