Ways You Can Support

There are several ways you can impact the sustainability and growth of the Financial Social Work Initiative’s efforts to embed financial capability skills within the social work workforce, build a body of evidence-based practices informed by research, and collaborate nationally with other schools of social work interested in utilizing this framework for advancing the economic well-being of clients and communities.

  • EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

    FSWI develops financial capability content for BSW and MSW courses. FSWI also works with PhD researchers in the field of Financial Social Work by funding research assistants and program managers for studies. Our Financial Social Work Certification Program and Continuing Professional Education workshops provide courses and training for clinicians and service providers.

  • COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS:

    FSWI collaborates with university partners and local, state, and national organizations to provide critical financial capability services and educational programs.

  • FACULTY EXCELLENCE:

    FSWI enables the School’s nationally recognized faculty to take part in and lead national initiatives and other conferences related to Financial Social Work.

Four funds that support Financial Social Work

  • Financial Social Work Initiative Fund
    The Financial Social Work Initiative Fund supports academic training, field placement experiences, research, continuing education, and general operating needs of FSWI annually.
  • Financial Social Work Endowment This fund provides endowed support for the Financial Social Work Initiative at the School such as programmatic funding, faculty salaries, student stipends, continuing professional education, and other uses at the discretion of the Chair of the Financial Social Work Initiative.
  • SunTrust Foundation Scholarship Endowment The SunTrust Foundation Scholarship Endowment in Financial Social Work provides scholarship support to students enrolled at the University of Maryland School of Social Work who intend to practice in the area of financial social work.
  • Woodside Foundation Scholarship Endowment The Woodside Foundation Scholarship Endowment in Financial Social Work provides scholarship support for students enrolled at the University of Maryland School of Social Work in their advanced year in the MSW program. Supported students must have a demonstrated career interest in financial social work.

Being a Woodside Scholar provided me with a foundation (and an extra nudge) to really explore my interest in the intersection between financial literacy and social work. After graduating from UMB, I became a child welfare social worker and found that many of the families I was working with were experiencing a financial-related hardship that was causing major stress in their life. My time as a Woodside Scholar and Financial Social Work Initiative student equipped me with the skills I needed to better recognize ways these hardships manifested and express more empathy as I worked with them towards a more long-term solution.

Anthony L. Carter, MSW ’18, 2017-2018 Woodside Scholar for Financial Social Work

  • Join the FSWI Steering Committee

    The FSWI Steering Committee is a group of alums, community leaders, faculty, and students that provides expertise and assistance to help guide programs and policies of FSWI. If you would like to learn more about this group, please contact fsw@ssw.umaryland.edu

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