1. How Financial Institutions Can
Participate in America Saves Week

2. Consumer Federation of America is located in
Washington, D.C., and was founded in 1968. It is
an association of more than 300 nonprofit pro-
consumer groups including Consumers Union,
AARP, credit unions, housing co-ops, and
grassroots organizations.
America Saves is a national social marketing
campaign that seeks to motivate and support low to
moderate income households to save and build
wealth.
America Saves Week is coordinated by America
Saves and the American Savings Education Council.
Started in 2007, the Week is an annual opportunity
for organizations to promote good savings behavior
and a chance for individuals to assess their own
saving status.
About Us

3. America Saves
• Support the organizing of a wide range of stakeholders and
service providers to positively impact their constituents in 45 states
with now more than 300,000 people enrolled
• Provide materials, resources, website, data base and
infrastructure to support the organizational effort and to individual
savers
• Work with financial institutions to provide no fee and low
opening balance savings accounts
• Organize America Saves Week, the last week in February, as a
national call to positive financial action
How America Saves Encourages Saving

4. Almost Everyone Can Save
Set A Goal – more likely to succeed
Make A Plan – twice more likely to
succeed than those who do not*
Save Automatically – pay yourself first
Source: CFA Annual Savings Survey February 17, 2012

5. America Saves Surveys of Savers
 Savers who joined America Saves in 2010 reported saving
$2,000* since joining America Saves
 Savers of all income levels reported being able to
save – including savers making less than $25,000 who
reported saving $400* since joining America Saves.
 The most important saving goals for savers include: Debt
Repayment, Emergency Fund, and Retirement
 Savers tell us that since they joined America Saves they feel
more hopeful about their financial situation, they are
saving more, and they are managing their debt better
* Median Amount Saved

6. Barriers and Incentives
• High opening balance and minimum
balance
• Fees – min balance, withdrawal
restrictions, inactive accts
• Interest rates
Barriers to
Saving
• Incentives- low min balances,
waived fees, sign up bonuses,
higher interest rates
• Most useful funds for an emergency
• FDIC insured
Incentives to
Save

7. Financial Institutions Can Serve the
Community by Encouraging Savings
Promoting
Accounts
Focus on
Saving
Automatic
Savings
New
Products

8. • Co-coordinated by America Saves and
the American Savings Education Council.
• An annual opportunity for Americans to
assess their financial condition and goals
• A dedicated time for financial action
• A time for organizations and institutions
to emphasize Saving
America Saves Week
February 22 – 27, 2016

9. A national initiative with thousands of organizations
 Organizations encourage and assist Americans, especially
lower-income households, to start saving and build wealth
 Annual reach of more than 30 million people
 60 local, regional, and statewide saves campaigns
Participating Organizations include:
 Department of Defense -- USDA/NIFA
 FDIC -- Cooperative Extension
 OCC -- Jump$tart
 Social Security Administration
 FRB
America Saves Week Participating
Organizations

10. More Participating Organizations:
• California Department of Financial
Institutions
• Certified Financial Planner Board of
Standards
• City of Cleveland
• Commodity Futures Trading
Commission
• FCCLA
• General Mills
• General Services Administration
(GSA)
• IRS
America Saves Week Participating
Organizations
• Kentucky Department of Financial
Institutions
• Maine Public Employees Retirement
System
• Sallie Mae
• United Way
• U.S. Department of Labor, Employee
Benefits Security Administration
• U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission's Office of Investor
Education and Advocacy
• WA Department of Financial
Institutions

11. How to Participate
• Encourage your members and
customers to open or add to
wealth building accounts and to
save automatically through
direct deposit
– Offer no-fee savings accounts at low opening
balances ($25 or less) with incentives introduced
during the Week
– Offer incentives for making deposits into current
accounts, offer low cost IRAs, CDs or other
wealth- building accounts
– Offer special emergency savings accounts

12. How to Participate
• Encourage people to Pledge to Save
– Sign up customers and members as America
Savers to help support their ambition to save
through an embeddable pledge form on your
website, which can track your impact in the
community

13. Benefit to You
• Attract new customers and
members
• Increase account balances
• Encourage customers to save
automatically through direct
deposit
• Potentially receive free media
coverage through proclamations
and press releases

14. U.S. Bank
– Registered 58 U.S. Bank branches in 17 states internally to participate in
this year’s America Saves Week campaign featuring the S.T.A.R.T.
saving product that gave $50 for the first $1,000 saved. Conducted
financial literacy seminars encouraging saving for the future using
America Saves Week resources.
Examples of Financial Institution
Participation
The First, A National Banking Association
– Offered a special account with a minimum opening amount of
$15 and no service charge for up to one year as long as
customers keep a minimum balance of $100 in the account.
M&T Bank
– Emailed 500,000+ customers promoting America Saves
Week and Easy Save (M&T’s auto funds transfer). Sent out a press
release and placed take-ones in the retail branches promoting
America Saves Week and Easy Save.

15. America Saves Week Promotional Materials
AmericaSavesWeek.org

16. 5 Steps to Participation
1. Plan Product
2.Integrate the Pledge
3.Promote Product
4.Download Marketing Materials
5.Track Impact
AmericaSavesWeek.org

17. STEP 1: Choose Products to Promote
Plan Product
New or existing
• Basic Savings Account
(Follows FDIC Best Practices)
• CD
• Money Market Account
• IRA
AmericaSavesWeek.org

18. STEP 2: Integrate the Pledge
AmericaSavesWeek.org
I pledge to save
money, reduce debt,
and build wealth over
time.
I will encourage my
family and friends
to do the same.

19. Text Message Tips and Reminders

20. Step 3: Plan Promotion
Plan Product Promotion
• Market to current and potential customers to save and
build wealth better
• For current business customers, reach out to their
employees (At Work programs) to make savings automatic, and
set up an emergency savings account or wealth building account
through payroll deduction
• Provide directly, or in partnership with others, financial
education classes, events, and seminars
• In school presentations to students and teachers,
encourage opening or adding to an existing account
AmericaSavesWeek.org

21. Step 3: Plan Promotion
1. Offer incentives
• Bonus
• Interest Rate
• Drawing or Prize
2. Create Your Own Materials
3. Share Savings Messages through
Social Media
4. Contact the Media
5. Work with Local Government
AmericaSavesWeek.org

22. STEP 4:
Download Materials
1. Flyers, Poster, & Payroll
Stuffers
2. Logos, Web Buttons, and
Banners
3. Social Media Kit
4. Sample Newsletter, Email,
and Blog Content
5. Sample Press Release
6. Sample Proclamation
7. PowerPoint Presentations
How Organizations Can Participate in
America Saves Week
AmericaSavesWeek.org

23. Social Media Content
Contains:
– 4 Weeks of content to
post on Twitter and
Facebook
– Sample
newsletter/blog
content
– America Saves QR
code
Content available in early January - Join the Week
to be notified as soon as it becomes available.

24. STEP 5:
Track Your Impact
• Establish goals for new
accounts opened, new
deposits, increased balances,
new automatic savings sign-
ups, new IRAs, CDs, and
other savings and
investment opportunities.
• Worksheet to track:
– Promotional methods
– Audience reach
– Information and stories
– Account activity (for
financial institutions)
– Employer participation
How Organizations Can Participate in
America Saves Week
AmericaSavesWeek.org

25. Bottom Line
 The savings message, resources and opportunity to save
can support your participation in America Saves Week.
 Your customers, members, and employees will benefit
from participation in America Saves Week.
 Register TODAY as a participating organization at
AmericaSavesWeek.org