Robinhood Launches Money Drills: Readiness

Robinhood Launches Money Drills: Readiness

Robinhood expands classroom-based financial education with the launch of Money Drills: Readiness, a program aimed at helping prepare active-duty service members and their families for civilian life.

We're introducing the next iteration of our signature Money Drills program, with the launch of Money Drills: Readiness, a classroom-based financial education program geared toward helping active-duty service members and their families learn financial skills and prepare for civilian life after serving their country. Aligned with our existing programs, this initiative seeks to meet individuals wherever they are in their financial journeys, offering tools, support and community.

Money Drills: Readiness is a new community education program that includes in-person financial education workshops, the creation of continuing education scholarships, and contributions to partner nonprofits all united in the goal of serving the military community and guiding them through the transition out of active-duty service.

Building on the philosophy of our existing programs, Money Drills: Readiness seeks to provide educational resources and community support through financial changes. Research underscores the need for targeted resources among military families. According to the The D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF) and Blue Star Families, over half of veterans surveyed said they needed support in financial planning and management advising during their transition to civilian life - and didn't get it. The same study showed that 41% of families approaching separation from the military feel unprepared for the overall transition to civilian life.

Classroom-Based Learning with The Donovan & Bank Foundation

With support from Robinhood, The Donovan & Bank Foundation (Donovan & Bank) has expanded its curriculum to reach more service members and their families through accessible, classroom-based workshops. Taught on military bases by veterans with firsthand experience and financial credentials, the workshops aim to demystify the transition from active duty to civilian life. Participants learn to prepare financially for what comes next, whether that's starting a new career, pursuing educational opportunities, or planning for retirement. This program provides financial education to service members approximately two years prior to separation, when they are best positioned to absorb the material, so that they are prepared to make full use of U.S. Department of War transition resources. By building financial readiness early, it helps service members leave the military with confidence rather than urgency. Donovan and Bank is a key nonprofit partner for Money Drills: Readiness, and will scale the reach of their financial education workshops through our collaboration.

"Robinhood is putting its weight behind a crucial mission - getting service members and their families the financial foundation they need as they transition into civilian life," said Dan Baugher, Kairos Director at Donovan & Bank. "Donovan & Bank earned its credibility in the Special Operations community because this work is done by operators, for operators. Robinhood's support lets us bring that same trusted approach to more bases and more families when it matters most."

Expanding Support through Scholarships with the AFCPE

Building on our partnerships supporting the military community, we are proud to announce a new initiative with the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®). Through the Robinhood Readiness Scholarships, AFCPE and Robinhood will provide Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) certification and Money Management Essentials scholarships for nonprofit organizations serving military service members and their families. The initiative will also expand access to military-focused webinars and professional development by providing AFCPE Membership and Military Essentials scholarships to military-serving professionals.

"There's no one-size-fits-all model for financial counseling, but we know that service members and their families have needs that call for real specialization," said Rachael DeLeon, AFCPE Executive Director. "Robinhood recognized that, and together we're expanding the number of counselors uniquely trained to support this community. Through the Robinhood Readiness Scholarships, AFCPE will equip more professionals with the knowledge, skills, and specialized training to support service members and their families throughout their financial journeys. We're proud to partner with Robinhood to make that possible."

"Military members spend dedicated time training for active-duty service, yet too often initiate separation feeling unprepared for civilian life," said Chloe Barz, Senior Director of International Government and External Affairs at Robinhood Markets, Inc. "We're excited that Money Drills: Readiness meets this need by providing resources and support as they enter their next chapter, unlocking new opportunities to learn core financial skills, meet peers and mentors, and thrive after service."

Expanding Access to Financial Education

The launch of Money Drills: Readiness also marks a pivotal step forward in our pledge to reach one million individuals with financial education through classroom-based programming by 2030. As we announced at our annual financial education summit this spring, Robinhood will continue to expand its educational programming and introduce new opportunities designed to build financial confidence, create community, and connect individuals to experts.

This program is an extension of our signature financial education initiative, Money Drills, established in 2022 to teach college student-athletes and professional athletes alike the basics of investing, saving, and planning for life after sports. That program continues to grow. This fall, four new campuses - Loyola Marymount University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the University of Denver, and the University of South Carolina - have joined the Money Drills cohort and offer expanded financial education courses available to all students for graduation credit.

In our mission to democratize finance for all, we believe that both financial tools, and the skills to make the most of them, should be widely accessible. We are proud to support educational initiatives that meet people where they are and offer support at every stage of their financial journey. Read more about our financial education and community programming on our Public Policy webpage.