Young Money Finances Receives Nearly $40,000 in Grants

Grand Rapids, Michigan, August 20, 2021 – Local nonprofit Young Money Finances has received nearly $40,000 in grants from Heart of West Michigan United Way and Grand Rapids Community Foundation to support its financial literacy programs for West Michigan children and youth.

United Way has contributed a total of $26,800 while the Community Foundation has contributed $10,000. The funds will be used:

· To purchase resources and supplies for YMF’s trio of money manager kits, which are used to teach children the principles of saving, building wealth, making healthy financial decisions, investing and understanding business and financial management.

· To hire instructors to teach its summer camps and ongoing workshops and coaching sessions.

· For administrative and social media support.

· To create fun and engaging video content.

“We appreciate the confidence Heart of West Michigan United Way and Grand Rapids Community Foundation have in YMF,” said Dondreá Brown, founder and CEO of Young Money Finances. “This financial support will enable us to expand our reach in West Michigan so we can help even more young people build their financial literacy skills.”

YMF recently wrapped up three successful summer camps that introduced more than 1,096 children to the concepts of managing finances, building wealth and growing a business. Young Money Managers explored the basic principles of saving, creating financial goals, making healthy money decisions and building wealth. Young Investors allowed students to focus on the process of investing and the emotional intelligence needed to invest while Young Entrepreneurs provided the basic concepts of business and financial management.

United Way’s acknowledgement letter noted: “The Money Managers program immediately struck us as a program we want to invest in; it is scalable, sustainable and, most importantly, it is impactful. Your work already is doing so much for our shared community, and we see such potential for Young Money Finances to continue to create a more equitable society for everyone in Kent County.”

YMF was launched in February 2019, modeled after curriculum Brown developed and inspired by his then-8-year-old daughter, Aniylah, who needed to budget and save for a gymnastics bar. She used the spend-share-give money tool created by her dad to realize her dream of getting a new gymnastics bar. Aniylah and her six siblings ranging in age 4 to 14 serve as advisers to Brown on YMF’s financial education, resources and branded materials.

Brown provides similar services to adults through his for-profit business, 1428 Financial Wellness. Founded on the biblical principle in Luke 14:28 – But don’t begin until you count the cost – 1428 Financial Wellness offers a My Money University, financial coaching, learning opportunities and resources for adults and college students.

About Young Money Finances

Young Money Finances is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is transforming communities through financial literacy. YMF focuses on partnering with organizations and the community to provide high-impact and engaging financial education, services and resources. It is committed to empowering youth to flourish in these four main areas: health and wellness, education, entrepreneurship and community engagement. To learn more, visit ymfgr.org or connect on Facebook or Instagram.