The North Carolina Indian Economic Development Initiative (NCIEDI) has developed a financial education curriculum based on blending American culture with traditional Native values. The curriculum developed by NCIEDI is called Project G-7: Building Financial Skills for Indigenous Youth in North Carolina (G-7).

NCIEDI believes that financial education curriculums designed to teach Native youth basic financial skills will lead to greater economic self-determination for Native people. Because current national data shows that Native students lack strong financial skills and consistently score lower than other ethnic and racial groups, experts suggest that the methods used to teach financial skills to students of other ethnic and racial groups are not effective at teaching Native youth. Project G7 is believed to be the most effective curriculum and methodology available for North Carolina to close the financial education gap, and eventually the wealth gap, which exists between Native youth and those of other ethnic and racial groups.

NCIEDI is working with researchers from the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies (Buder Center) and the Center for Social Development (CSD) at Washington University to ensure the effectiveness of the G-7 curriculum. NCIEDI has also partnered with state and national Jump$tart Coalition efforts and the national Native Financial Education Coalition to promote financial literacy for K-12 education.

Financial education is the first step towards building assets for native families and Tribal communities in North Carolina. Here is a list of state and national efforts and partnerships supported by Project G7 and NCIEDIs commitment to building wealth and educating native communities on economic development trends and markets:

Tribal:
American Indian Center at UNC-Chapel Hill
NC Native American Youth Organization
United Tribes of North Carolina

State:
Action for Children NC
EITC Carolinas and MDC
NC State Jump Start Coalition
State Financial Education Council

National:
Oweesta and the First Nations Development Corporation Incorporated
Native Financial Education Coalition

Contact Christina Theodorou, christina.theodorou@nciedi.org for more information.