FPA reorganizes pro bono efforts

The Financial Planning Association today announced that it has enlisted the help of the Foundation for Financial Planning to coordinate its members’ pro-bono efforts. Under the terms of the arrangement, the foundation will take the reins on the FPA’s pro-bono efforts June 1 and help support chapters all over the country in their volunteer endeavors. The Foundation for Financial Planning is an independent organization that was created by the International Association of Financial Planners, a predecessor organization of the FPA. The foundation aims to connect financial planners with underserved communities and to educate the public about the importance of financial planning. The group has coordinated with the FPA in the past, and many members are donors to the foundation, noted Michael A. Branham, the 2013 president of the FPA. In fact, the foundation has provided grant support to the association’s pro-bono efforts going back to 2001. “We felt there was a lot of duplication of efforts between the work they did to coordinate pro-bono efforts and what we’re doing,” Mr. Branham said in an interview with InvestmentNews. “We felt they have a unique skill set that they can offer to our chapters in the day-to-day management of our pro-bono efforts,” he added. “It’s a symbiotic relationship, and the chapters provide the boots on the ground.” The FPA chapters themselves have been particularly active in donating their services to those affected by disasters. The New York chapter hosted planning workshops after Hurricane Sandy rocked the Empire State. Meanwhile, the Colorado chapter leapt into action last summer when the state was plagued with wildfires. Further, the FPA will be kicking off two other strategic alliances. Bross Group LLC, an IT consulting firm in Denver, will provide the FPA with guidance on its technology strategy. The firm recently performed an audit of the FPA’s technology, Mr. Branham said. The FPA will also team with The Raben Group, a lobbying and public-affairs firm in Washington, to pitch in with advocacy efforts. “We’re having them help us determine our overall strategy and how to build the infrastructure to do that,” Mr. Branham said.