A Year of Compassionate Impact: 300 Learners Served and a Brighter Financial Future for Minnesota

At the Minnesota Financial Empowerment Initiative (MNFEI), our mission is simple: to be a compassionate ally in the journey toward financial security. We offer free, high-quality financial education by partnering compassionate, skilled volunteers with adults who are eager to build a brighter financial future. Thanks to the support of our incredible community, 2025 was a year of profound impact.

Download a PDF of our 2025 Impact Report.

Our Impact This Year

Our dedicated volunteers and partners helped us reach a significant milestone:

• 300 Participants served

• 40 Volunteer Educators

• 74 MNFEI Classes

• 6 Partner Organizations

What Our Learners Gain

Our curriculum focuses on the essential skills that build lifelong confidence and security. Our participants learn practical, real-world skills, including:

• Budgeting

• Managing Debt

• Saving and Investing

• Credit Building

• Banking Basics

• Accessing community resources

Strengthening Communities Together

Beyond the numbers, our greatest measure of success is the trust we build. A significant MNFEI Win this year is that 100% of participants said they would recommend MNFEI to a friend, demonstrating the value of our learner-focused approach.

We also expanded our capacity for future growth:

• 280 service hours provided by University students

• 14 local nonprofit resource partners added for participant support

• Dedicated grant writer added to the team to support MNFEI’s growth

Looking Ahead to 2026

We are committed to expanding our reach and impact, ensuring financial literacy is accessible to all under-resourced adults in Minnesota. Our goals for 2026 include:

• Begin serving the 14 nonprofits on our waitlist

• Expand support for career-transitioning adults

• Continue tailoring content to be more culturally responsive

• Increase fundraising to sustain and grow programming

• Recruit additional dedicated and compassionate volunteers

• Strengthen partnerships to connect participants with additional resources

Thank you for all your support in 2025! To learn how you can expand financial education in your community, email Executive Director, Tina Oertli, at tinao@mnfei.org.