EmpoweringThrough Financial EducationPartner with us to improve financial wellnessin the military community! govafoundation.org
All donations to the GoVA Foundation go to our scholarship program. We give freescholarships to service members, Veterans, and spouses to join The Edge platform, withhundreds of interactive courses, articles, videos, tools, and calculators on a variety of financial topics. Tips for Budgets, Saving, and Preparing for Retirement The Credit Repair Path helps members learn about and improve credit scores The Homebuyer Path educates on mortgages, interest rates, and debt consolidation The Entrepreneur Path supports military spouse and Veteran-owned small businesses Why Focus on the Military?We Bridge the Gap to Empower Military Families Financially GoVA makes housing affordable for LMI individuals with VA loans and military discounts on interest rates. We partner with organizations that improve the military community’s access to financial tools and lower barriers to banking.40%of military households are Low to Moderate Income (LMI). 25%of military families are considered food insecure, according to the USDA. The four lowest paygrades (E-1 to E-4) make up over half of all Enlisted servicemembers.of the entire Enlisted force are age 17-24. 45%The White House and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognize Veterans asan underserved population. Many militarybases are surroundedby low and moderate income (LMI) census tracts. What We Do: Financial Education, Focused on the Military Community“The Edge is so helpful. I love the wide variety of topics they cover! I love that it’s gamified. The assessments that make it personalized. I’ve really enjoyed the mortgage articles as we consider selling/buying at our new duty station.” - Chelsey M.
Data from Our Members 41% of our members have a Poor Credit Score upon registration.11% have a Fair score. Average user debt is $22,284 (primarily from auto loans, student loans, and credit cards). Average user debt from VA Loans is $84,250.21. Upon registration, more than 75% of users did not use a budget to track spending. 65% of users felt “overwhelmed by finances” before they registered. 55% felt “exhausted by finances.” 80% had a high stress score in initial evaluations. The Money Mindfulness section had over 1,224 visits in the first 3 months, focusingon meditations and journal entries. A majority of users requested help primarily with budgeting and getting out of debt.Our Financial Improvement Tools (F.I.T.) meet theeducational standards of these regulatory agencies: “Fantastic site, so glad it was created and I was able to find it as it’s been a lifesaver. I got a budget book to help with saving and spending and it’s already helping me. I’ve already learned so much and I’m a military wifeof 23 years!”- Tanna R. “Working with GoVA was the best thing I did in 2023. They made my life easy, helped me find ways to increase my credit and provided the right suggestions to make my credit check process a smooth one.In a month’s time, I got approval for a home loan with a good interest rate and ended upwith good credit.”- Lorrell F. What Makes GoVA Different?We are not a bank or financial institution, so we offer neutral education on financial decisions.Our platform is smart, easy to navigate, and can suggest content specific to each user. We provide live support and assistance from the military spouses and Veterans in our Concierge Center.Our educational content is constantly updated and meets the educational standards of the regulatory agencies.1. 2. 3. 4.
govafoundation.orgWays to Get Involved: Join us and make a difference in the financial wellness of military families! Donate to the Scholarship Fund Each scholarship is worth $300Provide a service member with a free 1-year membership to The Edge, with unlimited accessto financialcourses and tools We had 1,000 requests for military scholarships within the first 3 months of launching Scholarships can be given to militaryaffiliated employees of your organization or to any military member waitingto join The Edge Partner with Us Through Grants We help banks achieve CRA goals by reaching military members in their geographic region. LMI Impact Reporting: GoVA can provide partners with data to quantify the impact and outcomes of their contributions. Data includes households served, geographic areas represented, member activities, and course or event results. Volunteer for GoVA Activities Virtual and in-person financial literacy training sessions or webinars Military spouse representatives needed at military bases