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National CU Foundation Approves 16 Biz Kid$ Education Grants for 2013

Programs will Extend Reach of Award-winning Financial Literacy Series

MADISON, WI (August 7, 2013) — The National Credit Union Foundation’s (NCUF) board of directors has approved 16 new Biz Kid$ grants for 2013, totaling $124,961. The new grants engage the credit union movement in using Biz Kid$ and its curriculum to build students financial literacy and economic education skills. Biz Kid$ is the credit union funded public television series that teaches kids about money management and entrepreneurship.

According to the 2013 Junior Achievement/Allstate Foundation Teens and Personal Finance Survey, 76% of teens report the best time to learn about money management is in kindergarten through high school, but only 29% reported programs currently in place.

“There is a need to improve the financial literacy skills of the youth in America and Biz Kid$ is the perfect vehicle to address that need,” said Danielle Brown, Biz Kid$ Program Coordinator for NCUF. “We are excited to fund these innovative programs that will improve the financial education of youth through the use of the Biz Kid$ program.”

Some highlights of the grant projects:

  • Maps Credit Union in Salem, Ore. will work in partnership with Western Oregon University’s College of Education to incorporate Biz Kid$ into the curriculum of Elementary Social Studies Methods, a course required of all university students graduating from the Elementary Education program. The integration of Biz Kid$ into their coursework will lead to the use of Biz Kid$ in the classrooms.
  • STAR Credit Union in Madison, Wis. will create an Entrepreneurship Club to teach teens at the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County about entrepreneurship through hands-on experience and the opportunity to launch a business of their own. Biz Kid$ lessons and videos will be used to teach the club members how to write a business plan, create a budget, and write a proposal for a business.
  • Cornerstone Credit Union Foundation in Farmers Branch, Texas will create a Biz Kid$ Teacher Training and Entrepreneur Contest pilot program to show educators how to teach the Biz Kid$ program. Participating teachers will implement the Biz Kid$ curriculum in their classrooms and students will collaboratively create a business plan for a needed organization in their community, thus incorporating the entrepreneurship skills learned through Biz Kid$.
  • Travis Credit Union in Vacaville, Calif. will use Biz Kid$ to provide the financial literacy curriculum needed for students participating in a Work Ready Certification Program. The program is designed to verify that students have the entry-level skills needed to succeed in the workplace, contribute as citizens, and help students understand the link between their educational/career goals and financial planning.

The other credit union organizations receiving grants include:

  • Boulder Valley Credit Union, Boulder, Colo.
  • BrightStar Credit Union, Sunrise, Fla.
  • Caprock Santa Fe Credit Union, Slaton, Texas
  • CASE Credit Union, Lansing, Mich.
  • Cook Area Credit Union, Cook, Minn.
  • Holy Rosary Credit Union, Kansas City, Mo.
  • League of Southeastern Credit Unions, Tallahassee, Fla.
  • Natco Credit Union, Richmond, Ind.
  • Palisades Federal Credit Unions, Pearl River, N.Y.
  • Silver State Schools Credit Union, Las Vegas, Nev.
  • Western Heritage Credit Union, Alliance, Neb.
  • White Rose Credit Union, York, Pa.

The National Credit Union Foundation oversees fundraising and outreach responsibilities of Biz Kid$. Over the past six years, more than 300 credit unions and affiliated organizations have raised more than $13.8 million that has supported the show’s production, website and curriculum. In fact, every Biz Kid$ episode begins and ends with a narrator reminding viewers that: “Production funding for Biz Kid$ is provided by America’s Credit Unions, where people are worth more than money.”

For more information about Biz Kid$, click here.

*Note to editors: A full list of grants with overviews of each project is in a separate document sent with this press release and is also available online here.

About the National Credit Union Foundation (ncuf.coop):
The National Credit Union Foundation is the US credit union movement’s primary national philanthropic program provider, fundraiser and grant-maker, working to help consumers achieve financial freedom through credit unions. Through NCUF grants and programs, credit unions provide widespread financial education, create greater access to affordable financial services, and empower more consumers to save, build assets, and own homes.

NCUF is funded primarily by investments in the award-winning Community Investment Fund (CIF) and by generous Corporate Supporters led by the Credit Union National Association and CUNA Mutual.  All NCUF donors provide support that empowers NCUF and state credit union foundations to make financial freedom achievable through credit unions.

The National Credit Union Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. NCUF continues to earn the Better Business Bureau seal of approval as an “Accredited Charity” for meeting all 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for national charities.

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