National Foundation for Credit Counseling

What National Foundation for Credit Counseling does

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), founded in 1951 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest and largest U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer credit counseling and financial well-being. Operating as a 501(c)(3), NFCC functions as a national coordination body for a network of 50+ certified nonprofit member agencies and 1,200-1,600+ NFCC-certified counselors serving all 50 states and U.S. territories, reaching 500,000+ counseled individuals and 300,000 Debt Management Plan participants annually (35 million+ served since 2006).

NFCC's core service portfolio centers on Debt Management Plans (consolidating unsecured debts into a single monthly payment with negotiated lower interest rates), credit card debt counseling, household budgeting assistance, homeowner guidance including HUD-approved Framework Homeownership education, student loan debt services, and specialized counseling for bankruptcy, military/veterans, small business owners, and renters. Distribution occurs through toll-free phone lines, an online agency finder tool, video chat, and in-person consultations. The technology stack includes an AI-powered NFCC Chatbot for intake and personalized guidance, online courses (Money 101, credit education, Consumer Credit Knowledge certification), the quarterly Financial Stress Forecast research tool, and integrated third-party partner tools including Pebble (credit building), Piere (AI-powered budgeting), and Payitoff (student loan planning).

The business model is mission-driven rather than profit-driven: services are provided free or at low cost to consumers, with revenue generated from a mix of grants and foundation funding from financial institutions (TD Bank, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank Foundation, Synchrony, among others), creditor contributions to Debt Management Plans, government grants, member agency dues, and modest online course fees. Pricing is freemium at the consumer level (free initial consultation, $9.99 paid Consumer Credit Knowledge course), with Debt Management Plans structured with no hidden fees. NFCC holds Charity Navigator four-star ratings and Candid/GuideStar Gold Transparency badges, and its Board of Trustees includes executives from major creditor institutions including Capital One and Wells Fargo, reflecting the organization's central position in the U.S. credit counseling ecosystem.

Name

National Foundation for Credit Counseling

Legal name

National Foundation for Credit Counseling, Inc.

Website

https://nfcc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1951 that operates the nation's largest network of certified credit counseling agencies, providing free or low-cost Debt Management Plans, budgeting, homeownership, and student loan counseling to over 500,000 U.S. consumers annually through 50+ member agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Credit Counseling Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Collection Agencies (561440)

SIC

Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Credit Counseling & Debt Management Plans (DMP) (FSAKAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consumer Credit Counseling & Budgeting (FSAEAFAA)

Keywords

• Credit counseling services
• Debt management plans
• Financial education
• Nonprofit financial counseling
• Housing counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Nonprofit Counseling Services: NFCC provides free or low-cost credit counseling services through its network of nonprofit member agencies. Services are funded through a combination of grants from financial institutions, government grants, and contributions from creditors who participate in debt management plans.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: The organization receives grants from banks and corporate foundations (e.g., TD Bank $500,000, Wells Fargo $173,000, U.S. Bank Foundation $150,000, Synchrony $2 million commitment) to support specific programs and community outreach initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) is the oldest and largest nonprofit credit counseling organization in the United States, providing free or low-cost credit counseling, Debt Management Plans (DMPs), housing counseling, student loan counseling, and financial education through a nationwide network of more than 50 certified nonprofit member agencies with 1,200+ counselors. Services are delivered via phone, video chat, online agency finder, and in-person consultations to help consumers manage debt, prevent foreclosure, build savings, and improve financial well-being.

Product overview

NFCC offers a comprehensive nonprofit credit counseling platform centered on Debt Management Plans (DMPs) and one-on-one certified counselor services. The core portfolio includes Credit Card Debt Counseling, Budgeting & Finances, Homeowner Guidance (including HUD-approved Framework course), Student Loan Services, and Other Counseling (bankruptcy, military, small business, renter support). Supplementary offerings include Online Courses (Money 101, credit education), the Financial Stress Forecast research tool, and integrated partner tools (Pebble for credit building, Piere for AI-powered budgeting, Payitoff for student loans). The 2025-launched WealthBuilder program uniquely enables simultaneous emergency savings and debt reduction. All services are delivered through a network of 1,200+ NFCC-certified counselors across member agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Debt Management Plans (DMP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Average $17k debt reduction through Debt Management Plans
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FICOcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 March 2026NFCC Network partnered with FICO's Score Open Access Program, enabling consumers to access their FICO scores and helping NFCC recover over $1 billion in debt for consumers using the program.
• American ExpressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnect 2026 conference sponsor providing financial wellness program support.
• Bank of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnect 2026 conference sponsor supporting financial counseling industry advancement.
• JPMorgan ChaseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnect 2026 conference sponsor for industry collaboration.
• Capital OneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnect 2026 conference sponsor with representation on NFCC Board of Trustees.
• CitibankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnect 2026 conference sponsor supporting NFCC initiatives.
• Wells FargominorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnect 2026 conference sponsor with executive representation on NFCC Board of Trustees.
• Framework HomeownershipcoreTechnology or IntegrationHUD-approved homebuyer education course provider helping over 1.4 million homebuyers. NFCC offers this curriculum which meets Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac requirements.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GreenPath Financial Wellness: NFCC member agency and one of the largest nonprofit credit counseling organizations in the U.S., offering DMPs, housing counseling, and financial education. Directly comparable because it serves the same consumers through the same counseling model and shares NFCC's HUD-approved status.
• Money Management International: Major NFCC member agency providing credit counseling, debt management, housing counseling, and financial education across the U.S. Operates the same counseling-based, nonprofit model and competes for the same grant and consumer funnels as NFCC.
• InCharge Debt Solutions: NFCC member agency offering nonprofit credit counseling, DMPs, housing counseling, and bankruptcy pre-filing counseling. Comparable because it delivers the same set of counseling services through certified counselors, directly overlapping with NFCC's product portfolio.
• Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions: Independent nonprofit credit counseling agency providing DMPs, housing counseling, student loan counseling, and bankruptcy pre-filing counseling. Closely matches NFCC's service mix and target segments while operating outside the NFCC member network.
• Consolidated Credit Solutions: NFCC member agency offering nonprofit credit counseling, debt consolidation, and financial education to U.S. consumers. Comparable service portfolio and target audience, with overlapping distribution through the NFCC agency finder.
• Apprisen (formerly Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Ohio): NFCC member agency providing nonprofit credit counseling, housing counseling, and financial wellness programs. Serves the same consumer segments with similar DMP and counseling products.
• Take Charge America: Nonprofit credit counseling agency offering DMPs, housing counseling, student loan counseling, and bankruptcy pre-filing services. Closely aligned mission and product set, competing for the same at-risk consumer base as NFCC and its members.
• Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management: Nonprofit credit counseling organization providing DMPs, housing counseling, and financial education across multiple U.S. states. Comparable service mix and target consumer, though it operates independently of the NFCC network.
• Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. NFCC member agency offering nonprofit debt management and credit counseling services. Directly comparable consumer-facing product set and reliance on certified counselor network.
• Money Fit by DRS: Nonprofit credit counseling agency offering DMPs, housing counseling, student loan counseling, and financial wellness education. Comparable scope and target consumer to NFCC's member agency network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NFCC
• YouTubem.youtube.com/user/NFCC09
• Facebookfacebook.com/NFCCDebtAdvice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-foundation-for-credit-counseling
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenfcc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Foundation for Credit Counseling