FICO Invests in the Next Generation of Leaders Through First Tee

New partnership brings credit education resources to First Tee chapters, participants, and alumni

BOZEMAN, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global analytics software leader FICO (NYSE: FICO) is deepening its commitment to First Tee, a national youth development organization that harnesses the game of golf to instill life skills, build character, and develop confidence. FICO’s investment will support First Tee programs nationally and expand access to credit education for First Tee chapters, participants and alumni across the network, furthering both organizations’ commitment to building confidence and life skills for young people.

The partnership reflects FICO’s commitment to First Tee’s proven approach to youth development — using golf as a vehicle to teach young people skills and values that carry beyond the course. As part of the partnership, FICO will host hands-on credit education events for First Tee participants at chapter locations, including activations timed to coincide with tournaments in their respective markets. First Tee – Miami and First Tee – Metro Atlanta are among the first chapters to benefit from these on-site programs.

The partnership recently came to life at the inaugural Cadillac Championship in Miami where nearly 100 First Tee participants joined professional golfer Keegan Bradley for a putting challenge, live golf demonstration, and Q&A — complemented by a FICO-led credit education workshop that brought together lessons in discipline, resilience, and financial confidence both on and off the course.

"We are grateful for FICO's support of the youth in our community through this partnership," said Charles De Lucca, President of First Tee Miami. "The kids had a great opportunity to meet and hear from Keegan Bradley, and to take part in FICO’s workshop, learning how strong credit can help set them up for success in life."

As a supporter of First Tee, FICO is making its suite of credit education tools and resources available to First Tee chapters and alumni nationwide. Those resources include the Score a Better Future® (SABF) Fundamentals program — a free, comprehensive credit literacy initiative designed to equip young people with the knowledge they need to enter adulthood confident and financially informed — as well as Banzai, a free credit education platform available in more than 70% of U.S. schools.

A FICO consumer survey conducted by The Harris Poll found that 79% of Americans believe high schools should offer financial education, and 28% of Gen Z adults do not consider themselves financially literate. For First Tee participants, understanding personal finance and credit can be as transformative as the leadership and character skills they build on the golf course.

“The FICO® Score influences some of the most important moments in a person’s life, from renting a first apartment to paying for college to financing a car. Yet most young people enter adulthood with little understanding of how credit scores work — or how their FICO® Score can shape these major financial decisions,” said Nikhil Behl, President of Software at FICO. “Partnering with First Tee is a natural extension of our commitment to change that, meeting young people in a setting where they are already motivated and engaged.”

The Impact Partnership builds on First Tee and FICO’s early collaboration, which included chapter-level events in Canada and North Carolina and reflects a shared commitment to meeting young people where they are — in their communities and on the golf course.

About FICO

FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top US lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the US and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency.

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