Building a Successful Initiative

Having an achievable plan is the first step to building a successful CreditSmart initiative in your community.  It takes vision, expertise in consumer education, clarity of roles, and adequate resources to get the job done.

Have a Plan

When you are ready to offer CreditSmart, it is best to have a plan for success. Here are some questions you should ask your team as you fully develop your implementation plan.

• Why is CreditSmart needed in your community?
• What kind of impact would we like to make on/in the community?
• How many people would we like to reach with CreditSmart?
• Do we have the "buy-in" of our board or management?
• Will there be any obstacles or opposition in our way?
• Who do you want to reach with CreditSmart?

Clarify Roles

Sponsoring organizations must be prepared to take on a variety of responsibilities when offering these programs. They should assign and clarify roles among staff.  We recommend the following:

• Oversight/Management
• Instructor Preparation
  • Select CreditSmart instructors.
  • Schedule and conduct training for CreditSmart instructors (Find out if you're eligible for Freddie Mac's CreditSmart training).
    • Obtain the venue for Instructor training.
    • Order audio/visual equipment and food for the session.
    • Develop a Lesson Plan.
    • Provide materials for instructor training.
• Workshop Delivery and Support
• Workshop Promotion
  • Provide consumer outreach support, including developing a Consumer Outreach Plan.
  • Promote events.

Please see Terms & Conditions for more information.

Ensure Your Resources

• Do we have the staff to implement this program?
• Do we have potential CreditSmart instructors?
• Do we have the ability to answer consumers' questions?
• Do we have the capacity to handle intake and counseling, including bilingual support if needed?

Elements of a Successful Initiative

Organizations that run CreditSmart initiatives typically have the following characteristics:

• Experience with consumer education
• Financial support
• Established trust in the community
• Leadership commitment
• Network of community resources/experts
• Committed and passionate instructors
• Alignment with organization's mission