Illinois Jump$tart Coalition for Financial Literacy

Teachers: click here to apply for your scholarship to attend the Jump$tart National Educator Conference, November 2-4, Louisville, KY.

Illinois Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy

An Independent Affiliate of the Jump$tart Coalition

Illinois Jump$tart stands proud as an independent affiliate of the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. The national Jump$tart Coalition is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1995, the coalition includes more than 100 national partners and a network of 51 state affiliates that share a commitment to #afinlitfuture and to working collaboratively toward common goals. To learn more about the national Jump$tart Coalition, click here.

Impacting K-12 across Illinois’s 102 Counties

Established in 2004, the Illinois Chapter of the National Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with individuals and organizations representing business, government and education who have joined together to improve the personal financial literacy of Illinois’s youth. Our coalition works to promote financial literacy by bringing instructional resources to educators and raising awareness of the importance of financial literacy. The Illinois Jump$tart Coalition is pioneering financial freedom among youth statewide.

Our Mission

The Mission of the Illinois Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy is to be a catalyst for enhancing the financial capability of young people through advocacy, collaboration and communication among key stakeholders. To achieve our Mission, we have adopted the following goals:

  • Raise awareness of the importance of financial capability.
  • Promote the adoption and implementation of effective financial education standards in Illinois.
  • Enhance the professional development of Illinois educators.
  • Be a trusted resource for financial education information in Illinois.

Witness our Impact

Hosted Free Education Networking Events with Prominent Speakers

Speakers included Steve Beaman, Michael Jennings, and Alice Wood discussing topics about saving and managing money

Hosted Annual Networking Events Acknowledging Leaders in Personal Finance

Awarded Terry Savage first annual ILJC Financial Achievement Award for his work as a nationally recognized author expert on personal finance and columnist, other awardees include Gail Marksjarvis and Maria Ramos

Collaborating with Like-Focussed Organizations

Partnered with Allstate Insurance to create Personal Finance Boot Camp for Teens, Fifth Third Bank and Junior Achievement of Chicago for Financial Empowerment Event at local high schools

Launched Action Network for Financial Empowerment (ANFE)

Sponsored in-service conferences for educators to bring awareness, energize new advocates, and encourage direct local action.

Provide Scholarships to College-Bound Students

Financially launched high school seniors to upper-education based on essays written about financial topics.

Provide Financial Literacy Materials to Teachers, Schools, and Libraries

With library grant application processes, underfunded communities are given an opportunity to access powerful financial education materials.

Get Involved

There are many ways that organizations or individuals can become involved with the coalition.

Join the Coalition! If your organization or you as an individual are actively engaged in promoting personal financial literacy amongst youth, we invite you to become a member.

Support the Coalition! The Jump$tart Coalition is a charitable 501(c)3, not-for-profit organization. As such, in-kind donations such as the printing of promotional materials or hosting of meetings and events are greatly appreciated. The Coalition also welcomes monetary contributions.

Make a difference locally! Organizations and individuals can make a great impact at the local level. Here are just a few ways that you can make a difference:

  • Financial Institutions: Volunteer to work with a local school or district to provide classroom presentations or teacher support.
  • Educators: Incorporate personal finance within your curriculum. Personal finance has been taught successfully to students of all ages and within many core and elective subjects. For more resources, go to the Jump$tart Clearinghouse and search according to your grade and subject matter.
  • Policy Makers: Consider ways to incorporate personal finance education into your school’s curriculum and teacher professional development programs.
  • Parents: Begin teaching your child about personal finance at a young age and continue to reinforce these skills. See the resources section or visit the Clearinghouse for more ideas on teaching your child about personal finance matters.

Join the ILJC Board! The Illinois Jump$tart Coalition is expanding our board to bring on people with fresh ideas and recruit non-board members to expand our efforts. Board members will bring their individual skillsets to support ILJC carrying free range to develop one’s own plans and activities to expand financial literacy across the state of Illinois. There is no presumption that what was done in the past is the best way to proceed now, join to pioneer a new path to empower Illinois youth.

For more information on the Illinois Jump$tart Coalition, please contact: illinois@jumpstart.org

Financial Literacy Resources

Below is a list of Web sites with financial literacy resources for educators, parents, adults, teens, children and others. In addition the list below, the National Jump$tart Coalition has a comprehensive clearinghouse with financial literacy resources.

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