INTRO

Girls Inc. of New York City is planning to leverage its existing expertise in developing and delivering financial literacy programs to girls, by developing a best-in-class online financial capabilities program for girls from low income communities throughout New York City. We are seeking $250,000 to develop the first hybrid in person/online pilot module for this program,"My Money and Me".

Girls Inc. has a long-established brand in delivering life-changing programs, including Financial Literacy, which inspires girls to be strong, smart and bold, serves over 8500 girls throughout New York City. Research-based curricula, delivered by trained professionals, equip girls to achieve academically; lead healthy and physically active lives; manage money; navigate media messages; and discover an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. Girls Inc. of New York City’s Financial Literacy success includes the exceptional performance of the equity portfolio our team of young women managed an ING-sponsored program.

PROGRAM AIMS

Focusing on helping girls ages 14-18, to help girls from low income communities make progress in self-defined financial goals, the project aims of "My Money and Me" are as follows:

• to expand and strengthen financial capabilities of girls from low income communities by teaching financial capabilities and integrating financial coaching;
• to change the attitudes and behaviors girls have around money, and to teach them new behaviors that will allow them to make thoughtful and responsible decisions about spending and saving, borrowing and credit as well as career planning;
• to identify the behaviors, attitudes and practices needed to achieve self-defined financial goals designed to increase economically vulnerable girls sense of financial security,

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Financial Capabilities program, "My Money and Me" is proposed for girls from low income communities all over New York City. The program will draw on existing elements of a proven Girls Inc. of New York City (GINYC) in-depth Financial Literacy in-school program for girls ages 14-18 and will feature a new online, interactive, component, including coaching and reinforcing new attitudes and behaviors. Eligibility for the program will be determined by level of interest expressed in essay form, submitted by girls in good academic standing on behalf of the mother-daughter pair. Signatures of both mothers and daughters will be required on the application

The program will initially be piloted with a group of fifty (50) girls at one of the public high schools where GINYC provides its other programs. Any modifications would be made after the pilot. The pilot program will include three two-hour in-person sessions taught by a highly qualified educator, experienced in facilitating students in low income communities, coupled with three online sessions. Subsequently, facilitators will be specially trained to teach the "My Money and Me" curriculum; with an emphasis on coaching at “teachable moments” or times when financial advice and counsel is needed in their day to day lives.

SCALING UP,BUILDING THE TRAINING INFRASTRUCTURE

After the initial pilot, the program will then be rolled out to greater numbers, approximately 1,000+, in twenty-thirty sessions a year. In-depth professional development sessions, training and technical assistance will be offered to community based organizations city wide, interested in building their financial capability programing. Hundreds of participants, mothers and daughters across the five boroughs, from low income areas of the city, will be taught financial capabilities in schools, churches, and community based organizations. Eventually a national roll-out is envisioned and under discussion.