There are many ways to incorporate financial mentoring into an organization, depending on current services, staff workload, level of service desired and funding availability. There are several important things to consider before starting a Financial Mentoring Program.

The first is staffing. One option is to have a single staff person work exclusively as the financial mentor - coordinating with case managers, employment specialists, etc., and centralizing related information for the entire organization. This approach allows the mentor to develop good expertise and provide in-depth service to clients, but usually requires more funding to cover staffing costs.

An alternative strategy is to provide financial mentoring through existing direct service staff. While this option costs fewer dollars, existing staff may not have the time to wear another "hat" and integrate financial mentoring into their workload. It may also be a challenge to ensure that all staff have an adequate level of understanding of the subject.

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