Common Questions and answers What programs qualify for financial scholarships? Strategic Financial Planning: Individuals and families receive professional financial and behavioral assessments, consultations, and specific written recommendations designed to help them work to get out of debt, stay out of debt, then build and pass on wealth.  Approximately eight hours in preparation and follow-up plus approximately 60-90 minutes sit-down session with one of our paid professional coaches.  Available either face-to-face or long-distance.  (Details link) 12-Month Financial Boot Camp:  Individuals and families receive the Strategic Financial Planning services above as part of a 12-month, intense, personalized, one-on-one, education, training, coaching, mentoring and counseling to build and effectively use a life-long financial management program.  Paid professional coaches.  Available either face-to-face or long-distance.  (Details link) HomeSavers: Homeowners receive paid professional help to save their homes from foreclosure without bankruptcy, new loans, or paying all the past due payments up front.  Available either face-to-face or long-distance.  (Details link) Pastoral Counseling:  Individuals receive paid professional help to improve their relational situations at the same time they improve their financial problems.  Available either face-to-face or long-distance.  (Details link) Who is eligible to receive financial scholarships?  Anyone may receive our services regardless of race, religion, sex, creed, age, color, disability, or national origin.  We serve counselees regardless of whom they owe or the amount they owe. However we do have identity, citizenship and income verification requirements. We are a faith-based organization but offer clients the choice to receive Bible-based or non-Bible-based services. How much scholarship money is available? Subject to Grant Providers conditions. Usually up to ½ of program cost based on need. Exceptions based on need. What is the Scholarship Application Process? Complete and send CFM a detailed application along with a letter asking for/justifying the need for a scholarship CFM staff professionals will review each application package and request letter then match appropriate requests to specific scholarship providers as funding permits.  CFM professional coach will let each applicant know whether or not their application is approved and if so, for how much and from which scholarship provider.     If approved, the scholarship receipt ant must send a “thank you” letter to the scholarship provider at the start of the program and a “thank you/feedback” letter to the scholarship provider at the end of the program.   Why do we charge for services and offer scholarships Giving to faith-based organizations has dropped continuously and significantly since “9-11.”  We do not want to compete for the “tithe” or other faith-based giving.  Therefore we work hard to fund our services from donations and fees we receive from the services we provide.  All CFM staff coaches and counselors are paid professionals, certified and/or licensed by the National Institute for Financial Counseling Education, the Georgia Board of Examiners for Christian Counselors and Therapists, Dave Ramsey and/or Crown Financial Ministries. Previously all our education/coaching services were completely funded by grants and gifts associated with our consumer credit counseling services. We still have the highest rated credit counseling services in the U.S. However, the consumer credit counseling “industry” is very corrupt.  Therefore, The IRS, along with the Federal Government and many states governments, are legislating requirements to designed drive out the “bad guys.”  This is a good thing. Unfortunately, these new requirements are time consuming and expensive and result in many “good guys” leaving the industry.  This is not a good thing. While we will continue to offer consumer credit counseling services and meet or exceed all IRS, Federal and State requirements, we can no longer afford many state mandated fees and other overhead expenses.  As a result, we have had to choose to stop offering credit-counseling services in the most restrictively expensive states.  In the remaining states we offer consumer credit counseling services ONLY as absolutely necessary to those who have used our other financial educational services.  Therefore, our consumer credit counseling grants and gifts are greatly reduced and no longer cover our education and coaching related expenses.  THEREFORE, WE MUST SEEK OTHER WAYS TO FUND OUR EDUCATION AND COACHING SERVICES. How are scholarships funded? People give tax-deductible gifts.  (Details link) Organizations give grants.  (Details link)  (The first scholarships were funded by a $10,000.00 grant from Bank One.) CFM offers Thomas Kinkade art.  By unique special permission, people may purchase selected Thomas Kinkade art.  Purchasers receive a tax-deduction for one-half the cost of the art.  One-half the purchase price then goes to our scholarship fund.  (Details link) CFM offers “bookstore” products.  By special permission, people receive discounts on books, tapes, CDs, etc., from Christianbooks.com AND CFM earns a small commission.  (Details link) CFM offers E-books:  People receive E-Books for FREE.  Many people send donations in varying amounts.  (Details link) CFM offers weekly Financial and Life Coaching Newsletters and practical “Special Reports.”  People receive newsletters and Special Reports for free.  Many choose to send donations in varying amounts.  (Details link) CFM offers complete, legal on-line wills through NOLO. (Details link) Internet site banners:  We will soon offer selected add banners on our site for donations to the scholarship fund. How scholarship funds allocated? 85% Direct professional coaching fees and related expenses. 15% for ministry operating overhead (rent, utilities, etc.)