This issue brief reports on interviews and survey data from a group coaching pilot program. The brief summarizes findings from a group financial coaching program piloted by the Maryland CASH Campaign (mdcash.org) in spring 2013. The program was developed as a way to deliver financial coaching services efficiently by building on the success of group-based weight-loss, social work, and other behavior-change programs.

The Center for Financial Security (CFS) coordinated the development of a pre-post survey that Maryland CASH administered to group-coaching participants. In addition to the surveys, CFS interviewed six group-coaching participants, three coaches (two lead coaches and one co-coach), and one organizational staff member to learn more about group-based financial coaching.

The brief was authored by Christi Baker and Collin O’Rourke.