We believe every child deserves
a financial future.
Founded in 2020, Financial Literacy For Kid$ has grown into the Bay Area's most impactful youth financial literacy organization — with 1,500+ students served, 6 signature programs, and 8 Stock Market Game championships in the San Francisco Elementary School Division.
"We spark curiosity, inspire action, and ignite future entrepreneurs and givers — starting in the 4th grade. Because the world doesn't need more greedy capitalists. It needs more wealth builders with a heart.™"— Val Chapman, Founder & CEO, Financial Literacy For Kid$
Founded in 2020, FL4KID$ delivers hands-on financial education to grades 4–8 across the San Francisco Bay Area. We are educator-led and mission-driven — operating as program director, curriculum designer, and facilitator for all six FL4KID$ signature programs.
Our mission is to close both the achievement gap and the racial wealth gap by giving students real money skills from an early age — through 10-week in-class sessions that combine real-world simulations, mentorship, and hands-on learning from Bay Area business professionals.
Most kids grow up never learning how money actually works. Schools rarely teach investing, entrepreneurship, or how to build real financial confidence. We change that. Through six signature programs, we give every student a fighting chance to thrive financially and lead with purpose.
Learn. Earn. Invest. Lead. Give Back. Teach.™
Our core values
These principles guide every lesson, every mentor interaction, and every student success story.
Equity First
Every student deserves access to financial education regardless of zip code, race, or family income. We actively serve under-resourced communities across the Bay Area.
Hands-On Learning
No boring lectures. Students invest virtually, pitch businesses, visit banks, run fairs, and meet executives — because doing is how you learn.
Cultural Relevance
Curriculum reflects the diverse backgrounds of Bay Area students — Black, Latino, Asian, and mixed-race youth who see themselves in every program and every mentor.
Wealth with Purpose
We teach that money is a tool for change. Wealth is not just what you earn — it's what you do with what you earn.
Community Partnership
Real Bay Area professionals bring lived experience from finance, entrepreneurship, real estate, and banking into every FL4KID$ classroom.
Measurable Impact
We track academic outcomes, behavioral changes, and financial behavior — because good intentions aren't enough. We measure what matters.
How we got here
Financial Literacy For Kid$ launches
Founded in San Francisco by Val Chapman with a mission to close the racial wealth gap through hands-on youth financial education starting in 4th grade.
First programs launch — Stock Market Game debut
FL4KID$ launches its first 10-week in-class programs. Students compete in the national Stock Market Game — and win the San Francisco Elementary School Division.
Mentor Program · The Startup Jar™ · Tiger Tank™
The Bay Area Mentor Program launches. The Startup Jar™ and Tiger Tank™ debut as separate signature programs, energizing student entrepreneurs across the Bay Area.
Kidpreneur Fair™ · BANK ON Your City Crawl™
Two new signature programs launch. FL4KID$ teams win the Stock Market Game Champions title in the San Francisco Elementary School Division for multiple years running.
1,500+ students · 6 programs · 8× Stock Market Game Champions
FL4KID$ surpasses 1,500 students served across all 6 signature programs. The 8th championship in the San Francisco Elementary School Division is secured.
Expanding across the Bay Area
FL4KID$ continues expanding all six signature programs across Bay Area schools — deepening impact in Oakland, San Francisco, and surrounding communities.
The people behind the movement
A passionate team of educators, entrepreneurs, and finance professionals committed to changing the financial trajectory of Bay Area youth.
Educator, program director, curriculum designer, and business developer. Val facilitates all six FL4KID$ signature programs, manages marketing, web presence, and all operations for Financial Literacy For Kid$.
Finance executives, entrepreneurs, bankers, real estate professionals, and community leaders who volunteer weekly to bring real-world expertise into FL4KID$ classrooms across the San Francisco Bay Area.
What educators & families are saying
The impact of FL4KID$ extends far beyond the classroom — into homes, communities, and futures.
"We brought FL4KID$ into our school and the results were immediate and undeniable. Student confidence is up. Attendance improved. Disciplinary incidents dropped during FL4KID$ program weeks. Engaged students are present students. Present students are learning students. FL4KID$ is the most impactful partnership I've made in 20 years of school leadership."
"I've been teaching for 14 years. I have never seen my students as engaged as they are during FL4KID$ sessions. Math scores went up 12% after the Stock Market Virtual Investing program. But the bigger change? My students started believing that math was useful — that it belonged to them. That was the real breakthrough."
"My son came home and asked me what a credit score was and why ours mattered. I didn't know how to answer him. That conversation changed everything in our household. We started talking about money — really talking about it — for the first time. FL4KID$ didn't just teach my child. It started teaching our whole family."
CAASPP & NAEP data confirms: the crisis is real
California and national assessment data show persistent, widening gaps for Black and Latino students — the communities FL4KID$ was built to serve.
Sources: NAEP 2020 Financial Literacy Assessment; NAEP 2022 Reading & Mathematics Report Card; CAASPP 2022–23 District Results
Ready to bring FL4KID$ to your school?
Our 6 signature 10-week in-class programs are available for grades 4–8 across the Bay Area.
