The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy is a US non-profit coalition of national organizations seeking to advance the financial literacy students from pre-kindergarten through to college-aged. The coalition endeavors to provide young people with lifelong financial decision-making skills. By working together with its 150 national partners, the Jump$tart Coalition provides advocacy, research, standards and educational resources. It is headquartered in Washington, DC.
William Odom, former Chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Credit Company, is credited with the concept that led to formation of the Jump$tart Coalition in 1995. Odom's contribution to the financial literacy effort continues to be recognized through the award that bears his name, the William E. Odom Visionary Leadership Award.H. Randy Lively, former President and CEO of the American Financial Services Association, organized the first meeting of what was then called the "Partnership in Personal Finance and Consumer Credit Consortium." Through the next year, Dr. Lewis Mandell developed the financial literacy survey that is now a hallmark of the Jump$tart Coalition's work.
Students from Bladensburg High School in Maryland helped create the slogan ("Financial Smarts for Students") and logo. In 1997, the Jump$tart Coalition was incorporated with Lively serving as the first Chairman of Jump$tart. He was succeeded in 2008 by Neil Milner, President and CEO of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, who served as Chairman through 2011.
In 2013, Laura Levine served as the president and CEO, with Chairman Ted Beck (president and CEO of the National Endowment for Financial Education). The leadership also includes Mike Staten, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona and Maxine Sweet, of Experian, who serve as Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.
The Jump$tart Coalition comprises more than 150 corporate, academic, non-profit and government organizations that, together, provide advocacy, research, standards and educational resources for financial education.