Synchrony Puts Teachers First This Financial Literacy Month with $2 Million Commitment to Bring Training, Tools, and Financial Literacy Labs to U.S. High Schools
Company accelerates investment in personal finance education in classrooms nationwide
Key Highlights
- Synchrony announces $2 million in Empowering Financial Future grants and in-kind donations, as well as new education nonprofit partnerships
- Funds to be invested in teacher development and classroom resources, as well as dedicated financial counseling services for public school teachers nationwide
- Synchrony Financial Literacy Labs to open at 10 public high schools with Synchrony employee volunteer support
STAMFORD, Conn., April 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) announced today it will provide $2 million in grants and in-kind donations to nonprofit partners and schools to help K–12 public school teachers, educators, and community organizations bring personal finance lessons to life, so more students can graduate with real-world financial knowledge and confidence.
"We are teaming up with education experts and investing millions of dollars to equip America's educators and community organizations with the resources to build healthier financial futures for our children," said Denise Yap, President of Synchrony Foundation. "When students learn how to budget, save, and manage credit early we know economic opportunity and security follows."
With today's announcement, Synchrony has committed a total of $3 million as part of its Empowering Financial Futures philanthropic program, which it launched last year. The program includes grants, an employee-led Financial Literacy Service Corps, and strategic nonprofit partnerships to provide teachers, students, and communities with tools to make smarter financial decisions that will create a ripple effect that shapes America's economic future.
The new grants will direct $1 million towards teacher development and training, classroom resources, and building Synchrony Financial Literacy Labs inside 10 public high schools near Synchrony offices across the country.
"According to the Council for Economic Education's 2026 Survey of the States, 39 states now require students to complete a personal finance course to graduate. As more states adopt these requirements, ensuring educators have the training, tools, and ongoing support to teach personal finance effectively is becoming increasingly important," said Steve Bumbaugh, CEO of the Council for Economic Education. "Synchrony's Empowering Financial Futures initiative will help strengthen teacher readiness and expand access to practical, high-quality financial education for students in communities nationwide."
Designed with Teachers, Built for Students: Synchrony Financial Literacy Labs
The new Synchrony Financial Literacy Labs will be co-designed with each schools' personal finance teachers creating vibrant spaces built for how teens learn today, with digital whiteboards and monitors, a stock ticker, interactive games and modern money resources that make budgeting, saving and credit feel less like a lecture and more like a life skill. Selected teachers at participating schools will also receive paid professional training, ongoing instructional coaching and curriculum support to help deliver engaging, relevant lessons that resonate with students.
A Strong Nonprofit Partnership Lineup with Educators at the Center
The funding supports a group of leading nonprofits dedicated to supporting teachers, including the Council for Economic Education, DonorsChoose, Connecticut Financial Scholars, Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG), Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, and Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County. These nonprofit partners bring deep expertise and trusted programming to help deliver classroom tools, training, and pathways to teachers across the country.
The need for more classroom support to close the financial education knowledge gap is evident with a recent Synchrony survey* of U.S. consumers showing only about half (52%) of Gen Z reporting they learned about personal finance topics in school.
Support for the People Who Support Everyone: Free Financial Counseling for Teachers
In addition, Synchrony is investing in the teachers helping our students with nearly $1 million in grants to establish free financial counseling services specifically for U.S. public school teachers through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and Operation HOPE. Both nonprofit organizations will provide free access to financial counselors who will meet with teachers privately and individually to help them develop a plan to reach their financial goals. Eligible teachers can access these resources at the links below:
- National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC): Founded in 1951, the NFCC is the oldest nonprofit dedicated to improving people's financial well-being. With more than 1,200 NFCC-certified credit counselors serving 50 states and all U.S. territories, eligible teachers can connect directly with an NFCC counselor for personalized, one-on-one guidance, whether that's managing student loan debt, navigating housing challenges, or creating a structured debt repayment plan. Get started at https://www.nfcc.org/synchrony-empowering-financial-futures
- Operation HOPE: Since its inception 1992, Operation HOPE's mission has been to expand economic opportunity, making free enterprise work for everyone. Eligible teachers can connect directly with an Operation HOPE financial wellbeing coach. Coaches will meet with teachers individually to go over their personal goals, whether they want to improve credit, reduce debt, manage money, or build wealth. Get started at https://operationhope.org/synchrony-empowering-financial-futures/
"Teachers lift up every community by lifting up our children," said Mike Croxson, CEO of NFCC. "Through this partnership, NFCC is proud to provide dedicated, one-on-one financial counseling as a meaningful way to honor their service, strengthen their financial foundation, and help them reach the goals they've worked so hard for."
From the Office to the Classroom: Employee Volunteers Bringing Real-World Perspective
Synchrony's employee-led Financial Literacy Service Corps will launch facilitator trainings this month and plans to deploy employee volunteers to support community and nonprofit partners this summer, and guest teach in the newly opened Financial Literacy Labs in high schools this fall bringing practical perspectives, local energy, and extra support to teachers doing this essential work.
To learn more about Synchrony's Empowering Financial Futures philanthropic program and access our nonprofit partners' resources for teachers, please visit synchrony.com/about-us/corporate-citizenship
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the significance of this announcement?
A1: Synchrony is investing an additional $2 million to advance K–12 personal finance education by funding teacher development, classroom resources, counseling services, Financial Literacy Labs in U.S. high schools, and employee volunteers to help teachers deliver financial literacy at scale.
Q2: Who is eligible to receive support (schools, teachers, districts, nonprofits)?
A2: For nonprofit organizations: Grant funding is being provided to selected nonprofit partners who will deliver resources to educators and communities. To learn more about grant eligibility, click here.
For Schools: Financial Literacy Labs will be established based on proximity to Synchrony offices for volunteer support, readiness to implement a dedicated personal finance learning space and engagement with local nonprofit partners for teacher training in alignment with program goals.
For Teachers: Teacher counseling services provided by NFCC and Operation Hope are intended for eligible U.S. public school teachers.
Q3: Where can I learn more or access these resources?
A3: To learn more about Synchrony's Empowering Financial Futures philanthropic program and access our nonprofit partners' resources for teachers, please visit synchrony.com/about-us/corporate-citizenship
About Synchrony
Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a leading consumer financing company that has been at the heart of American commerce and opportunity for nearly a century. Synchrony delivers credit and banking products that empower tens of millions of consumers to improve their financial lives and access what matters most. Leveraging innovative solutions that are shaping the future of retail commerce, Synchrony supports the growth and success of some of the nation's most respected brands, alongside hundreds of thousands of small and midsize businesses, including health and wellness providers. Committed to excellence in service and culture, Synchrony is honored to be ranked the #1 Best Company to Work For® in the U.S. by Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work®. For more information, visit www.synchrony.com.
*Methodology: Survey captures ongoing monthly sentiment from a broad, nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 18 and older, balanced to reflect U.S. Census demographics. These results were collected between March 1, 2026 and March 8, 2026.
Media Contact
Ashley Tufts
Synchrony
ashley.tufts2@syf.com
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