FAQs

What is the time commitment involved in serving as an FICPA financial literacy volunteer?

• The time commitment is up to the each volunteer. If you choose to make one financial literacy presentation, the time involved is minimal. The presentations and materials are prepared for you and customizing them takes very little time. You will spend some time contacting the organization or group you wish to address and arranging to be placed on the agenda or program.

• If you wish to make several presentations, slightly more time will be needed, primarily for making contacts and scheduling.

• If financial literacy is one of your service priorities, you may want to recruit colleagues to join you in this worthwhile public-education program. The time needed for this endeavor is, again, up to the individual volunteer.

How will I benefit by serving as a financial literacy volunteer?

• As a volunteer, you will benefit personally by improving the financial literacy and lives of the people you reach and teach. Serving as a financial literacy advocate also positions you as a caring professional willing to share your expertise to help others, increases your visibility in the community and enhances the public's awareness of the CPA profession.

Do I have to prepare a presentation from scratch?

• No. The AICPA and the FICPA have developed speeches, PowerPoint presentations, outlines, talking points and planning guides for you. Everything you need to conduct a successful community outreach program is easily accessible on the FICPA's website at www.ficpa.org.

If I do not have access to a laptop computer and projector, can the PowerPoint presentations be adapted to another format?

• Yes. The material can be converted to slides, transferred to make overhead transparencies or copied for handouts.

I like to leave my audience with information they can keep. Are handouts available?

• Yes. The PowerPoint presentations can be copied and used as handouts. The Program Planning Guide also includes a consumer information page on financial resources, how to access financial calculators, and financial management tips that can be copied to use as a handout.

Can I distribute my own marketing materials and business cards as part of my presentation?

• It is not appropriate for volunteers to use speaking engagements to market their businesses or firms. It is appropriate to have business cards available should an audience member request one and to include one's business or firm, education and/or area of expertise as part of an introduction.

Is it appropriate to include my partners or staff as co-presenters?

• Yes. It is appropriate and encouraged. Including colleagues with varying areas of knowledge and experience enhances presentations and gets more CPAs involved in increasing awareness of the profession.

Does the FICPA provide support for this program in case I have questions or need help?

• Yes. The FICPA has formed a "360 Degrees of Financial Literacy" Task Force. Contact information for Task Force members is listed on the Financial Literacy area of the FICPA Web site. The FICPA Communications Department also serves as a resource if volunteers need assistance.