Seeds of Fortune
Building a strong credit foundation doesn't have to be complicated, and starting early makes a real difference.
Building Credit Readiness Before It's Needed
Most people encounter their FICO® Score for the first time when something important is already on the line — a car loan, an apartment application, a first credit card. By that point, the habits that shape that number have been forming for years, often without much guidance. The good news is that building a strong credit foundation doesn't have to be complicated, and starting early makes a real difference. If you haven't checked your FICO® Score yet, myFICO makes it easy to get started for free — no credit card required. And if you're a college student looking to do more than just understand your own credit, there's a new opportunity worth knowing about.
FICO Teams Up with Seeds of Fortune and Marsai's Way Foundation
FICO has joined Seeds of Fortune Inc. and Marsai's Way Foundation to expand a national financial empowerment initiative reaching college students and families across the country.
Seeds of Fortune is a national nonprofit and education technology platform that prepares students for college, career, and financial success through financial education, scholarships, and leadership development. Since its founding, the organization has helped students secure more than $73 million in scholarships and grants. Marsai's Way Foundation, led by actress and producer Marsai Martin, supports young people through programming focused on leadership, education, wellness, and personal growth.
Introducing the FICO Financial Empowerment Fellowship
At the center of the new partnership is the FICO Financial Empowerment Fellowship, an initiative that prepares college students to become peer ambassadors for financial empowerment on their own campuses.
As part of the Fellowship, ambassadors will help fellow college students understand the importance of building healthy credit, checking and monitoring their FICO® Scores, and connecting with trusted financial institutions and educational resources that can help them establish strong financial foundations early in adulthood.
The Fellowship will award ten $1,500 scholarships to college students who demonstrate leadership and a passion for financial empowerment. Selected Fellows will receive training in credit education, financial wellness, and community engagement before leading campus activations throughout the academic year.
What the Partnership Includes
Beyond the Fellowship, students and families will have access to a range of educational experiences throughout the partnership:
- Credit Starts at Home family workshops
- Digital financial education campaigns
- Campus-based Fellowship activations led by trained peer ambassadors
- An exclusive Ask Marsai Anything virtual conversation, where Marsai Martin will discuss financial wellness, career growth, and the importance of building healthy financial habits
Together, these experiences combine celebrity influence, nonprofit expertise, and industry leadership to address one of the nation's largest financial education gaps — reaching students and families through the channels and communities they trust most.
Why Starting Your Credit Journey Early Matters
The FICO® Score is used by 90% of top U.S. lenders. It influences whether you're approved for a credit card, an auto loan, or a mortgage — and the interest rate you'll be offered when you are. A strong score built early in adulthood can translate into thousands of dollars in savings over a lifetime.
But for many college students, credit still feels unfamiliar or even intimidating. Understanding what goes into a FICO® Score, how to check it, and what consistent habits look like over time — that's the foundation this Fellowship is designed to build. When students learn this alongside their peers, from people who share their experiences and understand their challenges, that knowledge is far more likely to stick.
As Marsai Martin put it: "Knowledge creates opportunity. We're helping students build confidence around money, understand their financial future, and become leaders who can bring that knowledge back to their own communities."
How to Apply
Applications for FICO Financial Empowerment Fellowship are open now. The deadline to apply is September 21, 2026. Selected Fellows will participate in programming throughout the fall and be recognized at the Resolution Brunch, hosted by Marsai Martin in Atlanta on January 18, 2027.
Ready to take the next step?
- Get your FICO® Score for free at myFICO — no credit card required.
- Learn more about the FICO Financial Empowerment Fellowship and apply at seedsoffortune.org/marsai
The myFICO Team is made up of credit experts from the company that created the FICO Score — the score 90% of top lenders use to make credit decisions. Whether you're getting ready for a mortgage, buying a car, or just want a clearer picture of where you stand with your credit, we're here to make credit easy to understand.