Pro Bono Educational Curriculum

Serving with Purpose: The Path to Pro Bono Financial Planning

A Free Curriculum for Educational Institutions

Serving with Purpose: The Path to Pro Bono Financial Planning is a flexible, practice-based curriculum developed to prepare the next generation of financial planning professionals to engage in pro bono service. Designed for use in CFP Board Registered Programs and with professionals new to pro bono planning, the curriculum guides participants through four core topics, each broken into focused units that build awareness, skills, and a sense of purpose.

Through a blend of reflection, role play, and applied learning, participants explore the value of pro bono work, strengthen their interpersonal communication, and connect their service to their evolving professional identity. Each activity is anchored by learning objectives and supported by practical resources, templates, and worksheets available within the curriculum and through the Foundation for Financial Planning.

The full curriculum package includes Word and Excel files for easy customization, along with a PDF Facilitator’s Guide.

Note: Once downloaded, you may need to select “Extract all” in the upper banner of your File Explorer to view and transfer the Course Schedules to your computer.

To access, please provide your contact information via this form below:

How to Use the Curriculum:

The Facilitator’s Guide is designed to support you as you work with individuals who are new to pro bono financial planning services. Whether you are part of a CFP Board Registered Program, leading a financial planning or coaching clinic, or working with a Financial Planning Association (FPA) chapter, this guide will help you use the Serving with Purpose curriculum effectively.

Along with the Facilitator’s Guide, this Master Reflection Question Guide is intended to support facilitators in both online and in-person settings. To view the curriculum by topic and download, please see below.

Topic 1: What is Pro Bono?

Introduces the history, purpose, and social value of pro bono financial planning. Participants reflect on motivations and ethics, and explore best practices for engaging in service.

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Topic 2: Culture and Structure

Focuses on the internal and external dynamics that shape pro bono client relationships and program design.

Unit 1: Emotional Intelligence
Develops self-awareness, empathy, and emotional vocabulary to support trust-based communication.
Unit 2: Cultural Humility
Explores identity, lived experience, and how cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds impact financial behavior.

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Topic 3: Building Trusting Relationships

Equips participants with relationship-building and communication skills essential for working with underserved clients.

Unit 1: Building Your Resource & Referral Network
Helps learners identify and connect clients with relevant community support systems.
Unit 2: Applying Counseling Skills
Teaches core techniques for inclusive, client-centered conversations and simulated practice.
Unit 3: Working Together: Interpersonal Financial Relationships
Explores money messages, conflict styles, and financial socialization to build empathy and shared understanding

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Topic 4: Understanding Borrowing and Alternative Financial Services

Covers financial products, credit use, and banking access among underserved communities. Participants assess the risks and benefits of financial tools and learn strategies for supporting responsible borrowing.

Unit 1: Alternative Financial Services
Activities include client simulations, service comparisons, and debt management role plays.

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Topic 5: Templates and Worksheets

Downloadable tools to support instruction, implementation, and delivery of pro bono services.

Administrative Documents
Activity logs, communication templates, media releases, sign-in sheets, and more.
Client-Facing Documents
Action plans, budgeting and debt worksheets, goal-setting tools, and meeting evaluations.

Flexible 2-day, 4-, 8-, and 15-week course formats

To access these 2-day, 4-, 8-, and 15-week course formats, please download the full curriculum below.

Note: Once downloaded, you may need to select “Extract all” in the upper banner of your File Explorer to view and transfer the Course Schedules to your computer.

Sample 2-day course schedule: This version is ideal for intensive pro bono workshops, bootcamps, or professional development events. It emphasizes core concepts, applied practice, and reflective learning in a highly interactive format.
Sample 4-week course schedule: This version is ideal for intensive formats such as weekends, summer school, or workshops and emphasizes pre-session preparation, in-session application, active learning and reflection. Each week combines multiple themes to maintain depth while accommodating a condensed timeline.
Sample 8-week Course Schedule: This version is designed for a standard accelerated academic term and emphasizes pre-session preparation, in-session application, active learning and reflection. Each week includes a focus topic and suggested activities.
Sample 15-week Course Schedule: This version is designed for a traditional academic semester and supports deep exploration of core concepts in pro bono financial planning. The curriculum progresses through foundational knowledge, interpersonal skill development, cultural awareness, and applied practice. Each week introduces focused topics and includes interactive activities, reflective readings, and skill-building activities.

The full curriculum includes editable Word and Excel documents for easy customization; a comprehensive PDF Facilitator’s Guide; reflection guides and sample course schedules; and flexible 2-day, 4-, 8-, and 15-week course formats.

DOWNLOAD FULL CURRICULUM

Did you know?

In a recent FFP survey of Aspiring CFP® Professionals, 88% of respondents said their program should offer more content/support on pro bono financial planning.
The CFP Board strongly encourages CFP® professionals to commit to providing 20 hours of pro bono financial planning services annually.

Integrating pro bono curriculum into programs equips the next generation of financial planners with the skills, confidence, and purpose to make meaningful contributions to their communities.

This curriculum and all of the accompanying materials were developed with a grant provided by the Foundation for Financial Planning. The authors are Dorothy B. Durband, Ph.D., AFC®, Texas Tech University; Sasha Grabenstetter, M.S., AFC®, BFA™ eMoney Advisor; and Emily E. Koochel, Ph.D., AFC®, CFT™, BFA™ eMoney Advisor.

All materials are provided free of charge for educational and pro bono use. Please credit Foundation for Financial Planning and the Serving with Purpose curriculum team when using or adapting these resources.