How to Make Waves in your Community

Wicoicage Sakowin kin un Wicakagapi - Building for the Seventh Generation Four Bands Community Fund, 101 South Main Street, Eagle Butte, SD 57625 (605)964-3687 [email protected] www.FourBands.org © 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

Making Waves PROGRAM GUIDE Table of Contents June 2010

Four Bands and Making Waves

1



The ABCs of Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship®

2



Foundational Research

4



Putting Research into Action

5



Making Waves in the School

6



Making Waves in the Home

9



Making Waves in the Community

11



Exhibits

13

Making Waves Teacher Toolkit & Training Order Form

17

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

FOUR BANDS AND MAKING WAVES Four Bands Community Fund is a nonprofit, Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) located in north central South Dakota. Founded in 2000, Four Bands’ mission is to assist entrepreneurs of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation with training, business incubation, and access to capital, encouraging economic development and enhancing the quality of life for all communities and residents of the Reservation. Achieving this mission requires more than offering training and loans. It requires helping emerging entrepreneurs and existing business owners identify potential business opportunities that are viable and guiding people in their selection of which business ideas to pursue. It also requires tackling conditions of poverty that are complex, multigenerational, and persistent—conditions exacerbated by ineffective policies and practices imposed on tribes by the federal government generations ago. The Reservation is home to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, a tribe that historically included four bands of the Lakota Nation. The Reservation encompasses an area the size of the state of Connecticut, and approximately 40% of the households have incomes below the poverty level. Most people do not have education beyond high school and have little expertise with private business ownership, banks, savings accounts, or money management. People frequently travel 50 to 100 miles on poorly maintained roads to access basic services and employment—established workplaces are concentrated in or near a few communities. Four Bands is part of a CDFI network that is expanding across the US. This movement is part of a much larger microenterprise movement that is impacting communities around the globe. We have received numerous recognitions for our work. In 2009, the Aspen Institute featured our credit building work in a “FIELD Funder Guide” that encourages funders to support best practices and policies for microenterprise development in the US. In 2008, First Nation Oweesta Corporation honored us with a top national leadership award for CDFIs serving Native Americans. Members of our staff also received top honors including the 2008 Outstanding Entrepreneurship Educator from the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, the 2008 Entrepreneur Advocate of the Year from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the 2007 Minority Business Champion for both South Dakota and Region VIII from the Small Business Administration. A key to our success is a recognition that the problems we face must be overwhelmed with efforts to influence change. Unless we plant the seeds of financial literacy and entrepreneurship among youth, economic development progress will be minimal and unsustainable. For five years we pilot tested strategies targeted at building the capacity of our youth. Lakota people call it “building for the seventh generation.” We created a youth entrepreneur internship program, taught financial literacy and entrepreneurship in a high school, supported an entrepreneurship club, and started a savings match program. We discovered that these strategies were not enough to overwhelm the problems we faced. Instead, we needed a more comprehensive approach that begins at the very earliest grades. We established Making Waves—a comprehensive program to replace poverty and unemployment with financial literacy and entrepreneurship. We know that the problems we face are not unique to communities on the Cheyenne River Reservation. Poverty and unemployment are pervasive problems in communities throughout the US, and around the globe. This is why we developed this Making Waves Program Guide. Rather than “re-create the wave”, we invite you to “ride our wave.” © 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



THE ABCs OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP™ Making Waves defines the ABCs of Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship®—a set of key behaviors that youth and those who influence them need to incorporate into their lives so future generations will build and support private businesses, become better stewards of money, and expand assets rather than debts. The Financial Literacy ABCs are: Assess Spending, Build Credit, and Create Assets. The Entrepreneurship ABCs are: Assess Options, Build Experience, and Create Markets. Each of these ABCs has a set of key behaviors to master as described below. Making Waves Financial Literacy ABCs

Assess Spending • • • • • • • • •

Prepare and live by budgets. Manage money and document how it is spent. Separate necessities from other desired purchases and pay for necessities first. Limit payroll deductions to asset-producing goals. Anticipate future large purchases (car, furniture) and set aside money in a savings account. When extra money is needed, think like an entrepreneur and earn short-term cash. Pay bills on time using cash and checks, not credit cards. Avoid or minimize debit card transaction fees. To reduce phone, mail, and credit card solicitations, sign up on donotcall.gov, dmachoice.org, and optoutprescreen.com.

Build Credit • • • • • • • •

Learn what it takes to get higher credit score. Avoid actions that damage a credit score. Take actions that improve a credit score. Don’t get fooled by “no money down” and “buy now/pay later” sales. Keep only one credit card and select a card that does not charge high annual fees. Calculate all the interest expenses into the price of a purchase using credit—cars, furniture, more. Use credit cards for purchases that require them (i.e. car rental, business trip). Pay the full credit card balance at the end of each month.

Create Assets • • • • • • •

Open a savings account. Set up a retirement account. If you are the principal bread winner, take out a life insurance policy. Regularly put money into savings and retirement accounts. Use low-interest loans for asset-producing goals (education, business, home). Put extra cash in secured or low-risk investments. Think of a car as a necessity rather than an asset; it loses value as soon as you drive it

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



Making Waves Entrepreneurship ABCs

Assess Options • • • • • • •

Maintain a list of five jobs reflective of the current economy that could be applied for or created. Write down job goals and the steps to take to achieve the goals. Document skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Prepare and maintain an updated resume and brief bio. Collect letters of support from 3 references that aren’t family members. Keep samples of tangible accomplishments (art work, awards, picture of newly painted room). Complete a sample business plan for a good or service that could be sold to a local market.

Build Experience • • • • • •

Acquire the knowledge and skills needed to perform job duties needed in the current economy. Complete five job experiences (volunteer or paid, short-term project or longer-term job). Lead a group or supervise a person or project (team captain, school project, church event). Make presentations to groups. Do a mock job interview and successfully complete a real job interview. Do a mock performance review and successfully complete a real performance review.

Create Markets • • • • • • •

Keep in touch with, and ask advice from people achieving success (classmates, co-workers, others). Support local organizations and businesses (volunteer, make purchases, encourage other supporters). Share personal accomplishments with someone one-on-one. Talk to potential customers and learn what they want. Distinguish yourself from others. Prepare a sample contract offering something for sale and prepare a real contract that results in a sale. Sell a good or service (one-time sale—raffle ticket, school event; ongoing sales—mowing, cleaning).

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH Making Waves is guided by research findings. Below are highlights of research findings that shape the Making Waves program. Entrepreneurship + Financial Expertise = Economic Development Increasing evidence points to the viability of independent business ownership as an economic development strategy for rural communities, especially rural Native American communities (Cornell, Jorgensen, Record & Timeche, 2007). Entrepreneurs create jobs, which in turn expand opportunities and stimulate the economy; and self-employment increases long-term self-esteem and self-sufficiency. However, limited financial expertise and financial resources significantly hinder successful private business ownership. Successful Change Strategies Must be Comprehensive In developing the Making Waves program, Four Bands reviewed models for change strategies. We became convinced that if we are going to influence conditions of persistent poverty in our communities, we have to combine multiple sources of influence into an overwhelming strategy (How to Make Change Happen, Grenny, Maxfield, and Shimberg, MIT Sloan Management Review, Fall 2008). Instead of focusing on a single root cause, we have to address all the root causes by combining a critical mass of influence strategies. Asset-Building Work Must Target Youth Fostering entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills, particularly in youth, can serve as a catalyst for economic development. Not only are young entrepreneurs with these skills likely to be more responsive to new economic trends and opportunities, but if more opportunities are available to them locally, the community is more likely to retain their creativity, expertise, and energy. Historically, most entrepreneurship and financial literacy work has been targeted at adults. The Small Business Administration, community development financial institutions, colleges, and many other organizations offer programs and services for adults. This work is helping Native American communities overcome poverty and achieve economic growth (Native Entrepreneurship Nationwide & In South Dakota, Feb. 2007). However, to tackle persistent conditions of poverty and the impact on youth, this work must start much earlier. Communities must integrate entrepreneurship and financial literacy into K-12 education (Native Entrepreneurship Nationwide & In South Dakota, Feb. 2007). Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy Skills are Needed Everywhere The recent economic decline in the US that was triggered in part by over borrowing on credit cards, and the failure of large corporations to sustain jobs has convinced us that all Americans must strengthen their financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills, and we must be exposed to these concepts early on. “Entrepreneurship education is essential for developing the skills, attitudes and behaviors necessary to create jobs, generate economic growth, advance human welfare and stimulate innovation to address economic challenges of the 21st Century.” (World Economic Forum, 2009).

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



PUTTING RESEARCH INTO ACTION As Four Bands implements Making Waves on the Cheyenne River Reservation, we are witnessing a generation of young adults better equipped to avoid the pitfalls of predatory lenders and more able to recognize that a job is not likely to be waiting for them when they complete high school. Instead youth are learning how compound interest can work in their favor and how they can create their own jobs. Youth are creating budgets, opening saving accounts, and saying no to predatory lenders. They know the benefits of establishing and maintaining a good credit report and are taking steps to build credit. They are identifying entrepreneurship as a personal career goal, and developing business plans for a summer job they then start—such as a craft business, babysitting service, or recycling program. Making Waves includes lessons taught in classrooms and emphasizes hands-on experiences that allow youth to practice what they learn. Youth play games involving money, get assistance in starting a business, have opportunities to work through an entrepreneur internship, and receive incentives for opening a savings account. Making Waves works in partnership with other organizations and emphasizes the importance of a social network. This is why Making Waves involves schools, community organizations, businesses, government agencies, and the media. It is why Making Waves encourages youth entrepreneur clubs, sponsors an entrepreneurship fair, promotes success stories in newsletters, websites, and media, and includes a Shop Local and Make Money Matter public education campaign. Making Waves includes educational tools to help area residents implement healthy money management into their everyday lives. It challenges governmental and organizational policies and practices that inhibit financial literacy and entrepreneurship—replacing them with supportive measures. The remainder of this program guide includes a collection of “how to” guides and other resources needed to build a Making Waves program to replace poverty and unemployment with financial literacy and entrepreneurship in your community. The final attachment is an order form for purchasing Making Waves Teacher Toolkits and the Making Waves Toolkit Training. As you implement your program, send stories of your Wavemakers, program activities, and successes to Four Bands at the address noted below and help build a Making Waves network across the country and around the globe. For more information or to share your Making Waves stories, contact Four Bands Community Fund at: Four Bands Community Fund, 101 South Main Street, Eagle Butte, SD 57625 (605)964-3687 [email protected] www.FourBands.org

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



MAKING WAVES IN THE SCHOOL Making Waves Teacher Toolkits include lessons teachers can use in their classrooms to promote financial literacy and entrepreneurship. There are Making Waves Lesson Guides targeted at four grade levels: Kindergarten - 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade - 6th Grade, 7th Grade - 8th Grade, and 9th Grade - 12th Grade. In each of the guides, there are lessons targeted at financial literacy and entrepreneurship that support content standards in the four core subject areas: Math, Science, Reading/Language Arts, and Social Studies. There are also lessons appropriate for other subject areas including Agriculture Education, Business, Computers, Marketing, Educational Technology, Family and Consumer Science, Fine Arts, Personal Finance, and Trade and Industrial Education. Each lesson relates to the Making Waves ABCs of Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship®. This section of the program guide outlines Four Bands’ model for using the Making Waves Teacher Toolkits and integrating entrepreneurship and financial literacy in K-12 schools. Making Waves in the School is intended to be implemented as part of a comprehensive program that includes actions implemented in the home and in the community. See the following sections for more information on implementing the program in the home and in the community. The program focuses on key behaviors that youth and those who influence them need to incorporate into their lives so future generations will build and support private businesses, become better stewards of money, and expand assets rather than debts. 1. Acquire School Buy In It is beneficial to start in one school to pilot this process before trying to tackle an entire school district. Obtain administration support from the school and ensure that they understand the program and the benefit of giving teachers access to the training and toolkit. Teachers feel more comfortable participating in the program when school administrators are aware of their participation and can support their commitment. Find an approach that fits the school. In some cases, obtaining administrative support might mean sitting down with the principal. In other schools, administration may ask you to attend a school board meeting or give a short presentation to other stakeholders. It is important to emphasize that Making Waves lessons do not involve adding a class. Instead, Making Waves includes lessons that are ready to use in existing classes. Making Waves is an integrated approach designed to give teachers in all subject areas an opportunity to teach entrepreneurship and financial literacy as part of their core curriculum. For example, students can learn to multiply by calculating interest they will pay on debts or interest they can earn on assets. 2. Recruit Site Coordinators Identify individuals at the school who can serve as site coordinators to lead the implementation of the Making Waves program. Perhaps the most important function they serve is to identify and encourage teachers to participate. The number of site coordinators can vary based on the size of the school and other circumstances. It is optimal to have one site coordinator for each of the four toolkit grade levels. A small school might only need one dedicated site coordinator. Site coordinators help recruit teachers to participate in the program by sharing the benefits of using the toolkit. They also help the program run smoothly by acting as a primary point of contact for the school. Ideally, a site coordinator is someone that has a passion for having financial literacy and entrepreneurship integrated into the school. In a high school, it can be a personal finance teacher. It also can be a school counselor or administrator. Once this person understands the program, they become © 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



an advocate for incorporating the toolkit lessons into the school. Site coordinators provide direction to new teachers participating in the Making Waves program, seek out potential teachers to help pilot the toolkit, and serve as the contact person between the person or organization coordinating the program for the school and individual teachers. They help distribute materials and information to teachers, inform teachers of upcoming events relevant to Making Waves, and encourage teachers to share new lessons and activities for the toolkit on a message board. School site coordinators network with other site coordinators in the school district and from other participating schools, and with Four Bands staff. 3. Recruit Teachers Site coordinators play a lead role in identifying and encouraging teachers to participate in Making Waves. Ideally, students get exposed to lessons in each grade level and in a range of subject areas. This requires having a diverse group of teachers involved in the program. When contacting teachers, emphasize that Making Waves lessons support content standards in each of the four core subject areas—Math, Science, Reading/Language Arts, Social Studies and in other subject areas such as Family and Consumer Science, Fine Arts, Personal Finance, and more. Review the Making Waves program overview to show how communities can replace poverty and unemployment with financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Encourage teachers to recruit other teachers. 4. Offer a Making Waves Toolkit Training Most site coordinators, teachers, and others involved in implementing the Making Waves program need an opportunity for training that exposes them to financial literacy and entrepreneurship concepts, followed by an introduction to the lessons in the Teacher Toolkit. Ideally, this training activity takes place over a period of 2 days—approximately 15 hours. Training will help teachers feel more comfortable with the material in the toolkit, it will increase the number of teachers that use the toolkit in their classroom, and it will increase the number of toolkit lessons taught in the classroom. More information on the Making Waves Toolkit Training is following shortly. 5. Provide Incentives and Support for Participating in Training and Conducting Lessons Offer teachers graduate credits, stipends, or other incentives to encourage their participation. For example, a teacher might earn graduate credits for completing the toolkit training, teaching two lessons from the toolkit in their classrooms, and completing an evaluation form for two lessons they teach. The purchase price of a Lesson Guide Set as detailed on the order form comes with one year of an on-line technical assistance group (e.g. Yahoo! Groups) facilitated by Four Bands. The electronic networking group will support implementation activities in school classrooms and encourage an exchange of ideas among teachers, site coordinators, and others involved in the Making Waves program. 6. Observe and Coach Teachers Encourage site coordinators or other teachers to teach or co-teach lessons with teachers who are trying out the toolkit lessons for their first time. This will encourage more teachers to use the lessons in their classrooms. Another helpful strategy is to have a site coordinator or teacher observe a lesson being taught and then meet with the teacher for a short debriefing to discuss the lesson and ideas for future lessons.

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



7. Evaluate Ask teachers to complete an evaluation form for each lesson they teach. Use the evaluation forms to improve the lessons and make them more effective for teachers. Program evaluations will also provide data to help recruit additional teachers, schools, or school districts to the program. Four Bands would also appreciate evaluations that can help us improve future editions of the toolkit. Share your successes and challenges with us by emailing a summary of your evaluations to [email protected].

Making Waves Teacher Toolkit Training The ultimate goal of the Making Waves program is to plant the seeds of financial literacy and entrepreneurship among youth so that they will have the knowledge and skills needed to make money matter and create their own jobs. This goal is achieved while also advancing core learning objectives. Youth must understand how to make good choices about their finances so that they avoid pitfalls that result in damaged credit histories, paycheck to paycheck spending, and few or no assets. Youth must develop the knowledge and skills they need to impact a set of key behaviors that will equip them in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The Making Waves Teacher Toolkit Training will offer practical experience in the delivery of financial literacy and entrepreneurship lessons in K-12 classrooms and in the implementation of the program throughout an individual school and school district. Training activities are designed for participants with varying levels of experience and knowledge of financial literacy and entrepreneurship concepts. Participants will: • Learn about key financial concepts that include credit management and entrepreneurship. • Receive an overview of the teacher toolkit and how it can be adapted for their classroom. • Review and discuss toolkit materials, various teaching techniques, and evaluation strategies. • Share views, issues, and concerns to create a forum for help and advice. • Network with other participants. • Participants Up to 20 participants will take part in a Making Waves Teacher Toolkit Training. Participants can include site coordinators, teachers, counselors, administrators, and representatives from community groups and businesses. Training Goals At the conclusion of the training, participants will be able to: 1. Identify key behaviors (the ABCs) of financial literacy that will lead to more informed financial decisions. 2. Describe key behaviors (the ABCs) of entrepreneurship that are needed in order to create jobs. . Create a strategy for implementing the Making Waves program throughout a school district. 4. Incorporate financial literacy and entrepreneurship education into core subjects taught in classrooms.

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



MAKING WAVES IN THE HOME Making Waves in the Home activities are targeted at changing behaviors that will inhibit financial literacy and entrepreneurship of future generations. Making Waves in the Home activities encourage families to participate in a Make Money Matter initiative to make wise financial decisions and challenge households to support local businesses by buying goods and services at home—supporting local businesses and keeping money revolving through the local economy. Families can show their support of the campaign by signing a Wavemaker pledge, included in the Exhibits section of this program guide. Wavemakers pledge to adopt new financial habits, support local businesses, and prepare for successful futures. They learn the Making Waves ABCs of Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship® and take actions to expand financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The following section outlines activities Four Bands developed for Making Waves in the Home. Making Waves in the Home activities are intended to be implemented as part of a comprehensive program that includes actions implemented in the school and in the community.

Make Money Matter Activities 1. Create Direct Mail and Other Media Distribute financial literacy information by including lessons in newsletters, community newspapers, and websites. For example, an article explaining how to calculate compound interest can accompany a lesson asking residents to calculate how much a family might pay for a new dining room set after interest is included. Ask residents to complete the lesson and enter them into a drawing for a small prize. Create flyers or ads that highlight ways to Make Money Matter and ask local businesses, government offices, schools, churches, and other organizations to post them. For an example of a flyer used on the Cheyenne River Reservation, see the Exhibits section of this program guide. 2. Sponsor Financial Literacy Training Offer financial literacy training for families that want to learn more skills. Use a combination of self-study and classroom training. Credit When Credit Is Due, a financial literacy curriculum developed by the American Center for Credit Education, is an excellent self-study curriculum. To learn more about the curriculum, go to: cccsoftheblackhills.com/index.htm. The curriculum also works well with guided training. Challenge families to complete the tests included with the curriculum. After customers pass the exam included with the curriculum, they receive postcards that are sent to the credit bureaus. These postcards ask the credit bureaus to place language on their credit report stating that they have successfully completed the curriculum.

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.



3. Refer Families to Other Programs and Organizations Consider creating additional programs or training that can provide further assistance for families that want to Make Money Matter by building or repairing credit, investing for retirement, or leveraging savings dollars in an Individual Development Account program. Look for programs like this in your community and partner with them to offer these services more widely. Four Bands has a written model for building credit available at www.FourBands.org/reports.htm. Individual Development Account program forms and policies can be purchased from Four Bands by emailing [email protected].

Shop Local Activities 1. Create and Use a Shop Local Logo Consider what makes your community unique when designing shop local materials. For an example of a flyer used on the Cheyenne River Reservation, see the Exhibits section. The Shop Cheyenne River logo features cultural and historical aspects of area communities. A horse represents western heritage; four tipis represent the four bands of the Lakota people; and the Cheyenne and Missouri rivers are represented with a wavy water symbol. Use these tools to conduct a community outreach campaign and enlist local businesses to play a vital role in the campaign. Ask businesses to post flyers and create lamp post banners to energize business districts and remind residents of the benefits of shopping locally. For an example of a lamp post banner used on the Cheyenne River Reservation, see the Exhibits section. Use your imagination in creating shop local materials. Print the logo on pens and ask local businesses to keep the pens near cash registers. Print the logo on reusable shopping bags and distribute them as incentives for filling out surveys about how to encourage local shopping. Include the logo on an Open/Closed sign for businesses to post their hours. 2. Create and Distribute Surveys Sponsor research activities to help project the types of products and services, the potential customer base, and the projected sales volumes various business activities might anticipate. Consider activities such as a consumer survey and gap analysis to suggest where new businesses opportunities exist in your community. Use the results of your research to provide an understanding of your market and encourage residents to become entrepreneurs. For survey findings and inspiration, read Four Bands’ “Business Opportunities in the Cheyenne River Market” report, available at www.FourBands.org/reports.htm.

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

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MAKING WAVES IN THE COMMUNITY

Making Waves in the Community activities are targeted at removing structural barriers that inhibit financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Private- and public-sector organizations, including local or tribal governments, are asked to adopt changes in policies and practices that will make financial literacy or entrepreneurship easier for future generations. Activities in the community are also targeted at providing opportunities for youth to practice the key behaviors of financial literacy and entrepreneurship by opening savings accounts and completing youth entrepreneur internships. Organizations provide internship opportunities for youth to become an entrepreneur. The following section outlines activities Four Bands developed for Making Waves in the Community. Making Waves in the Community activities are intended to be implemented as part of a comprehensive program that includes actions implemented in the school and in the home. See the previous sections for more information.

Policy 1. Work with Local Governments Find opportunities to advocate for legislation in your community and work with elected officials to create policy change. For example, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council adopted a resolution to encourage all Tribal departments and enterprises, community organizations, schools, and local businesses on the Reservation to work together to remove barriers inhibiting financial literacy and entrepreneurship, and to embrace efforts to improve the financial literacy and entrepreneurial capacity of all Tribal members and residents on the Reservation. Four Bands continued to work with the Tribe by offering financial literacy and investment training to all program directors of the Tribe. Four Bands is also working with the Tribe to create policies that will prevent predatory lenders from operating within the boundaries of the Reservation. 2. Work with Businesses and Organizations Partner with local businesses and organizations to find places where policy changes can make a difference in employee’s lives. For example, Four Bands has worked with business owners and executive directors to improve the use of payroll deductions. Payroll deductions are often used to pay for large items, such as furniture. They are also used as paycheck advances. For example, a family can shop for items such as groceries and have the amount deducted from their next paycheck. What begins as a need for a little bit of cash to cover an unexpected emergency becomes a sizeable chunk of an employee’s take home pay for “things.” Gradually, payroll deductions grow and paychecks shrink. Challenge employers to promote alternative payroll deduction practices to encourage employees to provide written information from the lender disclosing the total dollar amount of the item, including all projected interest costs, taxes, and fees. Employers should also be urged to offer a new payroll deduction option that allows families to make payments to themselves to create an emergency account. They can also provide training to employees to encourage them to budget ahead for their needs and promote the use of layaway instead of credit cards to avoid paying the hidden costs of purchases.

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

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Practice 1. Create Opportunities for Youth to Practice Financial Literacy Skills Encourage youth to practice wise savings habits by opening an Individual Development Account (IDA) that restricts the money to an asset-producing goal such as post-secondary education, a business, or a home, and allows youth to earn match funds as an incentive to save. Consider partnering with a local bank and asking them to sponsor the match. Provide financial literacy training and asset specific training that allows them to make informed decisions when it becomes time to purchase their asset. 2. Create Opportunities for Youth to Practice Entrepreneurship Skills Youth often have difficulty finding jobs to earn the income they need to deposit into their IDA. Four Bands uses youth entrepreneur internships to help interested youth overcome this barrier. Operating as “entrepreneurs,” youth have opportunities to complete work assignments at private businesses, public agencies, or other nonprofit organizations and receive $10 per hour for up to 100 hours of work. Youth entrepreneur interns must agree to deposit half their earnings, $5 per hour, directly into an IDA savings account that is matched 1:1 by the program. By the end of the program, interns will have accumulated $1,000 in savings. Entrepreneur interns must also complete financial literacy and entrepreneurship training activities conducted by Four Bands. The $1,000 in their savings account is not available until entrepreneur interns pursue the asset-producing goal they agree to as a condition of their participation—(e.g. further education, starting a business, or purchasing a home). A full model of Four Bands’ youth entrepreneur internship program is available at www.FourBands.org/reports.htm. 3. Partner with Businesses to Make Shopping Locally More Attractive to Consumers Assist local businesses in making improvements so local shopping is more competitive. For example, some businesses might be due for renovations to make shopping easier and more attractive. Businesses might also have an interest in participating in customer service surveys or secret shopper activities. Other services might include assistance with pricing, cash flow, marketing, or merchandising. 4. Expand Local Buying by Organizations Assist local businesses in learning how to target goods and services at organizations, including schools, health care facilities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Reducing the flow of these dollars out of local communities can make a significant boost in the local economy. Four Bands is currently using local college students to conduct a survey of the organizational markets on the Cheyenne River Reservation. The purpose is to learn what goods and services organizations currently buy, where they currently buy from, and what opportunities exist for expanding purchases from private businesses located on the Reservation. Survey results will be posted on the Four Bands website. 5. Celebrate with an Entrepreneurship Fair Host an entrepreneurship fair in the community. Find a central location and invite schools to bus children in for activities. Ask local teachers and entrepreneurs to participate. In the evening, offer seminars that will draw local entrepreneurs. Celebrate entrepreneurship by awarding prizes. Offer awards for local business owners, such as the Micro Entrepreneur of the Year, Small Business of the Year, and New Business of the Year. Use this opportunity to recognize Making Waves teachers and site coordinators. Offer opportunities for youth to win prizes with an essay or business plan contest. © 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

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EXHIBITS Wavemaker Pledge

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

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Make Money Matter Poster

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

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Shop Cheyenne River Poster

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

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Shop Cheyenne River Lamp Post Banner

© 2010 Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

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MAKING WAVES TEACHER TOOLKIT & TRAINING ORDER FORM Four Bands Community Fund invites schools and other organizations to purchase our Making Waves Teacher Toolkits with lesson guides tailored to grades K-2, 3-6, 7-8, and 9-12. In addition, our qualified staff can facilitate a Teacher Toolkit Training to help you launch your Making Waves program. To order the toolkits or training, please complete this form and send back to [email protected] or fax to (605)964-3689. Organization

Contact Person

Address

City, State, ZIP

Email

Phone

Teacher Toolkit Training The Teacher Toolkit Training includes two days (14 hours) of training for up to 20 participants facilitated by an expert trainer. This informative training will provide practical experience in the delivery of financial literacy and entrepreneurship lessons in K-12 classrooms and in implementation of the Making Waves program in a school district. $3250 per training. Making Waves Teacher Toolkit Set Receive one Teacher Toolkit with lesson guides for each of the four grade levels: K-2, 3-6, 7-8, and 9-12. The Teacher Toolkit Set includes a CD with a full-color version of the lessons for vivid classroom presentations on a projector or smart board. With your purchase, you will also receive a one-year membership to an on-line technical assistance group to support your Making Waves program implementation. $100 per set. Individual Making Waves Teacher Toolkits Making Waves Teacher Toolkits for specific grade levels (K-2, 3-6, 7-8, or 9-12) are available for individual purchase. $25 per toolkit. ITEM

PRICE EACH

Teacher Toolkit Training Making Waves Teacher Toolkit Set

$100.00

K-2 Making Waves Teacher Toolkit

$25.00

3-6 Making Waves Teacher Toolkit

$25.00

7-8 Making Waves Teacher Toolkit

$25.00

9-12 Making Waves Teacher Toolkit

$25.00

Shipping and Handling

$14.95

(applies to all toolkit orders)

QTY.

SUBTOTAL

$3250.00

Total Wicoicage Sakowin kin un Wicakagapi - Building for the Seventh Generation Four Bands Community Fund, 101 South Main Street, Eagle Butte, SD 57625 (605)964-3687 [email protected] www.FourBands.org

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