FPA of Central Ohio and FPA of Los Angeles Are Winners of 2026 Power of Financial Planning Award

Denver (August 26, 2026) - The Financial Planning Association^® (FPA^®), the leading membership organization and trade association for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professionals, and the Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP) announced today that the FPA of Central Ohio and FPA of Los Angeles are the recipients of the 2026 Power of Financial Planning Award. This is in recognition of each group's commitment to delivering pro bono financial planning in the spirit of FPA's Primary Aim: To elevate the profession that transforms lives through the power of financial planning.

In its eighth year, the Power of Financial Planning Award recognizes one or more FPA chapters and their members' efforts to provide quality pro bono financial planning and advice to underserved populations over the previous 12 months.

"Reading the submissions for this year's Power of Financial Planning Award made me so proud to be a long-time member of FPA," said 2026 FPA President Dan Galli, CFP^®. "Financial planning is among the ultimate helping professions, and our chapters and members across the country are embracing and embodying that. On behalf of the entire association, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the work that these two outstanding FPA chapters are doing to transform people's lives through financial planning."

FPA of Central Ohio was honored for its work in partnership with the New Directions Career Center to provide one-on-one pro bono office hours for women surviving domestic violence and homelessness, as well as an intensive, multi-week financial literacy class that helps women gain financial independence. Volunteers utilized the office hours to help women with immediate financial concerns such as debt and cash flow management. The financial literacy class leveraged MoneyWise curriculum to help participants gain a formal certification showing that they have mastered their finances. The women who participated also received a meal and childcare.

FPA of Los Angeles was recognized for its three Wildfire Recovery Financial Decision-Making Clinics in Altadena and the Palisades, which were completed in partnership with United Policyholders and the California Community Foundation. Its March event's registration was filled two weeks in advance, and more than 100 fire survivors were on the waitlist; representatives from the SBA, legal aid, mental health counselors, housing counselors, nonprofit partners, and the Los Angeles County tax assessor's office attended. To assist with the situation many people faced following the devastating wildfires in early 2025, including severe underinsurance, FPA volunteers created an interactive calculator to model various scenarios. Each fire survivor left the events with a short, written action plan.

The FPA Awards Committee recommended, and the FPA Board of Directors approved, these two chapters as the recipients of the 2026 Power of Financial Planning Award.

"These chapters exemplify the very best of pro bono financial planning-CFP^® professionals using their expertise to help people in crisis or need navigate some of life's most challenging financial moments," said Jon Dauphiné, CEO of the Foundation for Financial Planning. "We're proud to join FPA in recognizing FPA of Central Ohio and FPA of Los Angeles for their outstanding commitment to expanding access to financial guidance for those who need it most."

Both the FPA of Central Ohio and FPA of Los Angeles will be celebrated at a special Honors Reception at FPA SUMMIT 2026 at the Gaylord National Resort in the Washington, D.C.-area, from November 9-11.

For more information about FPA SUMMIT, visit www.fpasummit.org.

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About the Financial Planning Association
The Financial Planning Association^® (FPA^®) is the leading membership organization and trade association for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professionals and those engaged in the financial planning process. FPA is the CFP^® professional's partner in planning by helping them realize their vision of professional fulfillment through practice support, learning, advocacy, and networking. Learn more about FPA at financialplanningassociation.org.

About Foundation for Financial Planning
Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP) is the nation's leading charity dedicated to advancing pro bono financial planning for at-risk populations, including active military members and wounded veterans, people with cancer and other serious illness, seniors and family caregivers, low-income individuals and families, domestic violence survivors and many more. Over its more than 30 years, FFP has provided over $11 million in grants to national and community-based pro bono programs; worked with partners to activate more than 33,000 financial planners to volunteer their time and talents; reached over 800,000 people in crisis or need; and acted as a leader and catalyst to foster a rich tradition of pro bono service across the financial planning profession. Visit FFPprobono.org to learn more.