Investor Education Fund (IEF) Seeks Parties Interested in Acquiring its School-Oriented Financial Literacy Assets

Properties include Website, Online Tools, More than 50 Lesson Plans and Award-Winning "Funny Money" Program to Help Teachers Integrate Financial Education in their Classrooms

TORONTO, Jan. 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Investor Education Fund (IEF), a non-profit organization founded and supported by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), is seeking organizations interested in acquiring its school-based education assets. IEF aims to transfer these assets to an organization that will commit to continue use of the tools to advance financial literacy among youth, with the support of teachers and parents involved in shaping school curricula.

IEF is seeking a suitable acquirer that will continue to invest in delivering financial education in Canada's schools and will maintain and grow the existing program. The organization may be from the private, non-profit or public sector but must have a genuine commitment to supporting financial education for Canadian students.

The education assets include:

• The InspireFinanicialLearning.ca website, including online tools and over 50 lesson plans that help teachers easily begin integrating financial education into their classes
• Professional development programming that has instructed and informed about 1,400 teachers per year
• The award-winning Funny Money for High Schools Assembly Program

Additional details about IEF's education assets, including a video and an FAQ section, can be found on GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca's media page.

IEF intends to divest itself of these assets in light of its pending integration with the OSC's Office of the Investor, announced last November. Starting April 1, 2015, the two teams will form a new unified office called the Office of Investor Policy, Education and Outreach.

"As part of IEF's new role within the OSC, our focus will be on building the OSC's engagement with investors and better understanding their needs," says Tom Hamza, President of IEF. "We're proud of the work we've done to advance the financial literacy of young Canadians, and hope to find an acquiring organization that will continue this legacy."

Since its inception in 2000, IEF has played an integral part in helping to introduce and include financial education in the Ontario elementary and high school curriculum, and has reached more than 12,000 Ontario teachers and 500,000 students. The existing education assets offer an opportunity to make an immediate impact in Ontario communities, and are scalable to a national and international level.

IEF requests that parties send questions and initial expressions of interest by Friday, February 20, 2015 to [email protected]. Any questions sent by Tuesday, February 17, 2015 will be answered immediately and responses will be made available for all interested parties.  Expressions of interest should include a short description of the interested organization and contact information for the organization's representative.  IEF will provide additional information to those organizations that express an interest by the deadline.

About Investor Education Fund:

Investor Education Fund (IEF) is non-profit organization founded and supported by the Ontario Securities Commission that provides unbiased and independent financial tools to help Canadians make better money decisions. IEF offers research-based financial information to consumers via GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca and to students, parents and teachers through InspireFinancialLearning.ca and extensive classroom programs.

SOURCE Investor Education Fund (IEF)

Margo Rapport, [email protected], 416-895-5672