Financial Literacy and Financial Education Programs for Cleveland Organizations
Thrive Wisely delivers uncompromised financial literacy programs to colleges, workforce systems, and community organizations in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Our financial education programs are designed for young adults ages 14-36 who are navigating independence, credit decisions, and early wealth-building—addressing the financial realities participants face right now, not abstract theory.
Unlike bank-sponsored financial literacy programs designed to acquire customers or academic programs constrained by institutional neutrality, Thrive Wisely can name predatory lending, explain systemic wealth extraction, and teach participants how to navigate financial systems designed to extract rather than build wealth. We deliver uncompromised financial education—training for economic liberation.
Launching partnerships in 2026. We are currently accepting founding partner institutions for pilot program delivery. Based in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, we serve colleges, workforce programs, after-school providers, and community organizations throughout Northeast Ohio and through national partnerships.
All programs are built on our proprietary 5Cs Framework—a comprehensive financial literacy curriculum ensuring consistency, rigor, and measurable outcomes:
Cash — Understanding and controlling money flow
Credit — Using credit strategically rather than defensively
Compassion — Removing shame and financial avoidance
Community — Leveraging collective economic power
Creating Companies — Ownership as a pathway to stability and wealth
Programs are developed by TK, who brings 26 years as a Fortune 500 Chief Financial Officer at companies including GE and Yum Brands, 9 years as an entrepreneur building businesses from the ground up, an MBA from Florida A&M University, and certification as a Chartered Management Accountant (CMA). Our curriculum combines executive-level financial expertise with entrepreneurial resilience and authentic understanding of systemic barriers facing underserved communities—creating what we call "vulnerable authority."
College Financial Empowerment Workshop
A high-impact financial literacy workshop designed for college students navigating independence, financial aid, credit exposure, and early career decisions. Addresses the #1 reason students drop out: financial stress, not academic ability.
Target Audience: College students ages 18–24
Duration: 3–4 hours
Delivery: In-person or virtual
Program Formats:
Large format: 100–200 participants (orientation, campus-wide events)
Medium format: 50–75 participants (departmental sessions, student org events)
Intensive cohort: 25–35 participants (TRIO programs, high-touch support)
Common Use Cases: First-year orientation, financial aid literacy workshops, TRIO and student success programs, academic department sessions, residential life programming
What's Included:
Full program facilitation by Thrive Wisely
Digital participant workbooks (PDF and interactive formats)
Pre- and post-program financial confidence assessment
Institutional summary report with participation and outcome data
Optional co-facilitation training for campus staff
Implementation Model: Thrive Wisely provides facilitator, curriculum, materials, and evaluation. Your institution provides venue, A/V setup, participant recruitment, and optional staff co-facilitator.
Investment: Programs are available as fee-for-service or through grant funding partnerships. Pricing starts at $1,500 for large-format workshops. Contact us for detailed pricing based on format and partnership structure..
After-School Financial Foundations Series
A structured financial literacy series for youth at critical early decision points—before predatory financial messages lock in. Emphasizes financial confidence, awareness of systemic extraction, and long-term impact of early money decisions.
Target Audience: Youth ages 14–18
Cohort Size: 20–25 participants
Format: 4 sessions × 90 minutes (delivered over 2-3 weeks)
Delivery: In-person
Common Implementation Partners: After-school programs, expanded learning providers, youth-serving nonprofits, Boys & Girls Clubs, school-based partnerships, summer enrichment programs
What's Included:
Full program facilitation by Thrive Wisely
Printed youth workbook (age-appropriate, engaging design)
Interactive activities and real-world scenarios
Pre- and post-program financial knowledge assessment
Certificate of completion
Program summary report for institutional partners
Train-the-Trainer Option: For organizations serving 100+ youth annually, we offer a Train-the-Trainer model where Thrive Wisely trains your staff, educators, or community leaders to deliver the curriculum with fidelity. Includes facilitator guide, training workshop, and ongoing implementation support.
Implementation Model: Thrive Wisely provides facilitator, curriculum, materials, and evaluation. Your organization provides program space, participant recruitment, attendance tracking, and snacks/incentives as appropriate.
Investment: Direct delivery pricing starts at $2,500 per cohort. Train-the-Trainer pricing starts at $5,000 (includes training for up to 5 facilitators plus curriculum licensing for one year).
Weekend Financial Freedom Intensive
A concentrated financial literacy bootcamp for working adults seeking clarity, strategy, and momentum without a multi-week time commitment. Delivers comprehensive financial education in one transformative weekend.
Target Audience: Working adults ages 25–50
Cohort Size: 20–25 participants
Duration: Saturday + Sunday | 6 hours each day (12 hours total)
Delivery: In-person
Common Implementation Partners: Faith-based institutions, community organizations, employer wellness programs, civic associations, union partnerships
What's Included:
Full weekend facilitation by Thrive Wisely
Comprehensive participant workbook (weekend curriculum + ongoing resources)
Saturday: Foundation (Cash Flow, Credit, Compassion)
Sunday: Power-Building (Community, Creating Companies, Action Planning)
Pre- and post-program financial assessment
30-day follow-up accountability check-in (virtual)
Certificate of completion
Institutional summary report
Implementation Model: Thrive Wisely provides facilitator, curriculum, materials, and evaluation. Your organization provides weekend venue (6 hours Saturday, 6 hours Sunday), participant recruitment, and meals/refreshments.
Investment: Pricing starts at $4,500 per weekend intensive. Grant funding partnership options available.
5-Week Adult Financial Empowerment Intensive
A cohort-based financial literacy intensive for young adults and young parents focused on household stability, credit strategy, debt reduction, and long-term wealth-building. Designed for participants ready to transform their financial reality over 10 hours of structured learning.
Target Audience: Young adults and young parents ages 18–36 (any education level)
Cohort Size: 20–25 participants
Duration: 5 weeks | 2 hours per week (10 hours total)
Delivery: In-person or virtual
Common Implementation Partners: Workforce development programs, reentry initiatives, community-based organizations, employer-sponsored cohorts, young parent support programs
What's Included:
Full program facilitation by Thrive Wisely
Printed participant workbook (5-week curriculum guide)
Weekly action plans and financial goal-tracking tools
Pre- and post-program assessment measuring financial confidence, credit knowledge, and debt strategy
Mid-program check-in and course correction session
Certificate of completion
Institutional summary report with cohort outcomes
Implementation Model: Thrive Wisely provides facilitator, curriculum, materials, and evaluation. Your organization provides meeting space, participant recruitment, attendance tracking, and optional program completion incentives.
Investment: Pricing starts at $3,500 per cohort (20-25 participants). Grant funding partnership options available for multi-cohort commitments.
What's Included in Every Thrive Wisely Program
All Thrive Wisely financial literacy programs include:
Professional facilitation — Delivered by Thrive Wisely or trained partner facilitators
Proprietary curriculum — Based on the 5Cs Framework, designed for economic liberation
Participant materials — Age-appropriate workbooks, action plans, resource guides
Pre- and post-assessment — Measuring financial confidence, knowledge gains, and behavioral intent
Institutional reporting — Summary data meeting funder documentation requirements
Ongoing support — Email support for participants with questions during program period
Optional add-ons include co-facilitation training for institutional staff, extended follow-up sessions, customized institutional branding, and multi-cohort partnership discounts.
How We Measure Impact
Every Thrive Wisely program includes evidence-based assessment measuring participant outcomes across three domains: financial confidence, financial knowledge, and behavioral intent.
Assessment Methodology: Participants complete a pre-program assessment at the first session and post-program assessment at the final session. Questions measure self-reported financial confidence, knowledge of credit systems, understanding of predatory practices, and intent to change financial behaviors.
Outcome Domains We Track:
Financial confidence — Reduced shame, increased willingness to engage with financial decisions
Credit strategy — Improved understanding of how credit scoring works and how to use credit strategically
Predatory awareness — Ability to identify and avoid predatory financial products
Household stability — For adult programs, increased confidence managing household finances
Community readiness — Understanding of collective economic power and community investment
Institutional partners receive a summary report showing cohort-level outcomes, participation rates, completion rates, and aggregate assessment results—formatted for grant reporting and internal evaluation.
Why outcomes matter to funders: Our assessment model aligns with best practices in financial literacy evaluation and provides the data institutional partners need to demonstrate program effectiveness to boards, funders, and accreditation bodies.
Partnership & Implementation Process
Thrive Wisely partners with colleges and universities, workforce development and reentry programs, after-school and youth-serving organizations, faith-based institutions, and community organizations throughout Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Northeast Ohio.
Partnership Process:
Initial Consultation (30 minutes) — We discuss your population, goals, timeline, and budget
Program Recommendation — We recommend the program format that best fits your needs
Proposal & Pricing — We provide a detailed proposal including pricing, timeline, and deliverables
Partnership Agreement — Simple MOU or contract outlining roles, responsibilities, and investment
Program Planning (2-4 weeks before delivery) — Logistics coordination, materials prep, recruitment support
Program Delivery — We facilitate, you support recruitment and logistics
Outcomes Report (within 2 weeks) — Summary report with participation and assessment data
Timeline: From initial inquiry to program delivery typically takes 4-8 weeks depending on your timeline and availability. Rush delivery available for organizations with immediate needs.
Capacity: We are currently accepting founding partnerships for program delivery beginning Spring 2026. Based in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, we serve organizations throughout Northeast Ohio and through national partnerships.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Thrive Wisely different from other financial literacy programs?
Thrive Wisely is not funded by banks seeking customers, not constrained by academic institutions avoiding controversy, and not limited by government agencies navigating political pressures. This independence allows us to name predatory lending, explain systemic wealth extraction, and teach participants how financial systems are designed to extract rather than build wealth—truth-telling that compromised programs cannot deliver.
How much do financial literacy programs cost?
Pricing varies by program format and cohort size. College workshops start at $1,500 for large-format delivery (100-200 students). Adult intensives start at $3,500 per cohort (20-25 participants). Youth programs start at $2,500 per cohort, with Train-the-Trainer options starting at $5,000. Grant funding partnership options are available for multi-cohort commitments.
What outcomes can we expect from financial education programs?
Participants in Thrive Wisely programs demonstrate measurable improvements in financial confidence, credit strategy understanding, ability to identify predatory financial products, and household financial stability. All programs include pre- and post-assessment measuring these outcomes, with institutional summary reports provided for grant reporting and evaluation purposes.
Who developed Thrive Wisely's curriculum?
Programs are developed by TK, who brings 26 years as a Fortune 500 Chief Financial Officer at companies including GE and Yum Brands, 9 years as an entrepreneur, an MBA from Florida A&M University, and certification as a Chartered Management Accountant (CMA). The curriculum is based on the proprietary 5Cs Framework and TK's manuscript "No One Is Coming To Save Us."
Can Thrive Wisely deliver programs outside of Cleveland?
Yes. Based in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, Thrive Wisely serves organizations throughout Northeast Ohio and through national partnerships. Virtual delivery options are available for College Financial Empowerment Workshops and 5-Week Adult Financial Empowerment Intensives.
What is the 5Cs Framework?
The 5Cs Framework is Thrive Wisely's proprietary financial literacy curriculum covering Cash (money flow control), Credit (strategic use vs. defensive protection), Compassion (removing financial shame), Community (collective economic power), and Creating Companies (ownership as wealth-building). This framework ensures consistent, comprehensive financial education across all program formats.
Bring Financial Literacy Education to Your Organization
If your institution or organization is seeking credible, deliverable financial literacy programming aligned with equity goals and funder expectations, Thrive Wisely is ready to partner.
We are currently accepting partnership inquiries for program delivery beginning Spring 2026 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Northeast Ohio, and through national partnerships.
Questions? Email info@tkifoundation.org
Questions? Contact us.
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