Topeka, KS – The Office of the State Bank Commissioner has awarded $189,091 in grant funds to eight Kansas organizations to provide financial literacy education throughout the state.
The mission of the Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC) is to “Ensure the integrity of regulated providers of financial services through responsible and proactive oversight, while protecting and educating consumers.” Although its primary role is regulatory, the OSBC protects and educates Kansas consumers through its Consumer Education Grant Program. Each year, funds are provided to organizations that provide financial literacy (money management skills) to Kansas consumers. Qualifying applicants must submit an application to be considered. The grant process is competitive, and recipients must provide measurable results. Consumer education funds come from fines and settlements with companies within the regulatory jurisdiction of the Consumer and Mortgage Lending Division of the OSBC; therefore, available grant funds can fluctuate from year to year. No taxpayer monies are used for these grants. The OSBC was able to award a total of $189,091 to eight organizations in 2023.
The recipients of OSBC Consumer Education grants are: Consumer Credit Counseling Service, Inc. (Salina), Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. (Topeka), Kansas Council on Economic Education (Wichita), The Pando Initiative, Inc. (Wichita), Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) (Topeka), Mirror, Inc. (Newton), Kansas Bankers Educational Foundation (Topeka), and Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas (Dodge City).
Consumers are faced with many financial decisions beginning at a young age that affect their lives well into the future. It is important to make information and resources available so Kansans of all ages can make informed decisions. This year’s grant funds will sponsor programs to prepare students to make financial decisions for their futures, as well as programs designed to assist adults with budgeting, saving, credit, emergency savings, investing, and protecting themselves from potential scams and fraud. More information about the specific OSBC sponsored programs is available on our website at Financial Education Grants – Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner (osbckansas.org). If you would like to know more about the OSBC Consumer Education Grant application process, please contact Kristy Hanshaw at [email protected] or (785) 260-2452.
