About the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation
Formed in 1989, the ICI Education Foundation (ICIEF) is the educational affiliate of the Investment Company Institute, the national association of US investment companies. ICIEF partners with government agencies and other nonprofit organizations to develop, deliver, and promote investment education programs to a variety of specific audiences. The Foundation also participates in financial education advocacy coalitions, conferences, and initiatives that promote saving and investing nationwide.
For example, ICIEF has partnered with the National Urban League and Hispanic College Fund to produce the Investing for Success program designed to strengthen investor awareness within the African-American and Hispanic communities. Investing for Success helps investors set investment goals, evaluate risk, establish realistic expectations, and meet future needs such as funding a child’s education or ensuring a secure retirement. This program is available in an interactive, multimedia web format at www.investingforsuccess.org and www.invertirconexito.org.
ICIEF has also partnered with the SIFMA Foundation to incorporate mutual funds into the Stock Market Game,™ a market simulation with curriculum materials correlated to national and state educational standards. The Stock Market Game™ is a motivational learning tool used in all 50 states and from grades four through college to teach the importance of saving and investing.
ICIEF has worked with the U.S. Labor Department on Retirements Savings Summits, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Saving and Investing Campaigns, and for several years during which the SEC held Investors Town Meetings, ICIEF sponsored a seminar on understanding mutual funds. ICIEF is a partner of the American Savings Education Council, the Alliance for Investor Education, and the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. In April 2010, ICIEF cosponsored the first Financial Literacy Leadership Breakfast hosted by the Greater Washington Jump$tart Coalition and attended by about 250 local financial education advocates.
In April 2009, ICIEF launched a pilot program to provide microgrants to schools and other nonprofit organizations within the greater metropolitan Washington, DC area for the purpose of incorporating investor education into existing financial education courses, programs, or activities in 2009 and beyond. In September 2009, the first set of grants were awarded to STRIVE DC, the Arlington County Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area. For more information about the microgrant program, please see the grant guidelines and eligibility requirements. For more information about ICIEF, please contact Sue Duncan.
