The MassMutual Foundation’s National Commitment to Youth Financial Literacy

*Based on FutureSmart course data from the 2020-21 MassMutual Annual Impact Report

Overview

The MassMutual Foundation partnered with Everfi based on the core belief that financial education is the key to reversing some of the current trends in financial literacy, capability, and wealth distribution seen across the country.

Since 2015, the MassMutual Foundation has worked with Everfi on their proprietary program, FutureSmart^SM, which has brought critical financial education to middle and high school students across the United States.

FutureSmart aims to prepare young people to make informed financial decisions. And it’s backed by science. Research into students taking FutureSmart has shown a significant increase in their financial knowledge and intentions to engage with financial products in the future.

Growing National Reach

By partnering with Everfi’s extensive network of schools and districts across the United States, the MassMutual Foundation has been able to scale their program and impact into all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Why Build a Middle School Program

By the time adolescents reach middle school, they have already developed the capacity to understand complex economic concepts, make financial judgments, and assign value to purchases and brands. Yet the majority of today’s schoolchildren are not receiving the personal finance education they need to navigate the modern financial world.

That is where Everfi and the MassMutual Foundation sought to step in to tackle the broad issue of financial literacy — beginning in our nation’s schools. By reaching students at a pivotal developmental stage, the FutureSmart program equips students with important foundational financial knowledge that they may not otherwise receive.

FutureSmart is more than just a digital course or educational curriculum. It is a way of preparing young people to make smart financial choices from today onward.

Impacting High-Need Communities

Financial knowledge can mean the difference between getting approved for a low-interest loan and having your utilities turned off unexpectedly. But for families living in many communities across the country, this financial knowledge was not passed down to them by their parents or through their schools.

Over the past 5+ years, the MassMutual Foundation has made a concerted effort to reach high-need communities as part of their work with Everfi. Since its inception, the program has reached 1,177,539 students in low-to-moderate income schools (where 50% or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch).

Adult Financial Literacy: Reaching Educators and Families

Because of the proven success of the schools-based program with Everfi, the MassMutual Foundation sought to extend their financial education program to reach educators and families. By approaching financial literacy through a holistic approach from K to gray, the MassMutual Foundation is able to equip the next generation with the foundational knowledge they need, while also enabling educators and families to make informed financial decisions that impact their daily lives.

Why the MassMutual Foundation Answered the Call

Institutions like the MassMutual Foundation have partnered with Everfi to tackle a range of social issues through the transformative power of education. Watch the video to understand why the MassMutual Foundation felt passionate about the issue of financial literacy and to learn how you can get involved with Everfi.