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How ORNL Federal Credit Union is Expanding Financial Literacy Across Tennessee

How ORNL Federal Credit Union is Expanding Financial Literacy Across Tennessee

ORNL Federal Credit Union (ORNL FCU) has long believed that financial education should start early. As demand from schools increased across East Tennessee, the organization saw an opportunity—and a challenge—to expand its impact. Through its partnership with Everfi, ORNL FCU scaled its K-12 financial education efforts, delivering high-quality, engaging learning experiences to students across 19 counties while staying true to its community-first mission.

The Challenge: Scaling K-12 Financial Education Across 19 Counties

ORNL FCU’s early K-12 efforts showed strong results but scaling them was difficult. With a small team and a large geographic footprint, the organization faced key barriers:

Limited capacity to reach schools consistently across rural and urban areas
Ongoing strain from building and maintaining curriculum internally
Difficulty engaging students with traditional teaching formats
The need to align with state standards while keeping content relevant
A strong commitment to prioritizing low- to moderate-income schools with limited access

Without the right infrastructure, expanding access equitably—and sustainably—was out of reach. Everfi delivered a turnkey K-12 platform designed to scale impact without increasing workload. This approach allowed ORNL FCU to expand beyond in-person delivery and build a scalable, school-based model for financial education.

Discover the Impact

Within the first year, ORNL FCU transformed what was possible for student reach and engagement. What began as a small, resource-constrained program became a scalable initiative reaching thousands of students across dozens of schools. By investing in early education and removing barriers to access, ORNL FCU is helping shape more financially confident generations—while strengthening its role as a leader in community impact.

Learn how your institution can empower individuals and communities with the financial knowledge and tools to improve their financial well-being today: everfi.com/sponsorship