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Past Projects

Financial Empowerment Champions Project 2016-2020
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Prosper Canada is partnering with five non-profit/charitable organizations nationwide to improve the financial well-being of Canadians living on low incomes. Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program, these five partners will be known as Financial Empowerment Champions (FECs) with the aim to expand proven financial empowerment (FE) interventions across the country.

The following organizations are Canada's first FECs:
  • Union des consommateurs, Montréal QC
    in partnership with:
    • Association coopérative d'économie familiale (ACEF) Appalaches-Beauce-Etchemins
    • ACEF de l'Est de Montréal
    • ACEF de l'Île-Jésus
    • ACEF du Grand-Portage
    • ACEF du Nord de Montréal
    • ACEF Estrie
    • ACEF Lanaudière
    • ACEF Montérégie-est
    • ACEF Rive-Sud de Québec
    • ACEF du Sud-Ouest de Montréal
Read the media release.

View quotes from partners.

Prosper Canada will provide each organization with up to $150,000 in funding annually over 5 years and the training, tools and resources they need to measurably improve the financial well-being of 175,000 Canadians living on low incomes in their communities. 
 
Financial Empowerment Champions will focus on a broad spectrum of initiatives to achieve this goal. Initiatives include:
 
  • Building the financial knowledge and skills of 140,000 people with low incomes
  • Assisting 13,100 people to file their taxes and access important income-boosting benefits
  • Providing financial counselling to help 5,000 people set personal financial goals and pursue action plans to achieve them
  • Helping families open 8,000 Registered Education Savings Plans and obtain the $2,000 Canada Learning Bond for their children’s post-secondary education 
  • Supporting 400 people without bank accounts to open one.
Financial Empowerment Champions will also train other local service providers to deliver financial empowerment supports and work with Prosper Canada to evaluate the impact of their services and identify ways to continuously improve them. 

If you have any questions about this project, please contact John Stephenson at info@prospercanada.org or 416-665-2828 ext. 2233   / 1-877-568-1571. Additional information is also detailed in the project FAQ document.
Champions de l’autonomisation financière
2016-2020
 
Prospérité Canada s’associe avec cinq organismes sans but lucratif ou de bienfaisance nationaux en vue d’améliorer le bien-être financier d’un million de Canadiennes et de Canadiens qui vivent avec de faibles revenus. Financés en partie grâce au Programme de partenariats pour le développement social du gouvernement du Canada, ces cinq partenaires porteront le nom de champions de l’autonomisation financière (CAF) et auront pour objectif d’élargir d’un coin à l’autre du pays la portée d’interventions avérées en matière d’autonomisation financière. 

Les organismes suivants sont les premiers champions de l’autonomisation financière du Canada :
  • Union des consommateurs, Montréal QC
    En partenariat avec:
    • Association coopérative d'économie familiale (ACEF) Appalaches-Beauce-Etchemins
    • ACEF de l'Est de Montréal
    • ACEF de l'Île-Jésus
    • ACEF du Grand-Portage
    • ACEF du Nord de Montréal
    • ACEF Estrie
    • ACEF Lanaudière
    • ACEF Montérégie-est
    • ACEF Rive-Sud de Québec
    • ACEF du Sud-Ouest de Montréal

Lire le communiqué de presse.

Lire les citations des partenaires.

Prospérité Canada versera annuellement à chacun des organismes des fonds allant jusqu’à 150 000 $ sur une période de cinq ans, et fournira la formation, les outils et les ressources nécessaires à l’amélioration mesurable du bien-être financier de 175 000 Canadiennes et Canadiens vivant avec de faibles revenus dans leur collectivité. 
 
Pour atteindre cet objectif, les champions de l’autonomisation financière se concentreront sur un large éventail d’initiatives. Parmi les initiatives soutenues figurent les suivantes :
 
  • Favoriser l’acquisition des connaissances et des compétences en matière financière de 140 000 personnes à faible revenu;
  • Aider 13 100 personnes à produire leur déclaration de revenus et à accéder à d’importantes prestations permettant d’accroître les revenus;
  • Offrir des conseils financiers afin d’aider 5 000 personnes à établir des objectifs sur le plan des finances personnelles et à mettre en place un plan d’action pour les atteindre;
  • Apporter un soutien aux familles dans le but d’ouvrir 8 000 régimes enregistrés d’épargne-études et de recevoir jusqu’à 2 000 $ grâce au Bon d’études canadien pour les études postsecondaires de leurs enfants; 
  • Aider 400 personnes qui n’ont pas de compte bancaire à en ouvrir un. 

Les champions de l’autonomisation financière formeront également d’autres fournisseurs locaux de services pour la prestation de soutiens en matière d’autonomisation financière. Ils travailleront en outre avec Prospérité Canada pour mesurer l’impact de leurs services et définir les façons de constamment les améliorer.
 
Pour toute question au sujet de ce projet, veuillez communiquer avec John Stephenson par courriel à info@prospercanada.org ou par téléphone au 416 665-2828, poste 2233 ou au 1 877 568-1571. On peut également trouver des renseignements additionnels dans le document Foire aux questions.

First Nations Financial Wellness Project

The First Nations Financial Wellness Project is a three-year joint initiative of AFOA Canada, Prosper Canada, and our First Nation community partners to develop and pilot programs that support  the financial well-being of First Nation community members in Ontario. Together we will develop and pilot sustainable financial literacy and coaching programs in four First Nations communities in Northern and Southern Ontario, as well as other financial supports identified by the participating communities. In the third year of the project, we’ll use the knowledge, programs and resources we develop to train financial wellness leaders in 12 additional First Nations communities, and make these freely available online for all First Nations communities interested in offering similar programs in their communities.

Project impacts
 
  • Over 400 community members from participating First Nations will achieve greater financial inclusion and wellness through financial education and coaching
  • At least 20 staff/volunteers from participating communities will be trained and supported to build and deliver financial wellness programs
  • 12 or more additional First Nations communities will receive financial wellness training
  • All First Nations communities will enjoy free online access to financial wellness program designs, tools and resources, tailored and tested for First Nation use
  • Financial wellness solutions will be integrated sustainably into at least three other service systems supporting Ontario First Nations communities
  • A network of trained First Nations financial wellness practitioners will exist and enjoy access to ongoing support and capacity building during and after the project.

This project is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving Program​ (2017-2021)

Prosper Canada is working in partnership with West Neighbourhood House, Jane/Finch Centre, Agincourt Community Services Association, and The Working Centre to strengthen the Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving (FEPS) Program over four years. Building on the expansion and replication of the program over 2015-2017, the FEPS program helps Ontarians living on low incomes to improve their financial situation by accessing government income transfers and building their capacity for financial security. To achieve these outcomes the FEPS sites provide:
 
  • One-on-one financial problem solving sessions,
  • Free tax clinics,
  • Workshops on financial empowerment topics, and
  • Community outreach events.
This project is funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS). 

Resources:

Expanding Financial Empowerment for Newcomers (2017-2020)
This project aims to provide frontline staff at settlement agencies with training and resources to accurately assess newcomers’ financial literacy, connect newcomers to appropriate information, and help them plan financially for a successful settlement. Through research and service design with project partners, Prosper Canada will develop an online financial literacy facilitator course, a financial coaching toolkit, and an online assessment tool. This project builds on the work conducted in the Financial Literacy for Newcomers project.

Prosper Canada is delivering this project in partnership with three community-based organizations:

  • AXIS (Acquiring eXperience Integrating Skills) Career and Employment Services, the employment and training division of Association for New Canadians, provides customized, career-focused pre-employment programs and services to facilitate sustainable labour market attachment for the immigrant community throughout Newfoundland and Labrador
  • North York Community House is committed to building strong, vibrant communities, serving over 20,000 residents in northwest Toronto every year. For over 25 years, they have been opening doors for new Canadians; supporting youth, parents and seniors in becoming active, engaged citizens; and creating opportunities for residents to improve their lives and lead positive change in their neighbourhoods
  • Saskatoon Open Door Society (SODS) was established in 1980 and have been serving newcomers to Canada for 37 years. SODS mission is to assist newcomers to Canada to become participating members of an inclusive and diverse community and country.

This project is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 

Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving (FEPS) Program (2015-2017)
Created by West Neighbourhood House, the FEPS Program provides free, confidential, one-on-one support to Ontarians with low incomes to help them build their financial health. Prosper Canada helped strengthen delivery of the FEPS program by three Toronto sites, West Neighbourhood House, Jane/Finch Centre, and Agincourt Community Services Association. It has also supported FEPS expansion to two new sites, EBO Financial Education Centre* in Ottawa and The Working Centre in Kitchener-Waterloo.

*EBO is now part of the Ontario Financial Empowerment Champions project.

Funded by: Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services

Resources:

Financial Literacy for Newcomers (2009-2017)               
Conducted in three phases, this project aimed to improve the quality of financial literacy supports for low-income newcomers during their initial settlement period. Prosper Canada delivered financial literacy training to 288 staff at settlement agencies, and supported the delivery and evaluation of financial literacy courses to 1,375 newcomers. 

Funded by: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 

Resources:

Strengthening evaluation of financial literacy programs in Canada (2015-2017)
Prosper Canada, the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) collaborated to create the Financial Literacy Outcome Evaluation Tool. This tool allows public, private and community-based groups engaged in financial education to design their own tailor-made evaluation plans. 

Funded by: Canadian Bankers Association (CBA)

Partner: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

Resources:
Benefits Screening Tool Phase 1 (2015 – 2016)
Prosper Canada, St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Clinic, Flemingdon Health Centre, and Inner City Family Health Team partnered to develop, implement and evaluate an online benefits screening and intervention tool to allow health practitioners to help boost a patient’s income by screening for their eligibility for government benefits.
 
Funded by: Maytree, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Research Manitoba, Bridgepoint Healthcare, and St. Michael's Hospital Foundation.
 
Resources:
Youth Online Financial Literacy Training Course (2016)
Children’s Aid Foundation provided funding to Prosper Canada to adapt the online financial literacy facilitator training course into an online course for youth transitioning out of care. The course helped youth complete their educational goals, become financially empowered, and build skills and experience in employment preparation and entrepreneurship.

Funded by: The Children's Aid Foundation, with support from the Element Financial Youth Capital Program 

Partners: Seneca College’s Centre for Flexible Learning (cFLEX), Ontario Council for Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), Pape Adolescent Resource Centre (PARC)
 

The MPower Money Coaching Program (2015-2016)
The MPower Money Coaching Program is a pilot project developed by Prosper Canada and delivered through three City of Toronto employment centres. The program helped participating individuals who are on social assistance and/or seeking employment to identify, plan for, and achieve personal financial goals supported by volunteer professional financial planners trained to provide financial coaching to people with low-incomes.

Funded by a consortium of companies including: AGF, Bridgehouse Asset Managers, Dynamic Funds, Franklin Templeton Investments, IA Clarington Investments Inc., The Investment Funds Institute of Canada, PwC Management Services LP, Primerica, Sun Life Global Investments, and Zavitz Insurance. Volunteers from the financial planning community are being recruited with the assistance of three professional associations – Advocis, the Financial Planning Standards Council, and Independent Financial Brokers of Canada. 

Resources:
TD Financial Literacy Grant Fund (2010-2015)

Co-founded with Prosper Canada in 2010, the TD Financial Literacy Grant Fund awarded $10.4 million in grants to 139 community organizations across Canada for community financial literacy education. Grants were awarded for innovation, research and development, and strategic program development in the area of community-based financial literacy.

Funded by: TD Bank Group

Resources:
TD Financial Literacy Seminars (2014)
This project introduced new Canadians to the Canadian banking and credit systems through financial literacy seminars delivered by TD volunteers. 

Funded by: TD Bank Group
 

Independent Living Account (2006-2014)
The ILA program helped people develop financial knowledge and skills, and gave them access to the mainstream financial institutions they needed to live independently. Over 500 shelter residents participated in the program. Collectively, they saved over $160,000 from the time the initial pilot program began, leveraging a further $360,000 in matching funds to support their move to self-sufficiency. Two hundred and thirty-six shelter residents were able to successfully move to permanent housing.

Funded by: The City of Toronto and TD Bank Group

Registered Education Savings Plans (2014)
Prosper Canada worked with the Bridgeable Designership Program and Peel Children and Youth Initiatives to research and design solutions that help low-income families access and take advantage of RESP support programs, specifically the Canada Learning Bond. After in-depth research and a co-creation workshop that brought together a variety of stakeholders, two web-based prototypes were selected and validated with a range of stakeholders.

Partners: Bridgeable Designership Program and Peel Children and Youth Initiatives 

Resources: 
Newcomers and Aboriginal Communities Project (2009-2012)
This project aimed to build the capacity of facilitators serving newcomers to deliver effective targeted financial literacy education. As a result, 1,500 people received financial literacy education and supports in 10 communities across Canada.

Funded by: Royal Bank of Canada Foundation

Saving To Achieve Real Transformation (START)
The START program helped 95 Ontarians living on a low income open bank accounts, receive financial literacy education, and receive case management support. Participants also had a savings incentive of $3 for every $1 they save (up to a savings level of $800 and matching incentive of $2,400). Participants collectively saved over $20,000, which was matched by an additional $60,000 to support their savings goals.

Partners: Ontario Housing Services Corporation, Causeway Work Centre, Yes! Employment Services, and Youth and Family Resource Network.