Why does AFE do this?

AFE was founded by two industry veterans who collectively saw the need for financial literacy training in our country. When they realized they could help tackle this monumental issue while also helping financial professionals build their practices through philanthropic work, they knew they were on to something big. In twelve years, AFE members have educated tens of thousands of individuals across the US and Canada and has earned the support of the United States Federal Government.

Why do I have to pay you to teach free workshops? 

Like any other business, AFE has operating expenses. Marketing outreach, professional dues, payroll, utilities, insurance, maintaining a website, producing content and training materials, and servicing member and organizational relationships all take time, effort and resources. AFE is 100% supported by membership dues, and as a nonprofit, any monies we make beyond operating expenses get reinvested into the organization, to ensure that our program continues to serve our communities.

Tell me about the companies you work with. 

AFE works with companies and entities of all sizes and across all industries, including but not limited to accounting, advertising and marketing, aerospace and defense, engineering, biotech, software, healthcare, government, education, media, manufacturing, oil and gas, telecommunications and more. We also work with entire municipalities, police and fire departments, libraries, nonprofit organizations, school districts, and university systems. We help these groups understand how financial stress in their employees and members can be costly in terms of loss of productivity, stress related accidents, job dissatisfaction, employee turnover and more. It’s been proven that a strong financial wellness program decreases stress in workers, and these companies like partnering with us because we’re a non-biased nonprofit working with the Federal Government. We’re offering them a free service that will benefit their members and we’re not selling them anything. It’s a win-win.

How do you find the companies? 

We have a marketing team dedicated to corporate outreach. This team uses a combination of direct marketing, social media marketing and leveraging our existing corporate relationships and HR affiliations. As a national partner of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), we are able to present to members directly. In addition, we have earned enough market penetration that inbound referrals have become a reliable source of interest in our program. In the corporate space, AFE is well received as in addition to providing a valuable service at no cost to employers, our workshops earn HR professionals Continuing Education credits and also help satisfy ERISA requirements companies may be beholden to.

Do I need both an annual and monthly membership? 

Annual membership is mandatory for access to our platform and program; monthly dues are optional. A member who has his or her own marketing department, or who simply wishes to volunteer their time to educate and is not looking to build their client base or gain community exposure may elect an annual-only membership.

Members who wish to be introduced to new groups in their local community for opportunities to educate can elect to add the monthly marketing piece. Monthly dues ($600/introduction) can be turned on and off as a member’s needs and budget dictate. Membership can be shared among a group of advisors or other professionals (tax attorneys, insurance or real estate agents, etc.).

I’m concerned about compliance. 

AFE is a national partner, works directly with and has been vetted by the federal government’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). In addition to dozens of FINRA reviewed workshops, a good portion of our library of 150 workshops is sourced directly from various government agencies. That said, our members are also welcome to use their own firm-approved and branded materials during presentations as well. When a member’s firm requires this, they simply use our program for its ability to get them in front of new groups on a regular basis.

Am I locked into anything when I join?

Never. All active members have access to the monthly marketing program, and those dues are 100% optional and flexible and can be activated/deactivated to suite each member’s schedule and budget.

What’s the catch? 

At AFE, we believe in transparency and accountability. While there’s no “catch” to our program, it’s not a fit for everyone. Ours is a relationship-building model. It’s not a quick leads program; it’s not access to the top one percent of wealth; it’s not an inroads to the pre-retiree market. It’s education without discrimination, and our most successful members understand and appreciate that giving back is a surefire way to get ahead.

Do you offer any sort of training?

AFE is here to help members be successful with our program. We offer pre-recorded training modules and best practices guides for both introductory meetings and workshops. If you still need guidance, our customer service team will work directly with you on an as-needed basis.

I have more questions.

Click here to watch a short video overview of our program, or use our secure contact form to reach out and a team member will get back to you shortly.