Financial Lifeskills Program

We provide education to our residents, through our Financial LifeSkills Program, in order to better navigate the complex worlds of finances and housing. FDA launched the Financial LifeSkills Program in 2018, and has celebrated 500 graduates and counting.

The 12-hour program is broken up into six 2-hour classes:

  1. Your Relationship with Money

  2. Budgeting

  3. Banks & Credit

  4. Loan & Debt Management

  5. Job-training & Entrepreneurship

  6. Taxes & Risk Management

There's a mix of group discussion, independent reflection, and direct instruction throughout the program. While in the program, we will connect you with other organizations and resources through guest speakers and materials. Upon completion, you will receive a financial incentive and a graduation certificate. The program has a graduation rate of 89%.

Our program is supported with donations and grants. Current funders include City of Columbus’ Community Development Block Grant, Fifth Third Bank, and the CareSource Foundation. Previous funding provided by Celebrate One, Chase Bank, First Merchants Bank, Huntington Bank, State Bank, and United Way of Central Ohio.

“We have all heard the saying: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” After completing the Financial LifeSkills Program through the Franklinton Development Association, I was given valuable resources not only to empower me but resources to help others. The classes were well presented, and the instructor was knowledgeable and compassionate about what she taught. The resources and networking opportunities that I have been given will last me a lifetime. Not only will these resources help me now, but they will be useful in the next chapter in my life.”

- Kim Campbell, 2021 Graduate

“When I first started this class, I was not sure if it was needed, but as the instructor shared much needed information about building a strong financial foundation to help provide the tools to use to help me make good healthy choices concerning my bank, saving, and building strong financial goals that can be reached. I’m thankful for this class and all that I’ve learned from it now it is up to me to apply the resources.”

- Celeste Gore, 2022 Graduate

“Thank you so much for the wonderful Financial Skills Class. It was a great investment of time and energy, and I'm so glad I signed up. I realize now what a financial illiterate I've been most of my life. I was never taught any of this, and what little I know I learned THE HARD WAY! This course should be given to every High School student in this country. Nothing I learned in 20+ years of schooling prepared me to deal with the REAL world. But, just because I've been ignorant all my life, doesn't mean I have to die that way. Never too late to Wise Up and Grow Up!

- Kym Fleming, 2023 Graduate

Are you interested in signing up for the Financial LifeSkills Program? Click HERE.

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Franklinton Development Association provides services without regard to race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity & expression, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, familial status or socio-economic status; and agrees to maintain a
commitment to cultural competence and ongoing development of cultural competence capabilities of staff and organization.