[ About fli ]
Closing The Gap, Building The Future
Our Mission
We champion economic equity through high-level education, industry-aligned certification, and strategic professional pipelines. By leveraging innovative research and sustainable partnerships, we equip our community to master complex financial systems.
[ Our origin Story ]
A Foundation of Excellence
The Financial Literacy Institute is Delaware State University’s strategic engine for economic equity. We are moving beyond basic literacy to build a national model for financial agency and generational wealth.
Founded in 2021 through a grant from the Charles Schwab Foundation, the Financial Literacy Institute was established to bridge the gap between academic potential and professional placement. As an HBCU-based institute, Delaware State University is uniquely positioned to break down barriers between K-12, higher education, and the financial services industry.
This foundational resource allowed us to expand our Financial Management programming, enabling students to explore the Registered Investment Advisor profession while building direct relationships with industry leaders. Today, we build on this momentum by cultivating a broad ecosystem of partners dedicated to long-term economic equity and community outreach.
Our Vision
To be the national catalyst for closing the racial wealth gap by transforming the life trajectories of underrepresented students through financial agency and professional excellence.
[ Our Operating Model ]
Blueprint for Community Resilience
Closing the wealth gap requires a fundamental shift in how we educate, mentor, and empower the next generation. We have identified the critical intersections where education meets industry, transforming systemic challenges into clear pathways for professional excellence and community resilience.
Our touchpoint multiplier approach ensures that every interaction—from K-12 outreach to collegiate certification—builds toward a sustained trajectory of financial capability. By stabilizing this foundation, we move beyond theory, giving our students the practical access and professional networks required to navigate, master, and redefine their own economic futures.
Strategic Imperatives for Lasting Equity
The Representation Mandate
The financial services industry is undergoing a historic demographic shift, yet the professionals managing the nation’s wealth do not yet reflect the diversity of the nation itself. We serve as the strategic bridge, ensuring that the next generation of financial leaders is as diverse as the communities they represent.
The Workforce Solution
As a generation of financial advisors nears retirement, a massive expertise gap is opening in the wealth management sector. The Financial Literacy Institute is positioned at the center of this transition, developing a pipeline of high-capacity, industry-ready professionals to meet the demands of a modern economy.
The Generational Multiplier
Financial education is the most effective tool for accelerating economic mobility. By equipping students with high-level financial intelligence, we are not just changing individual career paths. We are providing the foundational knowledge required to build, sustain, and transfer wealth across generations.
Partner in the Transformation
We are building the infrastructure of opportunity. Join us as a donor or corporate partner to scale this impact across our students, our university, and our communities.
Meet Our Leadership
Greg Coverdale, MBA, CFP®
Director of the Financial Literacy Institute and Financial Planning Program
With over 25 years in financial services, Greg Coverdale leads the Financial Literacy Institute at Delaware State University to build pathways for economic independence.
From his high-level wealth management background to his service as a Financial Counselor for the Delaware National Guard, Greg is dedicated to making complex financial knowledge accessible to everyone. He combines his professional expertise and commitment to advocacy to empower students and communities to govern their own financial futures.