Organization Award Winners

2006 Organization Award Winners

Asset Builders of America, Inc

Asset Builder of America Builders has taken a multiple approach to bringing the issue of financial literacy to the forefront by coordinating the Money Conference, hosting informational sessions and spearheading the starting of investment clubs. They are inclusive from rural, suburban to urban from Black to Native American to Hispanic. They also send out national news and briefs containing financial literacy information. They have made talking about money the “in thing” or a comfortable conversation rather you have much or a little.

Website: www.assetbuilders.org/

Precision Information Systems LLC

Precision Information Systems LLC is a leading provider of interactive financial education products to financial service firms and millions of individual investors. Our customers benefit from the company's proprietary database of more than 8,000 tutorials, articles, quiz questions and definitions. Such industry leaders as Ameritrade, Morningstar, Intuit, and New York Life rely on Precision Information to provide accurate, reliable, unbiased, engaging and easy-to-use NASD-compliant material through web, print, and software applications. PI's flagship software product, The Encyclopedia of Personal Finance NBR Edition™, is the most comprehensive personal finance education resource available for the individual investor.

Website: www.precision-info.com/

Wisconsin Bankers Association Personal Economic Program

In 1989, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) formed the Personal Economics Program with a goal to improve financial literacy among children and adults in Wisconsin by providing our member bankers with the materials to do so. The WBA Personal Economic Program provides its members with a resource library of professionally produced videos and curriculum materials for its classroom and adult presentations. WBA also provides its members with an annual educational conference and an annual awards ceremony for those bankers that go above and beyond. In 2004-05, nearly 700 Wisconsin bankers reached 46,293 students and adults in teaching personal finance all across the state.

Website: www.wisbank.com/products/pep.php

Wisconsin Credit Union League (REAL Solutions Program)

Through this initiative, credit unions meet consumers’ immediate needs for transaction services at a more reasonable price while offering financial education and/or counseling. The credit union moves the consumer through the steps of opening a basic deposit account, building creditworthiness with small loans, and – over time – building wealth. As a result, those who are helped become less susceptible to using predatory services and gain the solid financial footing they need to remain self-supporting, contributing members of our state’s economy.

Website: www.theleague.coop/

Wisconsin JumpStart Coalition on Personal and Economic Education for Youth

Over 100 organizations comprise The Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition. They strive to make a difference. Their mission is to improve the personal financial and economic literacy of Wisconsin's citizens, particularly its youth.

Objectives:

Create a clearinghouse of financial education resources that complements the National Jump$tart Clearinghouse.
Raise awareness of the need for financial education.
Work with other individuals and organizations to promote financial literacy

Website: www.wijumpstart.org

2007 Organization Award Winners

Business and Economics Academy of Milwaukee

The Business and Economics Academy of Milwaukee (BEAM) is a grades Pk-4 to 8 public charter school that specializes in economics and personal finance. Some highlights of BEAM’s activities include:

Planned and implemented a Business and Economics curriculum that begins in the primary grades and culminates in specialized course in careers, consumer mathematics and economics in the upper grades.

Initiated several special programs for the school including a school bank, school store, Holiday Market, field trips to businesses, and after school programs such as the Millionaires Club.

Active in planning the Milwaukee Money Conference. BEAM teachers, students and parents are very active in the Money Conference. BEAM will host the April 28, 2007 conference.

Active in planning and teaching PAID Plus - - a financial education program for adults at BEAM and at the United Community Center

Capital Credit Union

Capital Credit Union has two financial literacy initiatives targeting youth in cooperation with two area school districts: The Little Chute Elementary School Finance Program (2nd graders), and a Personal Finance Class taught at Kimberly High school

Capital’s Little Chute Elementary School Finance Program: is designed to introduce younger children, approximately ages 7-8 (2nd graders), to the basic principles of earning, saving and budgeting money at a level that encourages practical application. Each year, two Capital employees/member associates, Michelle Berken and Nancy Nagan present three separate sessions in March, April and May using a hybrid curriculum.

In conjunction with the Personal Finance Class, in 2002, Capital Credit Union opened an in-school office at Kimberly High School which employs students and helps to reinforce practical application of sound financial principles like saving and other money management skills for high school students.

Website: www.capitalcu.com/

Catholic Charities Budget Counseling

For several years, Catholic Charities Budget Counseling (CCBC) has been working with adult residents of shelters as well as transitional living programs to increase their financial literacy. CCBC activities include:

Budget counselors work one on one with residents to address budget counseling and consumer credit counseling. They create spending plans with the residents and meet with them every pay period to review the past plan as well as create the next plan. They review credit reports with residents and work towards developing and implementing plans for improving scores.

They also provide a more formalized education through a variety of available workshops such as: Credit When Credit is Due and Rent Smart. These workshops continue to focus on financial literacy topics such as: buying VS leasing, the loan process, purchasing a home, credit cards, how to be a good renter, ect.

CCBC has found that many of those they’ve worked with spend a great deal of income on pre-packaged convenience foods because they haven’t learned how to prepare meals during their youth. To help develop these needed skills CCBC has combined efforts with the WI SHARE Program, who develops and teaches residents how to prepare foods through hands-on cooking lessons. CCBC furthers those lessons with presentations on budgets, menu development and grocery shopping.

Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship

CTC works with a need-based group – students from low- to moderate-income households who live in Milwaukee’s central city. These students typically have a low starting level of financial literacy.

This program consistently motives its students to improve themselves, to learn about what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and how to put their ideas into practice.

CTE stresses a “train the trainer” strategy, and many of its students provide substantive education to their peers after completing CTE training.

Website: www.ceoofme.biz/

Common Wealth Development Inc

Common Wealth Development Inc addresses a continuum of skills to help at-risk teens strengthen their overall financial literacy. To do this they:

Combine insight and tools from the areas of money management, ongoing savings habits, and employment preparation.

Deliver the programs in schools, neighborhood centers, nonprofit agencies, local businesses and other locations to reach teens in the most effective settings for specific program topics and outcomes.

Website: www.cwd.org

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Sheboygan

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Sheboygan provided leadership in the Money Smart Week Initiative in Sheboygan County. The agency’s commitment to financial literacy was exemplified in the staff presenting over 60 events with over 808 participants. There were several highlights of the week but one was working with the local Headstart organization. They partnered with the local Northwestern Financial Network representatives to secure 210 Penny the Pig banks. They presented to 63 adults; teaching them how to teach their children them how to save using Penny the Pig.

Website: www.cccsonline.org/

CoVantage Credit Union - Kidz Credit Union

CoVantage Credit Union has implemented a children’s credit union at three of its branch locations to teach middle school students how a credit union works and how to manage finance. The students learn how to save money, use/balance a check book, and how to open a savings account. This program has also seen provided some benefits to the parents for the children, as the students are bringing the information they learn back to their homes, further spreading financial literacy.

Website: www.covantagecu.org/

Dodge County Income of Her Own Conference

This conference is geared at teaching the concepts of entrepreneurship and economic self-sufficiency to middle school girls. This conference has been conducted in Dodge County five times and has seen great success. This success has been proven through pre and post tests taken by the participants and in evaluations by the student’s teacher chaperones, women in business facilitators, and committee members. Over the past 6 years, this conference has reached over 425 middle school girls.

Goodwill NCW (GoodMoney)

GoodMoney delivers a not-for-profit alternative to payday lending. The first and only business model of its kind in the nation, GoodMoney offers short-term loans at half the cost of a typical payday loan service, while also offering referrals for financial counseling and education to FISC. GoodMoney is an opportunity for consumers to proactively manage their finances. Customers have access to FISC (Financial Information and Service Center) a program of Goodwill NCW that offers counseling workshops and debt management plans to help people better understand and manage money.

Website: www.goodmoneystore.com/default.asp

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin

This organization has made expansive and coordinated efforts to promote financial literacy across the state. More than 136,000 Wisconsin students will participated in this program during 2006-2007. Junior Achievement programs uniquely include:

Age appropriate, hands-on economic materials for students grades K through 12

Trained adult volunteers facilitating all program activities, sharing experiences, and acting as positive adult role models for students

Students learn to manage personal finances, balance household budgets, apply credit and interest scenarios, write business plans, and ultimately start businesses

Website: http://wisconsin.ja.org/

Mitchell Bank

In 2000, Cardinal Bank was created as a branch of Mitchell Bank. Cardinal Bank is a full-service bank operated by the students of South Division High School. Each year approximately a dozen students participate in running the bank as part of an internship program. Cardinal Bank teaches the internship students about the many different skills required to run a bank. Under the tutelage of a teacher and the Mitchell Bank staff, the students are responsible for marketing the bank, opening accounts, establishing budgets, balancing the vault, and conducting transactions for their customers. Having the bank inside the school has also helped educate the entire student body about the importance of saving.

Website: www.mitchellbank.com/

Money Smart Week – Sheboygan County

Money Smart Week Sheboygan County was a group of committed individuals that ceased the opportunity to promote financial education programs in the county.

They developed marketing materials, grocery bag stuffers, posters, billboards, and got the local politicians involved in promoting the week. The local colleges provided students as introducers and survey takers. They also had a booth at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days promoting Money Smart Wisconsin and a booth at the Sheboygan County Fair promoting the local events. The group provided 90 events for 1000 individuals and saw great success.

Parker Community Credit Union

Parker Community Credit Union provides two programs to help youth receive good financial information.

Willy Wabbit Club

Children (ages 0- 12) with accounts receive an official membership card, membership certificate, savings account passbook and a give for opening an account. Members also receive a stuff “Willy Wabbit” when their account balance reaches $200 and are allowed to pack a toy from a special bin each time the bring in their coin saver full ($5.00)

Power Start

Upon opening and account, each member (ages: 15-22) receives several items including: 50 free checks, “Guide to Money” booklet, and free PAL (Personal Account Line, Audio Response Access) Members are also eligible for an annual $500 Power Start college scholarship.

Parker Community Credit Union also provides local high schools with literature for student entitle “Making the Right Money Moves” and has an online money education center.

Website: www.pccu.org/

2008 Organization Award Winners

Altra Federal Credit Union

Altra Federal Credit Union touches nearly everyone in its community with its efforts. They include helping elementary students through junior achievement, setting up credit union branches in La Crosse and Holmen high schools, providing over 70 classroom sessions last academic year alone, offering adult courses on credit, retirement and other topics and helping senior citizens understand social security and tax law changes. Altra has also played a part in Money Smart Week.

Asset Builders of America, Inc.

You might think the term “student investors” seems like an oxymoron. After all, where would students at South Division High School in Milwaukee get $5,000 to invest? The answer? It comes from a fund created by Asset Builders of America. Students also use an Asset Builders’ program to help them learn financial ideas, take part in the Wisconsin Stock Market Simulation, read the Wall Street Journal and speak to classmates. This is the organization’s second Governor’s Financial Literacy Award

Community First Credit Union

Community First Credit Union has long promoted financial literacy in Wisconsin. In addition to its numerous student-run branches in area high schools, Community First continues to play a lead role in innovative financial education through projects such as Reality Check—a life-choice budget simulation held in partnership with numerous high schools.

CoVantage Credit Union

One-hundred-eighty-six sixth graders at Antigo Middle School opened their eyes to the world of money when CoVantage Credit Union launched a financial education program there in 2005. CoVantage opened a credit union branch at the school too. But it didn’t stop there. It also opened branches in the sixth grades of five more schools—many with few resources. A great job CoVantage Credit Union.

M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank

M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank received an award for improving adult money skills. It used an award-winning program that has been cited as a “Best Practice” among banks. M&I has translated five of the seminars into Spanish. In addition, it has recruited bankers to put the program into action and worked with local partners to get it used throughout Wisconsin.

Make A Difference—Wisconsin, Inc.

Quite possibly, our next recipient borrowed a “how-to” manual from our earlier winner, Donna Kennedy. Or, maybe it was vice versa. Make a Difference—Wisconsin persuaded 300 volunteer instructors from the local business and professional community in Milwaukee to help it offer financial education to over 1,700 16- and 17-year-olds in 38 schools. The effort was very timely because many were getting their first jobs. They now know how to handle their hard-earned money.

Milwaukee Asset Building Coalition

Building financial assets has always been tough for low-income residents of Milwaukee County. Nevertheless, since 2002 many have taken control of their fiscal futures thanks to the Milwaukee Asset Building Coalition. By offering free tax preparation services, the MABC has helped individuals avoid hundreds of dollars in preparation fees and costly refund anticipation loans. It addressed other financial needs too. Thus, it achieved its goal of helping low-income family members become financially literate, accrue assets and position themselves to get and keep family-supporting jobs.

Wisconsin Credit Union League

You may not know that all Wisconsin high school students today get a full view of the “money side of life.” That means they learn financial lessons from inspiring stories written by young adults about young adults for young adults in brass/MAGAZINE. It is part of the brass/STUDENT PROGRAM and is provided by the Wisconsin Credit Union League and its 254 members. Content supports Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy too. Congratulations to the Credit Union League on its second Governor’s Financial Literacy Award.

Wisconsin Family, Career, Community Leaders of America Foundation, Inc.

Studies show you are more likely to change your behavior if you get a message to do so from someone you see as being like yourself. Based on this research, The Wisconsin Family, Career, Community Leaders of America Foundation, Inc. adopted the breakthrough idea of peer education to teaching personal finance. It had middle and high-school students teach elementary secondary students using its program called Financial Fitness.

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative recently embraced two revolutionary ideas. Low-income Americans could save money. The savings could help build wealth. WWBIC became one of the first organizations to set up employer-based Individual Development Account partnerships. What were the outcomes? Low-income people accumulated $1,000,000 in total savings. Sixty-four low-wealth individuals became first-time homeowners. They leveraged real estate valued at more than $5 million in terms of Milwaukee housing sales.

2009 Organization Award Winners

AARP Wisconsin

AARP Wisconsin’s work includes implementing two outstanding fraud-prevention programs. It combined its strengths with those of the Wisconsin Department of Privacy Protection and DFI to form AARP Fraud Fighters. They are 28 well-trained volunteers who give presentations. The second program called Lunch and Learn has one member from each agency traveling together. They visit employers, senior living facilities and large AARP member gatherings.

Appleton Area School District

Appleton Area School District (AASD has exemplified financial education leadership for more than a decade—not only in Wisconsin, but also in the United States. Every student must complete financial education course work to graduate. AASD also partners with community organizations. It delivers to 1,000 students per year the Reality Check, a hands-on personal finance simulation. Nearly 5,000 students have taken part to date. In addition, AASD has opened a student- run credit union in Appleton West High School.

Brokaw Credit Union

At its own expense, Brokaw Credit Union built a student branch in D.C. Everest High School. It has also promoted financial awareness and literacy for students, staff and parents. This activity included providing resources, access by students and staff to the credit union, a website and apprenticeship opportunities for students. In addition, credit union personnel present on financial topics and facilitate student attendance at credit union board meetings.

Educators Credit Union

Educators Credit Union has added a dose of excitement to financial education in southeastern Wisconsin. Six families will take part in the Savings Challenge in 2009. They will work together with credit union coaches over a nine-month period to learn about debt reduction, saving and improving credit scores. The family that does best will win $10,000. ECU also created an “at home version” where viewers can follow the families’ progress. Viewers also can win as much as $1,000.

Get Smart Wausau Coalition

Get Smart Wausau Coalition received their award for taking a large group approach to meeting financial literacy needs in the greater Wausau area. Over 60 members have come together to make a great impact, serve more people and meet education needs faster. This effort includes 42 people training as volunteer financial counselors. Overall, the group has over a 100 members, which allows it to respond to needs quickly.

Manitowoc Money Smart Week Committee

Dan Reinke and Susan Novak of the Manitowoc Money Smart Week Committee spearhead a large, innovative financial literacy effort in their community. The group started taking part in Money Smart Week during its second year. It has conducted theme nights on topics such as car purchasing, home buying and retirement. It has greatly increased the numbers Money Smart Week presenters. Media coverage has gone from almost nothing to radio presenters on a weekly basis.

STAR Credit Union

STAR Credit Union wins its award because it is the first and only youth-chartered credit union in the world. “STAR” stands for Save to Achieve Results. It is located in the Boys and Girls Club in Madison. It developed from the combined efforts of Summit Credit Union and Great Wisconsin Credit Union. Credit union volunteers mentor, attend committee meetings, help with community public relations and operate the website. STAR is also active in “Family Fun Nights.” They help it meet its goal of teaching the importance of saving to low-income youth in a safe, secure, and fun environment.

UW Credit Union

During 2008 alone, the UW Credit Union provided 220 financial education seminars in the Dane County area. They reached more than 4,900 attendees. The programs were innovative because they 1) maximized attendee convenience by being customized for specific audiences (e.g. students), 2) provided timely, applicable content for current conditions and are updated on an ongoing basis, and 3) utilized a team of 31 certified, highly trained financial mentors.

Wisconsin Bankers Association

The Wisconsin Bankers’ Association has provided free, educational Reading Raises Interest kits for six consecutive years. They are used in conjunction with National Teach Children to Save Day and throughout April. They include a children’s book relating to personal finance, lesson plans, a sample news release for local media, a sample introductory letter to a school and a bookmark. They allow any Wisconsin banker to provide a 30-60 minute personal finance presentation with a teacher.

Wisconsin Youth Credit Unions

Wisconsin credit unions have accomplished a national “First.” They oversee 80 youth-operated credit union branches. Most are in schools. That is more than any other state! Students staff the credit unions. They learn lifelong skills and acquire the early habit of saving. Some credit unions extend credit to students thus teaching responsible credit use too—well before aggressive credit card companies target the students. These branches pose costs to their parent credit unions, but the institutions still offer them in hopes of helping students get a head start on developing good personal finance habits.