What we do, why we do it, who we invest in, and how we do it

Vision:

A world where economic mobility for marginalized women is achievable through developing multi-generational financial resilience.

Mission :

To Advance Financial Resilience and Economic Mobility For Marginally Housed Women & Their Children.

FFG Team invests in women to become financially savvy, digitally capable, career confident, and socially connected.

Our four-pillar programming, Financial Well-Being, Career Journey, Digitally Forward, and Circle of Care, equips women with the resources, relationships, and recommendations needed on their journey to financial resilience and economic mobility.

To advance women's financial resilience and economic mobility, we have built a consistent community investing intellectual capital, building support through emotional capital, and extending social capital. Coaches invest in women through knowledge, skills, and behaviors to become resilient. Our goals are to give women the community scaffolding and financial support they need to meet their primary needs and access inclusive tools and resources, prepare them for higher-income jobs, instill confidence to keep a job, surround them with nurturing coaches, and nudge them towards resilience.

Financial Resilience + Economic Mobility = Career Journey + Digitally Forward + Circle of Care + Financial Well-Being

Our impact ratio is 1:5 - for every woman who becomes Financially Resilient, we indirectly support five others in their network.

FFG Philosophy of Equity in Opportunity

“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge …”

- Sir Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize In Economic Sciences 1979

“Equality is not just the right thing to do. It’s smart economics. How can an economy achieve full potential if it ignores, sidelines, or fails to invest in half its population?”
- Robert B. Zoellick - 11th President of the World Bank Group, July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2012

The Problem: Marginalized Women Face Many Challenges

Core Issues: UNMET ESSENTIAL NEEDS, ABSENCE OF A SUPPORT SYSTEm, LACK OF Decision-Making GUIDANCE, Little Financial Resilience

Girls in the foster care system and those aging out have unmet essential needs, lack a consistent support community, have little financial resilience, and are unable to independently support themselves and their children.

Marginalized women - such as those aging out of foster care, those in the justice system, girls of low-income immigrants, those with disabilities, those who dropped out of school, and teen mothers who bear responsibility for raising young children—are much less likely than other women to experience a successful transition to adulthood.
This group of women spans ages 15 to 26 and is a critical development period with long-lasting implications for their economic security, health, and well-being.
The women and their children have low incomes, experience economic hardships, and are disproportionately disadvantaged racial and ethnic minorities. Many are single parents, often raising their children without support.
They enter adulthood with limited education and work experience. And many are estranged from their families or have problematic family relationships and few positive adult connections on which to rely. They often face the consequences of stigma and discrimination. Many have a history of justice system involvement.
Their hopes and aspirations are similar to those of women who have not been marginalized. Many make remarkable accomplishments, demonstrating an extraordinary capacity to survive. However, too many struggle to find a path to employment, economic stability, or financial resilience.

Meeting the needs of marginalized women not only improves their lives and can reduce persistent inequalities due to life situations but also has the potential to help them become fully contributing members of society. Without deliberate action, however, this development period is likely to magnify inequality, with lasting effects through adulthood.

“Youth emancipating from foster care may be at greater risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system due to lack of support networks, low employment skills, and unstable living arrangements. Often, youth in the foster care system have lived through multiple traumas and disruptive events by the time they begin their transition to adulthood. This can include abuse and neglect, multiple foster home placements, lack of continuity in education, and an array of losses of relationships (e.g., friends, family, and siblings). These challenges and life experiences impact foster care youth's emotional and social development as they transition into adulthood.” - Youth.gov

Why We Do It?

“Investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth. Women make enormous contributions to economies, whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees.” - UN Women

Financial Resilience building is the way to financial stability. Women makeup half the human population and can contribute to local, national, and global growth. We are investing in building financial resilience to give them the power to shape their future and unlock their potential. Because when we invest in women, we uplift women, their children, their families, and their communities.

At a local level, our work stems from the FFG Theory of Change, and globally our work is aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

How We Do It?

Building Blocks - pieces of the puzzle that all work together

Consistent Community

FFG coaches build a strong connection with the participants and are the trusted adult supporters who are knowledgeable, professional, consistent, and predictable.

Many marginalized women have experienced instability for the majority of their life. This impacts educational outcomes and leads to increased behavioral challenges. This is particularly true for girls from foster care who have experienced trauma leading up to and including removal from their home and community. Women who are in and out of foster care need a trusting, stable, and consistent community for their holistic growth and economic empowerment.

Consistency and predictability are the hallmarks of FFG coaches and programs. This is another key component that guides our selection of coaches, participants, and partners.

Crucial Capabilities

FFG programs are based on our theory of change model and are crucial enablers for women to accomplish their financial, career, and personal goals. Complementary programs in Financial Well-Being, Career Journey, Digitally Forward, and Circle of Care are all founded on research and are impact-driven. FFG coaches provide a nurturing environment to acquire crucial knowledge, skills, and confidence, which leads to positive behaviors. Through FFG programs, women summon the courage to commit to action, which builds competence and, in turn, gives them confidence. With time and investment, women become resilient to care for themselves and their children and contribute to their communities.

Coaches have a forward-thinking coaching approach as they focus on the present and future of the women and children while building off from their past. In their financial security and resilience journey, we provide a strong foundation for women to get higher-paying jobs, pursue further education, and enhance trade skills. We are investing in women to be financially savvy, digitally capable, career confident, and socially connected.

Conscious Collaboration

FFG invests in marginalized women and children's long-term social and financial resilience through conscious collaboration with community members and organizations in their roles as leaders, partners, and investors.

Conscious collaboration is one of the three key building blocks of FFG programs. Our collaborative approach has led to greater social cohesion and achieved real transformation in women’s lives - especially the most vulnerable. This has also instilled a can-do spirit amongst FFG coaches and the FFG community.

Who We Invest In ?

100% referral based

We invest in marginalized women and girls and support their children. All the girls are referred by participants.

Background:
- Foster Care (90%)
- Single Mothers (95%)
- Domestic Violence Abuse Victims (60%)
- Trafficking Survivors (10%)
- Rising out of Homelessness & Marginally-Housed (100%)
Demographic:
- 85% Black
- 5% Caucasian
- 4% Hispanic
- 5% Bi-Racial
- 1% LGBTQ
Age:
- Women: 14- 24 years
- Children: 0 - 8 years