FPA of Central Ohio offers a range of pro bono initiatives throughout the year. Through these programs, members have the chance to offer valuable financial guidance that empowers individuals to build a stronger financial future.

If you’d like to get involved, please reach out to our Director of Pro Bono, Candace DeLuca, at candace@delucafinancialstrategies.com.

Upcoming Pro Bono Opportunities

The Pro Bono Committee of the FPA of Central Ohio is excited to share these upcoming volunteer opportunities with you! 

We encourage you to consider sharing your passion for financial planning through our pro bono efforts as part of your practice this year. FPA of Central Ohio continues to have a fulfilling relationship with New Directions Career Center. The center works with their members to achieve a fresh start at a new life in a rewarding, successful career.

As many of our members can attest, these are wonderful experiences. Past participants that received coaching have expressed their gratitude; feeling much more confident about their financial situations. Please note that you must be a CFP® to participate.

1:1 Support with New Directions Career Center

These 3-hour sessions offer volunteers the opportunity to provide pro bono guidance on a range of financial topics—including cash flow management, debt consolidation, and education funding—in 30-minute 1:1 meetings with participants. Volunteers are encouraged to remain flexible, as client needs may vary. Depending on the number of participants, we may need 2–3 volunteers for each session.

Volunteer hours are from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on:

• Wednesday, February 26, 2025
• Wednesday, July 23, 2025
• Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Location: New Directions Career Center, 2760 Airport Dr Suite 125B, Columbus, OH 43219

SIGN UP HERE FOR 1:1 SESSIONS

3^rd Annual Financial Literacy Class

In partnership with New Directions Career Center (NDCC) and Working in Support of Education (MoneyW!se), FPA of Central Ohio proudly hosted the 3rd Annual Financial Literacy Class earlier this year.

At NDCC, 45–55% of the women served have experienced domestic violence, and 25% have faced homelessness. This initiative provided an important opportunity for our members to give back by sharing their financial expertise with these resilient individuals.

The class series took place every Monday and Wednesday from March 24 through April 16, 2025, totaling eight sessions over four weeks. We were especially grateful to our President-Elect, Candace DeLuca, who volunteered her time to teach the sessions.

Sessions were held at New Directions Career Center, located at 2760 Airport Dr, Ste 125B, Columbus.

Stay tuned for more details on our 4th Annual Financial Literacy Class in 2026!

About Pro Bono Programs

MoneyW!se Program

Financial literacy programs are effective in helping domestic violence survivors and at-risk women increase their financial knowledge, build their confidence about managing their finances, and improve their financial behaviors. Yet, despite the compelling evidence, there is a scarcity of relevant financial education programing. In the most recent annual “Domestic Violence Counts” census, 400+ DV
service providers report that financial assistance and education are unmet needs. 

We created MoneyW!SE in 2009 to address this need. Through the program, we offer a multiple session course on personal finance. In the first session, participants take our pretest to benchmark knowledge prior to instruction; on the last day, they take the W!se Financial Literacy Certification Test. Those passing become Certified Financially Literate – a credential that can help them in their search for work.

We provide clients who register in a MoneyW!SE course with:

1. 90-120 minutes of instruction for 10-12 sessions
2. Lesson materials, available in English and Spanish
3. W!se’s Pretest and Certification Test
4. The W!se CFLTM credential when they pass the Certification Test
5. The CFLTM Certificate for clients who pass the Certification Test and the Certificate of Completion for all.
6. An end-of-course recognition ceremony to celebrate clients’ achievement and hard work
7. A light dinner for clients and their children prior to each class
8. Childcare during each class

Instruction by Volunteers:
We work with volunteers who deliver the classroom instruction. Volunteers present each class covering different personal finance topics including goal setting and budgeting, credit repair and debt management, insurance, investing, rent or buy, taxes, wills, kids and money, banking, paychecks, retirement planning and course review. W!se provides activity worksheets and PowerPoints for every class.