Financial literacy is essential to accessing credit and achieving life goals. Because FICO plays such a pivotal role in a consumer's ability to access credit, we at FICO are acutely aware of the need for widespread financial literacy and education. Here is how we make financial literacy a priority.”
A recent survey conducted by FICO showed that 74% of Americans think their current financial situation would improve if they had access to more personal finance resources and education. To address this need, FICO is providing a free credit education curriculum that helps people understand how credit scores work and what impacts their FICO® Scores, so they can understand how their FICO® Scores can unlock opportunities to secure credit at better rates.
Giving people free access to their credit score through their financial institutions means they are more likely to pay bills on time and make efforts to improve their credit knowledge and engagement. Access to credit scores, coupled with credit score education, means reduced stress, more savings, better financial opportunities, and a brighter future.
FICO has always push the bounds of financial inclusion through innovation which is exactly what we have been doing for over 30 years to help empower lenders, people, and economies around the world. FICO® Scores using alternative data sources can enable credit access for an estimated 1.3 billion people globally. In the US we offered the FICO® Score XD and the UltraFICO® Score – which augment traditional credit bureau data with rich alternative data, such as telecom, utilities, public record, and checking account data.
Because some learn better in person, FICO hosts financial education workshops to directly engage with students and adults. In 2025, thousands of students participated in these workshops across the country to learn about earning, spending, saving, and borrowing money and transition from “I wish I knew” to “I’m so glad I know.”
Score A Better Future® (SABF) provides adult consumers with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve their dreams, through free education sessions and free personalized credit counseling.
SABF Fundamentals, part of FICO’s Score A Better Future program, is a free, immersive credit education curriculum that readies middle & high school students to make informed credit decisions that last a lifetime.
FICO® Score Open Access for Credit & Financial Counselors enables credit and financial counseling providers to share FICO® Scores with their customers. Over 100 counseling organizations are participating, and more than 250,000 credit scores have been shared with consumers through this program.
FICO works with HUD-approved housing counseling organizations to support consumers navigating key financial milestones, including homeownership, credit rebuilding, and long-term financial stability. Through partnerships with organizations like National Foundation for Credit Counseling and HomeFree USA, FICO helps expand access to trusted credit education and counseling services that enable individuals and families to make informed financial decisions.
FICO partners with leading small business organizations to provide entrepreneurs with credit education and financial knowledge that supports business formation, sustainability, and growth. These partnerships include work with the Small Business Roundtable (SBR), the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), helping small business owners better understand how credit impacts access to capital and long-term success.
Through Lenders Leading Financial Inclusion (LLFI), FICO collaborates with Community Development Financial Institutions to advance financial literacy and support responsibly expanded access to credit in underserved and rural communities. As part of this work, FICO partners with organizations such as the National Bankers Association (NBA) and the Community Development Bankers Association (CDBA) to engage mission-driven lenders and strengthen financial education across the communities they serve.
We partner with world renowned athletes to raise awareness of the need for financial and credit education as the essential first step to achieve financial literacy.
FICO Score a Better Future program has transformed how over 137,000 people think about their financial futures. Through our Fundamentals programs and partnerships with Chelsea FC, Kyle Busch, Chris Eubanks, and more, we have brought financial literacy education to directly to sports fan and communities worldwide.
“We’re excited to be working with such a prestigious and renowned organization again, through whom we will continue to deliver incredibly valuable sessions and resources to help educate fans across the U.S. on the importance of financial literacy."
Chief Revenue Officer for Chelsea Football Club
“It’s important that people, including fans and the next generation of racers, have access to financial and credit education because it’s the first step in achieving financial wellness,” said two-time NASCAR Champion, Kyle Busch. “At RCR, our drivers are from a variety of backgrounds; and as a team, we look forward to working with FICO to help our fans learn more about the value of money, how credit works and the importance of building good financial habits.”
“Cricket fans are unrivaled in terms of passion and loyalty. Through our partnership with FICO, we have an opportunity to educate people to make more confident, informed decisions that support their financial health,” said a MI New York Spokesperson.
The FICO® Financial Inclusion Initiative is focused on the development of new scoring products, partnerships, services, and platforms to empower lenders’ decision making and financial inclusion growth efforts around the world.
What consumers and lenders need to know about the most widely used credit scores in lending decisions. Understand what are FICO scores, how they are calculated, and how they are used to make credit decisions.
Since 2015, over 50% of FICO’s R&D investment in its Scores segment has focused on broadening financial inclusion globally to enable credit access for an estimated 1.3 billion consumers globally.
