yEARS Ahead!
CRA Financial Literacy Programs for Banks
Help Build Financial Confidence for yEARS Ahead!
Introducing yEARS Ahead! — The Ride Rabbit Ride Financial Literacy Program
Bring financial education to life for children ages 8–12 through an engaging story, practical financial literacy lessons, and interactive learning activities.
Designed for banks seeking to expand financial education in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities, yEARS Ahead! provides ready-to-use educational materials that financial institutions can sponsor and deliver to school and community partners.
The program is designed to support community development initiatives with the potential for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) consideration.
A Financial Literacy Program Built for Community Impact
Financial education is an important component of community development. Helping children understand money early can build knowledge and confidence that benefits them for years to come.
Built around the children's adventure book Ride Rabbit Ride, yEARS Ahead! makes financial concepts approachable through memorable characters, real-world decisions, and practical exercises.
Students explore earning, saving, spending, borrowing, interest, budgeting, profitability, investing, and entrepreneurship while following Worth A. Fortune's journey from a simple idea to a growing business.
Our approach: Make financial literacy engaging for students and easy for banks to bring into the classroom.
What Your Bank Receives
A flexible financial literacy education package with three complementary components:
1. Ride Rabbit Ride — The Story
An entertaining children's adventure introducing foundational financial concepts through storytelling. Students learn alongside Worth as he makes financial decisions, faces challenges, and discovers the value of financial knowledge.
2. yEARS Ahead! — The Financial Literacy Companion Guide
Chapter-based financial literacy lessons designed for use by teachers, bank employees, and other educational facilitators.
Materials include:
Biz Tricks: Memorable financial takeaways connected to the story.
Financial Lessons: Clear explanations of money and business concepts.
Discussion Questions: Guided conversations to reinforce understanding.
Practical Exercises: Activities that help students apply what they've learned.
The flexible format allows schools and financial institutions to select lessons that align with their instructional schedules and community needs.
3. Fun with Numbers — Interactive Learning
Free online financial literacy activities available through the Ride Rabbit Ride website.
Students can explore financial scenarios and see how changes in borrowing, costs, pricing, and other assumptions affect financial outcomes.
Banks can incorporate these activities into sponsored classroom instruction at no additional website access charge.
Designed for Bank-Led Implementation
You manage your community relationships. We provide the educational materials.
yEARS Ahead! is a curriculum and educational content provider—not a school program administrator.
Participating banks independently:
Identify schools and community partners serving eligible LMI populations.
Purchase and distribute books and companion guides.
Coordinate instruction through school personnel, bank volunteers, or other facilitators.
Determine how the materials fit their community development strategy.
Maintain their own records and CRA-related documentation.
Supporting CRA Documentation and Measurable Impact
Educational resources designed to support activities that banks can document.
The program's structure allows participating financial institutions to track relevant information, including:
Schools and communities served.
Number of students participating.
Books and curriculum guides distributed.
Financial literacy lessons and activities delivered.
Bank employee participation and volunteer hours.
Program expenditures.
Optional student knowledge checks or other educational outcomes.
The companion curriculum can provide opportunities for discussion, exercises, and learning assessments. Participating banks and their educational partners determine which information to collect and maintain.
yEARS Ahead! does not collect student-level information, manage school programs, or prepare CRA reports.
CRA Eligibility and Regulatory Considerations
Financial literacy activities primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income individuals may qualify for consideration under the Community Reinvestment Act.
An OCC CRA Qualifying Activity Confirmation Request is being pursued for the proposed bank-sponsored educational model.
The request seeks clarification regarding the CRA treatment of financial institutions purchasing educational materials for use in qualifying financial literacy activities.
Any regulatory confirmation will be described here when received, including applicable conditions or limitations.
Bring yEARS Ahead! to Your Community
Contact Us to Request Program Information
CRA Disclosure: Eligibility for CRA consideration depends on the specific activity, the populations served, the financial institution's circumstances, applicable regulations, and regulatory review. An OCC qualifying-activity confirmation, if received, will apply to the activity and conditions described in that determination. yEARS Ahead! does not guarantee CRA examination credit.