We give back to our communities – through volunteerism, charitable giving and nonprofit board service – and believe our focus on civic and charitable engagement drives a firmwide mindset that reinforces the fiduciary duty we owe our investors.
Philadelphia Financial Scholars
Philadelphia Financial Scholars’ roots date back to 2016, when the FS Foundation, the philanthropic arm of FS Investments, partnered with the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships to create a financial literacy program for public high school students in Philadelphia.
Since that time, the program has expanded significantly and now includes curriculum and professional development to support in-class personal finance elective classes, after-school entrepreneurship training with corporate mentorship, a university-hosted summer business accelerator program, and adult-centered financial empowerment workshops for families and school staff. The program combines:
Education for students
Students learn how to make smart financial decisions, budget, and save for the future through our financial empowerment curriculum, which is delivered by teachers in the classroom.
Entrepreneurship incubator
Students learn how to develop a business plan, while thinking critically and creatively. Their in-class learning is complemented by an after-school program powered by corporate volunteers and university students.
Education for adults
Parents, faculty, and other adult members of our school communities learn about various financial topics, like budgeting, paying for college, and investing basics, through our adult education program.
Learn more about Philadelphia Financial Scholars.
Investing in employee civic engagement
We provide our employees with the resources they need to be more civically engaged:
Employee volunteer program
We offer monthly volunteer opportunities plus ongoing in-office events with partners like Achieve Now. Employees may participate in three paid days of community service each year.
Matching charitable gifts
We support our employees in their personal charitable giving by offering a 1:1 match to contributions made to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.
Board placement
For those interested in serving on non-profit boards, we offer board training and placement opportunities.
Being able to work in a different industry and in a much smaller organization has been an eye-opening experience. The board I serve on is one in which you actually roll up your sleeves and do the work. Being able to immediately see your impact has been very meaningful.
Bill G.
FS employee Bill on his Philadelphia Reads board member experience
My board service is incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally. Tough conversations happen at the board level. They’re one of the many signs of how committed everyone is to the broader purpose of the organization.
Alyssa Q.
FS employee Alyssa on her Rock to the Future board member & volunteer experience
Measuring our impact
All figures approximate as of 12/31/2019.9,316+
volunteer hours contributed
72%
volunteer program participation
103+
service events since inception
Values in action
Learn more about our community engagement.
FS volunteers support military mothers and families
FS Investments hosts Philadelphia Financial Scholars business pitch competition
