Quality of Life Grantee Spotlight: The American College of Financial Services
A new online financial literacy program launched in July is designed to better support people with a spinal cord injury and their caregivers. Created by The American College of Financial Services, the free program includes interactive modules to help individuals navigate the often-complicated financial needs related to living with a disability.
“The goal was to create a resource to help elevate financial knowledge for this community,” says Joellen Meckley, American College’s Associate Vice President, centers strategy and operations and managing Director for the Center for Special Needs.
“The modules cover many universal challenges faced by anyone living with a disability with a specific focus on spinal cord injury and paralysis related information where appropriate. The content can benefit both those newly injured and those living with an injury for years.”
The program, titled Resilient Finances: Thriving with Disability, was developed through funding from a Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Quality of Life grant. The American College of Financial Services, which provides certifications and other accredited programs for financial services providers, offers several financial designations and Centers of Excellence to better address opportunities and knowledge gaps for financially vulnerable populations.
“Our Centers of Excellence are focused on underrepresented communities and people with unique needs, issues and life challenges,” says Meckley. “We want to help people regain their financial security through more effectively educating financial professionals and through providing financial education tools.”
Developed through American College’s Center for Special Needs, the Resilient Finances program addresses the high costs of spinal cord injuries, including medical, rehabilitation and increased living expenses compounded by income loss. It is divided into five modules that are roughly 30 minutes long and include interactive worksheets for expense tracking, budgeting and more.
The program also offers many free printable materials and resources throughout the modules, and users can save their progress and return at any time. The goal is to empower participants with knowledge about public benefits and income alternatives, assist in developing realistic budgets tailored to their needs and create long-term financial plans with specific future goals.
“The modules cover budgeting, bills and planning. The best part is that you can pick what is most important to you — pick one module or do all five,” says Meckley. “The content ranges from what to do initially after an injury through the next steps in the order you should be thinking about them.”
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In addition to individuals who will benefit from the content, Meckley and her team are reaching out to professional groups and providers who work with this population to let them know this resource is available.
“I’ve met with national advocacy organizations and independent living centers as well as case managers of rehab units to encourage them to use and share this program,” says Meckley. “We’ve received great feedback. Those who participated in the demos were thrilled with it and saw a true benefit to the community.”
The American College of Financial Services, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2027, has promoted and shared the resource with its alumni through social media. They also plan to produce flyers and pamphlets that will be available to individuals and their families when they are discharged from the hospital.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people who need this resource to find it,” says Meckley. “We are very excited about it and plan to expand the offerings in this area. We are actively looking at what other resources we can produce to benefit society.”
Meckley notes that the Reeve Foundation Quality of Life grant is the first grant the American College of Financial Services has received from outside the financial services industry.
“It has been a great experience working with the Reeve Foundation, and we are very proud that others believe in the work we do,” says Meckley. “The Foundation’s ability to help such a wide range of organizations is so impressive, and their enthusiasm to promote this resource makes them a terrific partner.”