Our society has an urgent need to increase financial literacy, an issue that has broad implications for our economy, our communities, and our democracy.

At SIFMA, we are committed to tackling this issue from the ground up, empowering the next generation with an understanding of the market economy and foundational financial habits that can last a lifetime.

The SIFMA Foundation is the world’s leading voice informing and exciting today’s youth about the power of investing, capital markets and the lifelong benefits of good financial habits. Through a robust portfolio of curriculum-based, online educational programs, more than 600,000 young people each year— including 300,000 girls and more than 200,000 youth of color— learn about saving, investing and long-term planning.

Year after year, SIFMA member firms’ critical support of this work empowers young people to thrive by preparing for wealth-building opportunities, college, and careers, carrying them from their earliest financial decisions through retirement. Additionally, this investment is cultivating a pipeline of diverse young talent for the financial sector and equipping educators with the tools to engage students in personal finance and the capital markets, reinforcing their academics, life skills and social-emotional learning.

Having served 22 million youth of all backgrounds since its inception, the SIFMA Foundation promotes financial education through multisector partnerships, including with every member of Congress through the Capitol Hill Challenge™ and with 16,000 industry professionals each year who volunteer through InvestWrite® and Invest It Forward®. From visiting classrooms to hosting field trips to judging student essays, SIFMA member firms and their employee networks are making a positive impact on their communities by bringing resources to the most vulnerable populations.

Teachers consistently speak about the positive influence SIFMA Foundation programs have on their students. The educational impact of the SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Game™ is unmatched, with proven increases in math, student engagement and class participation. An independent study by Learning Point Associates found Stock Market Game students scored significantly higher on math and financial literacy tests than their nonparticipating peers. They also found that teachers reported the program motivated them to better plan for their own financial future and engage in financial planning, research, and use of investment products and services.