This week, we celebrate the second anniversary of Financial Literacy for All (FL4A). In just two short years, FL4A has built a coalition of some of America’s leading companies that are committed to embedding financial literacy into the very foundations of our country – our schools, workplaces, communities, and culture.
With a belief that financial literacy is a fundamental civil rights issue, 11 prominent leaders from the business, professional sports, entertainment, and nonprofit sectors launched FL4A in May 2021. Co- chaired by Walmart CEO Doug McMillon and Operation HOPE Founder, Chair, and CEO, John Hope Bryant, FL4A has more than 40 Members, with a collective employee base of nearly five million people – including over 15% of the combined U.S. Fortune 500 workforce. Our coalition is growing stronger by bringing on board other Fortune 500 companies, adding more strategic-impact Members, and mobilizing all participants to ensure that all Americans have easy access to the knowledge and tools they need to build a financially secure life and future for themselves and their families.
Our initiative could not be more crucial – with 58% of Americans currently living paycheck to paycheck and 70% of respondents feeling financial stress, according to the recent 2023 CNBC/Momentive Your Money Financial Confidence Survey. And, while the impact of this insecurity is most pronounced in low-to-moderate income communities and communities of color, even those making more than $100,000 per year are impacted – with 32% living paycheck to paycheck.
Our mission reflects this truth: financial literacy must be a cornerstone of any effort to disrupt poverty, alleviate financial struggle, and help everyone seeking to reach their financial capability and realize financial security.
To that end, FL4A Members are developing and sharing exciting, innovative programs and initiatives in support of our mission. In addition, FL4A is making progress on its three core objectives:
- Requiring the inclusion of financial education at age-appropriate levels for K-12 and college as part of their core curriculum, with appropriate alignment at the federal level.
- lMaking comprehensive financial education, tools, and resources freely accessible to all adults, provided by private sector, government, and nonprofit organizations, leveraging a wide range of quality materials to meet each person wherever they are on their financial journey and whatever their needs.
- Developing and implementing an ongoing campaign that highlights the critical importance and benefits of financial literacy for all, cementing it as “top of mind” in our cultural dialogue.
At the launch of our movement, we set 10-year goals to reach 5 million working adults, 15 million family members, and 50 million individuals overall with financial literacy resources through our Members’ employee, customer, and community networks. Today, we are proud to be close to
achieving our first goal of directly reaching 5 million working adults, with expansion on the horizon as more companies see the value of integrating financial literacy into their business plans and as part of their effort to enhance their workforce and support their communities. At Operation HOPE’s HOPE Global Forums last December, several CEOs and other top executives from our Member organizations discussed how they have positively impacted hundreds of thousands of employees through the growth of their recent initiatives. With more than 40 Members, we are actively evaluating setting larger targets, adding new goals, and expanding our presence in the national dialogue about money, upward mobility, and financial stability.
FL4A is grateful for each Member’s effort and support, and we look forward to working side-by-side as we carry out our 10-year mission to make financial literacy for all part of our nation’s fabric. With the strength of our coalition, we are confident that we will make this a reality.
To learn more about FL4A and its work, please visit FL4A.org.
With gratitude,
Eric Kaplan
President, Financial Literacy for All