Funding America exists to give every student an equitable chance at financial success by making practical financial education accessible, modern, and rooted in real-world opportunity.
Funding America exists to give every student an equitable chance at financial success by making practical financial education accessible, modern, and rooted in real-world opportunity.
Funding America was founded by Lindsey Zerbinos, a financial literacy educator and finance professional dedicated to expanding equitable access to practical, real-world financial knowledge.
Through direct classroom experience teaching middle and high school students, the work behind Funding America is grounded in the everyday financial realities young people face as they prepare for adulthood. This includes curriculum development, experiential learning design, and the creation of programs that help students practice real financial decision-making—not just learn theory.
With an academic background in finance and ongoing work in financial education, the mission of Funding America grew from a consistent pattern observed in the classroom: students are expected to navigate credit, debt, budgeting, and long-term planning without ever being given structured opportunities to understand or apply these concepts.
Funding America was created to close that gap and to ensure every student has a genuine opportunity to build financial stability, confidence, and long-term economic mobility.
Funding America was founded by Lindsey Zerbinos, a financial literacy educator and finance professional dedicated to expanding equitable access to practical, real-world financial knowledge.
Through direct classroom experience teaching middle and high school students, the work behind Funding America is grounded in the everyday financial realities young people face as they prepare for adulthood. This includes curriculum development, experiential learning design, and the creation of programs that help students practice real financial decision-making—not just learn theory.
With an academic background in finance and ongoing work in financial education, the mission of Funding America grew from a consistent pattern observed in the classroom: students are expected to navigate credit, debt, budgeting, and long-term planning without ever being given structured opportunities to understand or apply these concepts.
Funding America was created to close that gap and to ensure every student has a genuine opportunity to build financial stability, confidence, and long-term economic mobility
Founder — Lindsey Zerbinos
Funding America was founded by Lindsey Zerbinos, a financial literacy educator and finance professional dedicated to expanding equitable access to practical, real-world financial knowledge.
Founder — Lindsey Zerbinos
Through direct classroom experience teaching middle and high school students, the work behind Funding America is grounded in the everyday financial realities young people face as they prepare for adulthood. This includes curriculum development, experiential learning design, and the creation of programs that help students practice real financial decision-making—not just learn theory.With an academic background in finance and ongoing work in financial education, the mission of Funding America grew from a consistent pattern observed in the classroom: students are expected to navigate credit, debt, budgeting, and long-term planning without ever being given structured opportunities to understand or apply these concepts.Funding America was created to close that gap and to ensure every student has a genuine opportunity to build financial stability, confidence, and long-term economic mobility.Lindsey also serves on the National Financial Educator’s Council (NFEC) Board of Advisors for the State of Colorado. Learn more about Lindsey and the NFEC here.
Founder — Lindsey Zerbinos
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Funding America focuses on practical financial education rooted in real decisions students will face beyond the classroom. Rather than relying only on theory, learning is built through situations, simulations, and applied experiences that help students understand how money functions in everyday life.
This approach is shaped by direct classroom teaching, curriculum design, and ongoing work with young people preparing for adulthood.
The goal is simple: ensure financial literacy is not abstract, but usable, relevant, and lasting. -
Equitable access to knowledge
Every student deserves the opportunity to understand money, regardless of background, school system, or circumstance.Real-world preparation
Financial education should reflect the actual choices students will face—credit, debt, housing, saving, and long-term stability.Responsibility and ownership
True opportunity requires both access to knowledge and the ability to act on it with discipline, curiosity, and informed decision-making.Long-term stability over short-term outcomes
The purpose of financial literacy is not quick success, but lasting security, confidence, and economic mobility. -
Funding America grew out of everyday classroom experience.
Again and again, students were expected to prepare for adult life while still lacking clear opportunities to understand how money actually works. Conversations about credit, debt, budgeting, and long-term stability often arrived late—or not at all.
What began as classroom-level problem solving gradually became something larger: a commitment to building practical financial education that students could truly use beyond school.
Funding America exists because that gap is real, and because it can be changed. The work continues with a simple purpose—helping students move into adulthood with greater clarity, stability, and genuine financial opportunity.
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Funding America focuses on practical financial education rooted in real decisions students will face beyond the classroom. Rather than relying only on theory, learning is built through situations, simulations, and applied experiences that help students understand how money functions in everyday life.
This approach is shaped by direct classroom teaching, curriculum design, and ongoing work with young people preparing for adulthood.
The goal is simple: ensure financial literacy is not abstract, but usable, relevant, and lasting. -
Equitable access to knowledge
Every student deserves the opportunity to understand money, regardless of background, school system, or circumstance.Real-world preparation
Financial education should reflect the actual choices students will face—credit, debt, housing, saving, and long-term stability.Responsibility and ownership
True opportunity requires both access to knowledge and the ability to act on it with discipline, curiosity, and informed decision-making.Long-term stability over short-term outcomes
The purpose of financial literacy is not quick success, but lasting security, confidence, and economic mobility. -
Funding America grew out of everyday classroom experience.
Again and again, students were expected to prepare for adult life while still lacking clear opportunities to understand how money actually works. Conversations about credit, debt, budgeting, and long-term stability often arrived late—or not at all.
What began as classroom-level problem solving gradually became something larger: a commitment to building practical financial education that students could truly use beyond school.
Funding America exists because that gap is real, and because it can be changed. The work continues with a simple purpose—helping students move into adulthood with greater clarity, stability, and genuine financial opportunity.