Supporting financial well-being through collaboration.
Financial Coaching Cats partners with University of Arizona campus departments and community organizations in Tucson and Southern Arizona communities to expand access to free, confidential financial coaching for individuals, families, and students.
We are a program of the Take Charge America Institute (TCAI) at the University of Arizona developed in partnership with the Norton School of Human Ecology and its Personal and Family Financial Planning (PFFP) Program. Through this partnership, trained University of Arizona students and professional staff provide financial coaching while gaining hands-on experience and support the expansion of access to free, respectful financial support in the community.
Why Does This Collaboration Between TCAI and PFFP Matter?
This collaborative partnership matters because it intentionally connects student learning with community impact.
Through Financial Coaching Cats, students in the PFFP program receive rigorous training and supervised, real-world coaching experience - while individuals and families in communities across Tucson and Southern Arizona gain access to free, confidential, and respectful financial coaching.
For our partners, this means:
- Working with a program grounded in evidence-based financial education and coaching practices
- Expanding access to financial well-being services without placing additional burden on your staff
- Supporting a model that builds long-term capacity, not just one-time interventions
- Investing in both community well-being and the preparation of future financial professionals
At its core, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to dignity, access, and learning - ensuring that financial support is both high-quality and human-centered.
Beyond offering one-time workshops or standalone services, our partnerships with campus departments and community organizations focus on building access, trust, and continuity - meeting people where they are and supporting them over time.
Who We Partner With
We partner with campus departments and community organizations that serve:
- College students and adult learners
- Families and caregivers
- Individuals navigating financial stress or transition
- Communities seeking accessible, people-centered financial support
Our current partners include (but are not limited to):
- Campus departments and student support services
- Libraries and community centers
- Schools and family engagement programs
- Cooperative Extension and community-based organizations
If your organization supports people who would benefit from one-on-one financial conversations, there's likely a partnership model that fits.
Our Partnership Philosophy
We approach partnerships with the same values that guide our coaching:
- Respect for lived experience of both participants and partnered organizations
- Flexibility in adapting coaching models to fit the context of partnered organizations
- Clear roles and boundaries, so collaboration feels supportive
- Shared goals focused on dignity, access, and long-term well-being
We don't expect partners to fit into a predetermined structure. Instead, we work together to design collaboration that aligns with your mission and capacity.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Financial Coaching Cats is designed to be adaptable to the needs of each partner organization. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all programming. instead, we collaborate with partners to offer financial coaching in ways that feel natural, supportive, and accessible for the individuals, families, and students you serve.
Here are some of the common ways partnerships take shape:
On-Site Coaching Days
We bring trained Financial Coaching Cats to your space - such as a library, school, community center, or campus office - to offer free, one-on-one financial coaching sessions. Appointments can be scheduled, offered as drop-in office hours, or a combination of both.
Integrated Live Events & Pop-Ups
Financial coaching can be embedded into existing events or programs you already host, such as:
- Resource fairs
- Orientation or welcome events
- Workshops or learning series
- Family or community engagement events
Financial Coaching Cats coaches may offer brief goal-setting conversations, coaching sign-ups, or guided activities that lower the barrier to starting a deeper coaching relationship.
Referral Pathways
Some partners prefer a referral-based model, where staff or volunteers share Financial Coaching Cats as a trusted resource. We provide clear referral materials and landing pages so individuals can easily connect with coaching on their own time.
This option works well when space or staffing capacity is limited.
Short-Term or Pilot Collaborations
For new partnerships, we often start with a pilot approach - such as a limited series of coaching days or a single event - to learn what works best for your organization and community. From there, partnerships can grow organically based on shared goals and capacity.
Shared Values, Clear Roles
Across all partnership models:
- Financial Coaching Cats provide trained coaches, scheduling tools, and coaching support
- Partners provide space, outreach support, and contextual insight about the population they serve
- Coaching remains free, confidential and voluntary for participants
Our goal is to make partnership feel easy, respectful and aligned, not burdensome.
If you're curious about how financial coaching could support your community or students, we'd love to start a conversation and explore what collaboration could look like for your organization.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Financial Coaching Cats is a free financial coaching program that supports individuals, families, and University of Arizona students through one-on-one, confidential coaching conversations. The program is housed within the Take Charge America Institute (TCAI) at the University of Arizona, in partnership with the Norton School of Human Ecology and its Personal and Family Financial Planning (PFFP) Program.
Financial coaching is provided by trained University of Arizona students from the PFFP program and professional staff affiliated with Financial Coaching Cats and the Take Charge America Institute. Financial Coaching Cats coaches receive structured training, ongoing supervision, and support before working with clients one-on-one.
All coaching is strengths-based, client-centered, and grounded in ethical financial coaching practices.
Clients bring a wide range of topics, including:
- Day-to-day budgeting and cash flow
- Financial stress or overwhelm
- Debt concerns
- Goal setting and planning
- Preparing for life's financial transitions
- Making sense of financial options or resources
Clients set the agenda. Coaches support reflection, clarity, and next steps without judgement or directives.
No. Financial coaching is different.
Coaches do not provide investment advice, tax filing, legal guidance, or product recommendations. Coaching also does not replace case management or emergency assistance.
Instead, coaching compliments other services by helping individuals, families, and University of Arizona students:
- Clarify priorities
- Prepare for advising or referrals
- Follow through on action steps
- Build confidence and financial self-efficacy
Click here for more information on How Financial Coaching is Different
Yes, Financial coaching through Financial Coaching Cats if offered at no cost to all participants.
Funding and partnerships allow us to provide coaching services without fees, ensuring access regardless of income or financial situation.
Yes. Coaching sessions are confidential and voluntary.
We take privacy seriously and do not share individual participant information with partner organizations. Partners may receive aggregate or high-level participation information when appropriate, but never individual details.
No. Some participants meet with a Financial Coaching Cats coach once, while others choose to meet multiple times.
We encourage follow-up sessions when helpful, but participation is always voluntary and based on a participant's needs and capacity.
Partners can refer individuals, families, and students in a few different ways:
- Sharing a referral link or QR Code
- Including Financial Coaching Cats in resources lists
- Inviting us to events or on-site days
- Making warm handoffs when appropriate
We work with partners to choose a referral approach that fits their workflow.
This depends on the partnership model, but typically partners may provide:
- Space for on-site coaching or events (when applicable)
- Outreach or promotion to their community
- Context about the population being served.
Financial Coaching Cats provides the coaches, scheduling tools, referral training and coordination.
Financial Coaching Cats operates as a program of the University of Arizona, housed within the Take Charge America Institute and in partnership with the Norton School of Human Ecology.
All coaching is provided within the scope of financial coaching, not financial advising, therapy, legal services, or case management. Coaches do not provide regulated advice, make financial decisions for clients, or handle client funds.
Key safeguards include:
- Clear boundaries around what coaching is (and is not)
- Informed consent from all participants
- Structured training and supervision for Financial Coaching Cats coaches
- Confidential, voluntary participation
- Referral to appropriate services when needs fall outside the scope of coaching
For partner organizations, this means Financial Coaching Cats does not assume the role of advisor or decision-maker, and coaching is offered as a supportive, educational service rather than professional financial advice.
If a partner has specific liability or risk-management questions, we're happy to discuss program structure and documentation in more detail.
Financial coaching works well for individuals, families, and students who:
- Are experiencing financial stress or uncertainty
- Want one-on-one support rather than a class
- Feel overwhelmed or unsure where to start
- Are navigating financial transitions or decisions.
- If immediate crisis support or technical advising is needed, we can help identify appropriate referrals.
Click here for more information on Is Financial Coaching Right for the Population We Serve?
Absolutely.
Many partnerships begin with a pilot - such as a single event, short series, or limited number of coaching days - and grow over time based on shared goals and capacity.
The first step is simply a conversation.
We'll talk through your organization's goals, the population you serve, and what kind of collaboration makes sense.
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If you don't see your question answered here, we're happy to talk.
Email: financialcoachingcats@arizona.edu
Location:
Take Charge America Institute
McClelland Park Building - Suite 308
650 North Park Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85721
About Financial Coaching Cats
Financial Coaching Cats is a program of the Take Charge America Institute (TCAI) at the University of Arizona developed in partnership with the Norton School of Human Ecology and its Personal and Family Financial Planning (PFFP) Program. Through this partnership, trained University of Arizona students and professional staff provide financial coaching while gaining hands-on experience - expanding access to free, respectful financial support in the community.
All financial coaching is free, confidential, and voluntary.
We strive to make financial coaching accessible. If you have questions about language access, accommodations, or format, please reach out to our program coordinator at financialcoachingcats@arizona.edu and we'll do our best to support you.
The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity institution. The university prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin (including shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics), age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in any educational program or activity operated by recipients of federal financial assistance. As required by Title IX, the University of Arizona does not discriminate based on sex in its educational programs or activities, including in admission and employment. Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to the university’s Title IX Coordinator or to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, or both. The university's nondiscrimination policy and grievance procedures and information about how to make a complaint of discrimination is available online.