Greater Indiana FPA Chapter Pro Bono Activities

Indiana Financial Literacy Coalition Financial Fitness Day
April 24th, 2006 was “Financial Fitness Day” in Indiana, as proclaimed by Governor Mitch Daniels. The proclamation was issued in support of a Financial Fitness Fair held at the Junior Achievement facility in Indianapolis. The Fair serves as a model for statewide events in 2006, coordinated by the Indiana Financial Literacy Coalition (IFLC). The IFLC is a consortium of 14 statewide organizations committed to advancing financial literacy of which the Greater Indiana Financial Planning Chapter is a member.

The Financial Fitness Fair brought financial literacy basics to children and adults from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, Coburn Place Safe Haven, Julian Center, Sheltering Wings Center for Women and targeted downtown Indianapolis schools and churches. Financial information was presented in a lively, interactive environment to help educate consumers about the basics of managing money wisely.

Break out groups were led by bankers, accountants, financial planners, sports celebrities, Academy of Finance and college student volunteers, educators, Low Income Tax Clinic personnel and Indianapolis Asset Building Coalition representative presenters to name a few. Topics for interested adult and youth participants included information on “Why Should People Save?”, “Setting Your Financial Records Straight”, “Landlord/Tenant Issues”, “How the New Bankruptcy Code Affects You”, “Financial Aid/Saving for Advanced Education” and “Family Fun on a Budget.” In addition to the above topics, Financial Fitness Fair partners provided free credit reports to attendees as well as free credit/financial counseling. The Internal Revenue Service was available all day for individual questions and group presentations. On-line computer access was available throughout the facility to allow presenters access to organizational/community websites. Cashflow for Kids, Accounting Monopoly and a Budget Day Computer Simulation were held in Junior Achievement Finance Park and Junior Achievement Exchange City.

In addition to being the keynote speaker, Secretary of State Todd Rokita and his staff provided valuable information for fair sponsors and participants. The Greater Indiana Financial Planning Chapter has become a key partner with the Secretary of State in his statewide outreach efforts.

Mike Fields, former Greater Indiana Financial Planning Chapter President, and Ken Williams, Pro Bono Chair answered questions and interacted with participants utilizing the very professional booth display and materials on loan from the FPA.

Academy of Finance Partnership
On March 16th, 2007 the Regional Academy of Finance, of which Ken Williams, the Greater Indiana Financial Planner Association Pro Bono Director is a board member, conducted their annual Academy of Finance Student Conference for over 300 students from 13 schools throughout Indiana at the University of Indianapolis. Activities included Accounting Monopoly, a Cash Flow game, campus tours and a Brain Game Competition where panels from various schools answered business and tax questions in a Jeopardy type environment. After the presentations and a Financial Planner key note speaker from Windsor Castle Financial Group, a scholarship for $10,000 was presented by the University of Indianapolis. The National Association of Black Accountants also presented a scholarship. Partners on the regional board include CPAs, Financial Planners, colleges, universities, the department of education, bankers, credit unions, realtors, utilities, attorneys, insurance representatives and other business professionals to name a few. At our 2003 Student Conference a CFP Board Scholarship was presented by a representative from Denver in the name of Elaine Bedel, an internationally known local Financial Planner. In 2008 the Greater Indiana FPA will be presenting a scholarship.

Indiana Secretary of State Partnership
On April 14th, 2007 Greater Indiana Financial Planners Association Chapter Members participated in the Indiana Secretary of State’s Investor Education Workshop at the Junior Achievement Facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over 160 people registered for this event which included an introduction by the Secretary of State, a proclamation by the governor, a presentation by a victim on Lessons Learned from a Victim of Investment Fraud and speakers on Financial Fraud – Common Scams and How to Avoid Them, Savings and Money Management, Using and Managing Credit, Investing Basics – Understanding the world of Investing and the Concept of Risk, Junior Achievement and Financial Literacy, Mortgage Awareness and Financial Football.

The Secretary of State highlighted his web site including information on Investor Basic Training and a teacher resource page including the Financial Football Mobile Edition for online play and to be downloaded to play on a cell phone. The Financial Football product, which was sponsored by VISA and the NFL, was demonstrated in a break out session. Contestants pick teams and complete to score by answering financial literacy questions. A CD of the Financial Football game is being sent to all schools in the State of Indiana. In addition to the Investment Watch and Financial Football CD, the Secretary of State has some outstanding brochures on Risky Ventures, Promissory Notes, Affinity Fraud, Investor Bill of Rights, Money Skills for Newlywed Couples, Senior Investors Bulletin, Fraud Aimed at Older Americans and Understanding Mutual Funds.

The Secretary of State also funded an interactive display at the Junior Achievement identifying major areas of financial fraud and various buttons to push for additional recorded information. Over 15,000 kids go through Exchange City and Finance Park annually.

As the pro bono chairman of the Indiana Financial Planners Association, Ken helped staff a booth distributing CPA and CFP brochures and answering tax law questions. The Board Chairman and Past President of the FPA also help staff the booth. Two CFPs were speakers. The Secretary of State became a partner after last year’s Indiana Financial Literacy Councils Financial Fitness Fair. With the Secretary of State’s commitment to visit all 92 counties this year, our partnership helps both him and the CPA Society, the Financial Planners, the IRS, the Indiana Bankers Association, Junior Achievement, Purdue Extension and the other partners of the Financial Literacy Council reach all of Indiana versus just the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area.

Networks Financial Partnership
Ken Williams, Greater Indiana Financial Planner Chapter Pro Bono Director, participated in financial literacy events with Networks Financial Institute, an Indiana State University program which received a huge grant from Elli Lilly. On April 10th, 2006 the K-5 Teachers conference included the launch of the Money Bus financial literacy mobile classroom. Presentations were also made by Money Savvy Generations, Indiana Humanities Council and Inquisitive Kids. The keynote speaker was Sonia Manzano, who is Maria on Sesame Street. On April 20th, 2006 financial planning and tax advise was also provided by Ken, Liz Hoover and Mike Fields, the Chapter President, during the a Networks financial literacy event with Michelle Singletary as the keynote speaker. Her “Color of Money” column appears in more than 120 US newspapers. She also writes for the Washington Post and appears on NPR, MSNBC, CNBC, Nightline, the Oprah Winfrey Show and The View.

Inquisitive Kids Partnership
Ken Williams, the Greater Indiana Financial Planner Chapter Pro Bono Director, recruited and sponsored Inquisitive Kids membership in the Indiana Financial Literacy Coalition. The mission of Inquisitive Kids, in partnership with educators and parents, is to connect children with the many faces of their community through active participation and educational opportunities. As experienced publishers and educators, the Inquisitive Kids staff responds to the growing need for standards-based resources. Their free, colorful, monthly resource provides teachers and students with credible and fun activities that encourage critical thinking skills and practical applications for learning, including financial literacy.

The Inquisitive Kids primary programs and services center around the Inquisitive Kids Monthly Publication, which is distributed free through a partnership with the local Kiwanis organizations to 50,000+ third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students in 235 area schools. The content focuses on 6 Core Developmental Areas including: cultural, financial, leadership, scientific, personal health and academic literacy. All of the Inquisitive Kids content is aligned with the Indiana Academic Standards and is written by professional teachers, educators and curriculum directors.

The monthly publication is accompanied by an Inquisitive Kids Teacher’s Guide, which is produced and distributed to 2,300 teachers. The Guide’s extended activities correlate to the Indiana Academic Standards, highlights concepts detailed in the publication and provides in-class worksheets for teachers to use. The guide also connects teachers to community-based organizations whose missions help improve the lives and education of their students and families.

Greater Indiana FPA Meeting with the FPA National Office.
On September 27th, 2006 Ken Williams orchestrated a meeting with Ron Smith and Mike McBride of IRS Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communications (SPEC) National Headquarters and the National Director of the Washington DC office of the Financial Planning Association and the National FPA Pro Bono Director. Discussions centered on how SPEC could partner with the FPA Nationally to help with over 300 Asset Building Coalition activities and with the National Military Quality of Life initiatives. Ken also shared Greater Indiana FPA Best Practices with the National FPA Director and Pro Bono Chair.

On June 15th and 16th, 2007 Ken met with 55 other financial planners in New Orleans for the second annual Pro Bono Director’s Forum. Attendees from 43 FPA Chapters across the country met to discuss how to expand pro bono efforts in their communities. Ken was on a panel moderated by the National Pro Bono Chair to share with other financial planners asset building opportunities via Earned Income Tax Credit Coalitions. The presentation included a step by step approach to utilizing the coalition summaries on the Center for Budget and Policy website along with territory manager contacts and a testimonial by a financial planner who participated in the pilot of the program this year.

In July 2007, Ken executed a partnership via his contacts with the National Financial Planning Association and IRS Headquarters Office to help the FPA National Office partner with the IRS National Disaster Assistance Office.

Money $mart Week – October 15-21, 2006
The week of October 15th, 2006 was declared as the first official Money Smart Week in Indiana per proclamations by the Mayor of Indianapolis and the Governor. Ken Williams, Greater Indiana FPA Pro Bono Chair, participated in the kick off breakfast sponsored by the Detroit Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. FPA partners participating in the event included the Mayor of Indianapolis, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Treasurer and Inquisitive Kids. The winner of the Inquisitive Kids Poster Contest was presented a certificate, a savings bond and a Junior Achievement pass for her school. Money Smart Week activities included over 275 free educational activities throughout the state to inform consumers about managing their personal finances. As part of Money Smart Week, Ken is also participating in a Financial Fitness Fair in partnership with the Mayors of Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. The toolkit developed by the Indiana Financial Literacy Coalition, of which the Greater Indiana FPA is a member, was used for this event. The toolkit allows us to leverage our efforts in our financial literacy outreach endeavors. Todd Rokita, the Secretary of State, was the keynote speaker.