NAR has a history of promoting financial education for homeownership. Research supports early financial education, as it helps young people become financially secure adults. NAR encourages REALTORS and state and local REALTOR associations to collaborate with financial education providers, schools, and community organizations for age-appropriate activities. Here are some helpful resources for your efforts:
Get Involved
Participate in Ignite Others: REALTORS Light the Way High School Financial Education Program
REALTORS® possess the power to shape the lives of future homeowners. By teaching financial literacy to 11th graders, a spark is ignited within them, empowering them to make informed decisions and secure a prosperous future. Explore multiple pathways to reach students.
Hold a Financial Education or Reality Fair
A financial education fair, also known as a “reality” fair, is an interactive simulation that teaches students about saving, spending, and budgeting. Participants make financial decisions based on their chosen career and lifestyle, such as housing choices, retirement savings, and purchasing items within their budget. To organize a fair in your area, you can search online for financial education fair or reality fair resources. Examples include The Youth Financial Education Fair Tool Kit from the Office of the Massachusetts State Treasurer, as well as toolkits provided by The National Credit Union Foundation (Toolkits from Montana and Connecticut)
Key Resources
National Strategy for Financial Literacy: Led by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC), NAR supports the goals of the National Strategy for Financial Literacy to increase awareness and access to financial education, identify core financial competencies, and improve financial education infrastructure.
Biz Kid$ :An Emmy-winning TV series promoting financial education for kids, featuring 65 episodes and a million viewers per episode.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America Money Matters: Make it Count has taught teens how to set goals, budget, save and invest.
CONVERGENCE Memphis: A partnership with the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, which was created to advance the mission of increasing Black homeownership in the Memphis area.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Financial Education for Adults and Youth.
Council for Economic Education : Focuses on personal finance and economic education for students K-12.
FDIC Teacher Online Resource Center: Helps educators teach children from pre-K through age 20 about money and other financial topics.
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis: Resources for Teachers and Students in Economics and Personal Finance.
FirstHome IQ: Providing done-for-you financial literacy presentations, educational content, and resources designed to reach the next generation.
Financial Empowerment Toolkit for Youth and Young Adults in Foster Care Designed to provide caseworkers, Independent-Living skills providers and foster parents with resources to critically evaluate and improve their ability to promote the financial capabilities of youth in foster care.
Foolproof Teacher : Empowers educators to go beyond traditional financial literacy, emphasizing three core habits: healthy skepticism, trustworthiness, and personal responsibility.
Housing Consultants Group: Five-week long financial wellness and homeownership program led by 2023 NAR Fair Housing Champion Sophia Crisp.
Interactive Money Management Game: MiMM is a cutting edge virtual learning experience to help navigate future financial landmines created by the CFPB.
Junior Achievement’s : Volunteer-delivered K-12 programs foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills.
NAR Building Generational Wealth Through Property Ownership: Helps improve family financial wellbeing over generations.
MyMoney.gov : Contains financial education resources for young people, caregivers, and educators.
Operation Hope : Focus is on equipping youth and adults with the financial tools for independence.
The SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Game™: An online global capital market simulation for grades 4-12, fostering economic, investing, and financial knowledge to empower students for financial independence.
Youth.gov : Provides interactive tools to help organizations plan, implement, and participate in programs that promote Positive Youth Development (PYD).
Research and Reports
Survey of the States – The State of K-12 Economic and Financial Education in the U.S. Every two years, the Council for Economic Education (CEE) conducts a comprehensive look into the state of K-12 economic and financial education in the United States, collecting data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF): High School Financial Literacy Requirements by State The live stats show states that require a semester course in Personal Finance in U.S. public high schools.
Brookings Institute – Are States Providing Adequate Financial Literacy Education?
Opportunities to Improve the Financial Capability of Postsecondary Students (report)
REALTOR® Success Stories
Coastal Association of REALTORS® (MD) Uses Housing Opportunity Grant to Promote K-12 Financial Literacy
On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Coastal Association of REALTORS® is working to equip the next generation with the critical thinking, collaboration, and financial planning skills that are essential for any community’s economic viability. With support from a Housing Opportunity Grant, it has established a three-year partnership with Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, hosting a mock storefront in the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park programs for young students in nine area counties.
North Platte Valley Association of REALTORS® Leverages Housing Opportunity Grant to Promote Financial Literacy Among Local 8th Graders
In partnership with like-minded organizations in rural eastern Wyoming, the North Platte Valley Board of REALTORS® conducted a “Reality Town” program to introduce important concepts of financial literacy to area 8th grade youth. Students from three schools in the region learned about the correlation between grades and earning potential, and real-world living expenses, from participating grown-ups in their community – including REALTORS®.
Do you have a story to share about your association’s efforts to increase financial literacy among young adults? Submit your story here or contact Christine Windle at 202-383-1135.
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