There are a variety of ways to invest your passion, talents and expertise to support teachers and students in your own community. You might select:
In-Person Volunteers
Classroom Guest Speaker(s):
Make a financial education related presentation to a classroom or afterschool program, using the ready-made and “FINRA Reviewed” Invest It Forward™ Volunteer Materials. In person engagement, average of 4 hours, including preparation, transit and school visit. Available nationwide and year round – no deadline. Do it alone, with a buddy or as a team. Speaker opportunities are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Register here.
Field Trip Host
Host a financial/career-oriented field trip for a class or after-school group. In-person engagements, average 1.5 – 3 hours. Visits to your workplace may or may not include a brown bag luncheon or hosted pizza party. Great for teams. Highly customizable. Students/teachers can be split into small groups and led on tours of the office and/or trading desks. Volunteer tour guides describe the business that is transacted in each area, the role of the department and its employees at the firm, and/or the impact each area has on the business. Contact [email protected].
SMG Clubs - New!
Support local Stock Market Game administrators to help launch an after-school club as an individual or team. Involvement may range from simply mentoring a teacher who serves as the club advisor to implementing the program in a club setting. Weekly to monthly engagement, minimum of one hour, over a 10-week, semester or year long period. Initial training with a SMG coordinator is required to begin. Contact [email protected].
Virtual Volunteers
NEW! – EMentor
A new and exciting virtual way to use your skills in support of SMG students from your home or office on a timetable that works for you. Monthly email engagement answering student's top 5 SMG, market or finance career-based questions. Teacher moderated and managed. Approximately a one hour commitment per month. You choose the grade/question set that appeals to you. Get started here.
Investwrite Judge
The program had a banner year for its 10th anniversary with more than 23,000 essays scored! Virtual engagement available nationwide, approximately 2.5 hours with limited preparation and no transit. This is one of the easiest ways to support our students. Each judge receives 6 – 8 essays of the same grade level with judging criteria.
Register here.
Remote Guest Speaker
For schools in locations where educators may have difficulty securing an in-person volunteer visit, SIFMA Foundation coordinates select sessions in a webinar format. This affords the convenience of an Invest It Forward volunteer experience from your desk or firm location or from SIFMA Foundation’s offices. These sessions use the same content, tools and materials as other Invest It Forward classroom speaking opportunities and provide a similar opportunity as an in-person visit for presentation and Q & A. Register here.
Volunteer Recruiters
For Educators & Schools
Word of mouth is the best promoter to ensure your local schools and community groups have access to SIFMA Foundation's financial and capital markets education programming. Encourage a school/educator to register for The Stock Market Game™ program by sharing the Stock Market Game Educator Brochure with them. Then, help them Register Online Here by guiding them to the site. Want us to follow up? Tell us about your recruiting activities here.
For Other Volunteers
Word of mouth is equally effective to ensure broad geographical coverage in our volunteer base. This helps us to ensure that local schools and community groups have access to Invest It Forward volunteers regardless of their location – from small town Main Streets to big city Wall Streets. See a classroom in the portal unmatched, have an industry friend or colleague there, forward the opportunity to see if they might consider it or if you prefer, share their details with us and we’ll follow-up! Contact us at: [email protected]
Please note: Invest It Forward collaborates with SIFMA Foundation supporters, SIFMA member and SIFMA affiliated firms across the US. Individual firms and state-level partners may have their own distinct policies and procedures that may vary state by state. Individual volunteers from firms outside of the SIFMA network and independent consultants should be aware that there is no guarantee of eligibility nor volunteer placement.
Tools, Topics & Materials
You may choose to use your own firm's financial education related presentations for a classroom, afterschool program, or youth group or you may choose to use the Invest It Forward™ (FINRA Reviewed) Volunteer Materials.
Filling a Gap in Financial Education – The Capital Markets Curriculum
A central goal of the Invest It Forward™ initiative is to help young people better understand the role of the capital markets in their everyday lives. Five topics/units will be developed in the curriculum. Each topic includes a video, short course and volunteer powerpoint presentation.
Unit 1. Capital Markets
Unit 2. Wealth Creation for All. Just released.
Unit 3. Building Bridges to a Better Future. Coming Soon.
Contact Invest it Forward™ at: [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.
Event Participation & Photo Disclaimer
By participating in a SIFMA Foundation program/event, I grant to the SIFMA Foundation and its representatives, the right to release my name and photograph, and images in print and on film or tape (including digital versions), including web content, in connection with its programs (The Stock Market Game, InvestWrite, Capitol Hill Challenge, Invest It Forward or other programs). I further grant the SIFMA Foundation permission to exhibit or distribute such images and identity information in whole or in part without restrictions or limitation for any education or promotional purpose which the SIFMA Foundation and those acting under its authority deem appropriate. Distribution may be in any form listed above and/or other audio or visual media. My presence at the event demonstrates my agreement and requires no further action on the part of the SIFMA Foundation.
