At Prosperity Now, we believe financial education isn’t just about learning how to budget or save—it's about providing families with the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to build lasting financial security. This National Financial Literacy Month, we are recognizing the critical role caregivers play in shaping that journey, particularly in preparing the next generation for success.

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Caregivers are often a child’s first financial guide. Everyday experiences – managing household expenses, making tradeoffs, or opening a savings account – create early lessons about money. Yet across the country, many families face financial instability. This is not due to lack of ambition or discipline, but often because they are navigating systems that were not built with their needs in mind. Today, nearly one in four households in the U.S. are either unbanked or underbanked, limiting access to safe, affordable financial services.

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Financial education alone is not enough. It must be paired with meaningful access to opportunities that support long-term financial stability.

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Programs like Baby Bonds and Children’s Saving Accounts (CSAs) help address this gap.

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Baby Bonds are public investments designed to give every child a financial head start, regardless of their family’s income or location. Funds set aside at birth grow over time, helping young adults afford education, buy a home, or start a business when they come of age. Similarly, CSAs help families build savings through seed funding or matching incentives, reinforcing the importance of long-term planning while creating a tangible financial resource for children.

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These programs offer more than future savings—they build financial confidence.

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When caregivers have access to tools like Baby Bonds and CSAs, it opens the door to conversations about money, goals, and future opportunities. It helps normalize savings from an early age and provides families with a pathway to invest in children’s futures, even when budgets are tight.

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At Prosperity Now, we work to ensure that programs like these are paired with accessible, culturally relevant financial education that meets families where they are.

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This month, we invite you to celebrate the role financial education plays in unlocking opportunity for all. Whether you are a parent teaching your children about money, a nonprofit leader supporting your community, or a policymaker advancing solutions for the future, your efforts make a difference.

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Together, we can build a future where every family has the confidence and resources to thrive. Learn more about our Family and Child Support program here.

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