Society for Financial Education & Professional Development

What Society for Financial Education & Professional Development does

Society for Financial Education & Professional Development (SFEPD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1997 by Ted Daniels to deliver financial literacy and professional development programming. The organization serves a layered audience—primarily students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and secondarily workplaces, faith-based communities, and local community members—through in-person and virtual workshops, seminars, an annual Financial Literacy Leadership Conference (now in its 17th year), and 'Quarterly Talks with Ted' webinars. Its flagship Student Ambassador Program, initiated in 2017 and operational at 46 HBCUs, trains student leaders to teach personal finance to peers using a culturally relevant curriculum.

SFEPD's core product surface includes the 'Mind Over Money Skills' Financial Literacy Certificate (launched fall 2024), Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam preparation in partnership with FINRA (55 students passed in two years), on-campus Financial Wellness Centers (the first opened at Jackson State University in 2022 with Wells Fargo support), and a content library distributed through 'Ted Talks Finance,' YouTube, social media, and seasonal newsletters. Programmatic efficacy was independently validated by ICF in 2025.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than commercial: programs are delivered free to participants, with revenue sourced from corporate/foundation grants (Wells Fargo since 2017/2022; T.D. Jakes Foundation + Wells Fargo 10-year partnership from 2024; FINRA Investor Education Foundation; FICO from 2026) and individual/organizational donations. Distribution is direct via on-campus field partnerships, employer workplace seminars, community workshops, and faith-based institution programs. Reach totals 800,000+ Americans served, including 700,000 college students across 90 colleges/universities, with 7,102+ certificate earners achieved within roughly a year of the certificate launch.

Name

Society for Financial Education & Professional Development

Legal name

Society for Financial Education & Professional Development, Inc.

Website

https://sfepd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SFEPD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 in Alexandria, VA, that delivers financial literacy programs—workshops, seminars, Student Ambassador training, and the Mind Over Money Skills certificate—primarily to HBCU students and secondarily to workplaces, faith-based communities, and local residents, funded by grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Finance & Financial Literacy for Students (EDAMAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial & Consumer Literacy (Banking, Credit, Contracts) (EDAAAAAG), Budgeting & Cash-Flow Management (EDAAAJAA), Family & Life-Stage Financial Planning (Marriage, Kids, Caregiving) (EDAAAJAM)

Keywords

• Financial literacy education
• Personal finance workshops
• HBCU student programs
• Financial wellness seminars
• Peer financial education

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: SFEPD operates primarily as a nonprofit funded by grants from corporate foundations (Wells Fargo, T.D. Jakes Foundation) and government/administrative organizations (FINRA Investor Education Foundation). These grants support the Student Ambassador Program, Financial Literacy Certificate, and expansion to additional HBCUs.
2. Donations: SFEPD accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support its ongoing financial literacy and professional development mission, as evidenced by the prominent 'DONATE' call-to-action on its website.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SFEPD delivers financial literacy and professional development programs, primarily to college students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and underserved community audiences. Its core offerings are the peer-to-peer Student Ambassador Program, the self-paced Mind Over Money Skills Financial Literacy Certificate, and a portfolio of seminars and workshops delivered on campuses, in workplaces, and through community and faith-based venues. All programs are provided free of charge to participants, funded by grants and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Ambassador Program A peer-to-peer financial literacy program in which HBCU students are trained to teach personal finance concepts to fellow students on their campuses. Deployed at 46 HBCUs across states including Maryland, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, with Wells Fargo as a founding funder since 2017.
• Mind Over Money Skills Financial Literacy Certificate A self-paced online financial literacy certification program designed for HBCU students and other learners to earn a Financial Literacy Certificate. Since its fall 2024 launch, 7,102+ individuals have earned the certificate. FICO joined as a funder in 2026 to support expansion at HBCUs.
• College & University Financial Seminars On-campus financial literacy seminars and workshops delivered to college and university students, with deep penetration at HBCUs including Morehouse College, North Carolina A&T State University, Spelman College, Howard University, Jackson State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Hampton University, and others.
• Workplace Financial Wellness Seminars

Quantifiable outcome

• 800,000+ Americans received financial education, including 700,000 college students
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• T.D. Jakes Foundation (TDJF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe T.D. Jakes Foundation and Wells Fargo formed a 10-year strategic partnership to promote economic advancement nationwide, with SFEPD receiving grant funding as part of this initiative. The collaboration is aimed at creating opportunities for historically underrepresented communities through workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial empowerment programs.
• Carver BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarver Bank partnered with SFEPD on the Student Ambassador Partnership, collaborating to deliver financial literacy programming to students through the peer-to-peer ambassador model.
• ICFminorOthersICF conducted an independent evaluation in 2025 confirming that SFEPD's financial education programs improve financial knowledge, confidence, and well-being among participants. The evaluation serves as third-party validation of SFEPD's program efficacy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FoolProof Foundation: Nonprofit delivering financial literacy curriculum to schools, colleges, and community organizations, with a self-paced digital platform. Closely aligned with SFEPD's mission to deliver free financial education to underserved student populations.
• Next Gen Personal Finance: Nonprofit providing free personal finance curricula to high schools and colleges, with strong teacher network and digital delivery. Directly comparable to SFEPD's college-focused financial literacy mission, with a stronger technology and content-distribution platform.
• Inceptia: Nonprofit division of Nelnet focused on financial education and student loan repayment support for colleges and students. Comparable to SFEPD's HBCU-focused student financial literacy programs and similarly targets first-generation and at-risk student populations.
• Operation HOPE: Nonprofit providing financial literacy, credit counseling, and economic empowerment programs, with strong focus on underserved communities. Overlaps with SFEPD's community and faith-based seminars and competes for similar corporate and foundation funding.
• GreenPath Financial Wellness: Nonprofit providing financial counseling, education, and workplace financial wellness programs. Comparable to SFEPD's workplace and community seminars, with a stronger counseling/coaching service line.
• JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy: National coalition promoting financial literacy for youth through educator resources and partnerships. Closely aligned with SFEPD's youth-focused financial literacy mission and serves similar institutional and academic audiences.

Broad incumbents

• National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE): National nonprofit focused on financial literacy research, resources, and grantmaking. Overlaps with SFEPD in adult financial education and shares some foundation funders; complements SFEPD's programs with policy and research work.
• Council for Economic Education (CEE): National nonprofit focused on K-12 and college economic and personal finance education, with extensive curriculum and teacher-training programs. Overlaps with SFEPD on college financial literacy and competes for similar foundation grants.
• National Credit Union Foundation: Foundation supporting credit union-based financial education and inclusion programs, including college and community programs. Comparable funder/peer to SFEPD in financial literacy and small-dollar grants to HBCU and community partners.
• Junior Achievement: One of the largest youth financial literacy and work-readiness nonprofits in the U.S., delivering K-12 and college programming. It competes with SFEPD for HBCU and college partnerships, foundation funding, and corporate sponsorships, but operates at vastly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfepd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXy7d9Tmchkx47co3QNZtVA/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/sfepd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-for-financial-education-&-professional-development
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfepd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Society for Financial Education & Professional Development