2011-2015 | Program Growth and Building Awareness

Between 2011 and 2015, SecureFutures entered a period of significant growth, expanding its reach while deepening its impact. As the organization partnered with additional schools and districts across Wisconsin, its footprint nearly doubled, signaling a growing demand for personal finance education and a rising awareness of its importance for students.

As Money Sense continued to expand, SecureFutures took a closer look at student outcomes. In 2012, data collected from the program revealed an important pattern: teens in the city of Milwaukee were learning financial fundamentals at the same rate as their suburban peers, but many were not translating that knowledge into lasting changes in how they managed money. This gap was especially evident among students from under-resourced neighborhoods.

Determined to better support these students, SecureFutures sought to understand what was standing in the way. Through student focus groups, one message came through clearly: teens wanted one-on-one financial mentoring and ongoing support. That feedback led directly to the creation of Money Coach, which officially launched in 2013.

Money Coach was designed as a one-of-a-kind financial mentoring program that pairs teens with volunteer mentors from the business community. Mentors teach an in-depth financial curriculum in small-group settings and then provide individualized guidance as students put what they’ve learned into practice. This relationship-based approach marked a meaningful evolution in SecureFutures’ programming, helping ensure that financial education translated into real-world confidence and habits.

As programs expanded, so did the organization behind them. SecureFutures grew its staff from three to eight team members during this period, with annual fundraising revenue exceeding $500,000. By 2015, the number of school partners had reached 100, marking milestones that reflected increasing trust from schools, volunteers, and the broader community.

SecureFutures remains committed to continually strengthening Money Coach based on feedback from students, site partners, and volunteers, ensuring the program remains responsive and accessible to teens facing barriers to financial opportunity. To learn more about the Money Coach program, visit our website.