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SIFMA Foundation

The SIFMA Foundation is dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of the financial markets for individuals of all backgrounds. Drawing on the support and expertise of the financial industry, the SIFMA Foundation provides financial education programs and tools that strengthen economic opportunity across communities and increase individuals’ awareness of and access to the benefits of the global marketplace.

Among its leading efforts, the SIFMA Foundation:

  • Supports 4th through 12th grade teachers across the country with best-in-class educational programs that make student learning real-world and fun;
  • Partners with key leaders and organizations in the field to promote best practices and thought leadership; and
  • Provides the essential tools to help individuals increase their understanding of personal finance and make sound decisions that underpin lifelong success.

“Students who played The Stock Market Game™ scored significantly higher on mathematics and financial literacy tests than their peers that did not play.”

Learning Point Associates

About the SIFMA Foundation

Programs

  • Program

    The Stock Market Game™

    The SIFMA Foundation's acclaimed The Stock Market Game™ program is an online simulation of the global capital markets that engages students grades 4-12 in the world of economics, investing and personal finance, and prepares them for financially independent futures. More than 600,000 students take part every school year across all 50 states. The Stock Market Game has reached 22 million students since its inception in 1977.

  • Program

    InvestWrite™️

    The SIFMA Foundation's InvestWrite™ national essay competition is a culminating activity for The Stock Market Game students, extending what they have learned in SMG by challenging them to analyze, think critically and problem solve. Students address real world financial issues and situations by answering a question about long-term saving and investing. A new theme and question are posed each year. Since the program began in 2004 over 260,000 essays have been written in classrooms across the country and more than 50,000 volunteers have served as judges in the writing competition.

  • Program

    Capitol Hill Challenge™

    The SIFMA Foundation's annual Capitol Hill Challenge™ (CHC), presented by the Charles Schwab Foundation, is an exciting national financial education competition for junior high and high schools that reaches all 50 U.S. states and their members of Congress. CHC matches Members of Congress with students, teachers, and schools competing in The Stock Market Game™ in their respective district or state. Student teams manage a hypothetical $100,000 online portfolio and invest in real stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Since its inception in 2004, CHC has made 7,500 matches of U.S. Representatives and Senators with schools, encompassing more than 170,000 students across the country.

  • Program

    Invest It Forward™

    Invest It Forward™ is an award-winning industry-wide financial education and capital markets literacy campaign convening hundreds of financial firms that are committed to giving young Americans a solid understanding of the capital markets system and the invaluable tools to achieve their dreams. Invest It Forward is designed to help young people understand how to harness the capital markets for their own benefit and realize their dreams.

Surveys & Studies

  • Survey

    Building Financial Futures: Parents’ Perspectives on Youth Financial Education

    Seventy-four percent of parents of K-12 students would likely enroll their children in a different school if it offered financial education courses, all else being equal, according to survey findings by the SIFMA Foundation. The survey was conducted in partnership with Wakefield Research and polled 1,000 parents of K-12 students across the U.S. for their views on the importance of finance and capital markets education in schools.

  • PDF

    Learning Point Associates Study

    An independent study by Learning Point Associates found students who participated in the SIFMA Foundation's The Stock Market Game™ program scored significantly higher on mathematics and financial literacy tests than their peers who did not. They also found that teachers who taught SMG reported the program motivated them to better plan for their future and to engage in financial planning, research, and use of investment products and services.

Get Involved

  • Volunteer

    Teach a Class

    Discover how financial industry professionals and financial services firms can bring their passion and skills into classrooms and youth-serving nonprofits. Volunteer opportunities range from 1-4 hour sessions; volunteer in-person or online, alone, with a group of colleagues or with your firm.

  • Volunteer

    Judge a Student Essay

    More than 5,000 industry volunteers served as judges for last year’s InvestWrite™ program, a national essay competition based on the acclaimed The Stock Market Game™ . Judging takes less than two hours, is completely virtual, and makes a big impact in a child’s life.

  • Form

    Donate

    Donate to the SIFMA Foundation for Investor Education, an educational 501(c)(3) organization. Your tax-deductible contribution helps students, teachers and schools gain a better understanding of the global capital markets and become better prepared for their financial futures.

  • Event

    Annual Tribute Dinner

    The SIFMA Foundation's annual Tribute Dinner celebrates industry champions of youth financial education, raising awareness for this important cause.

Social Media

Financial Reports