Howard County is set to launch Maryland’s first county-based Financial Empowerment Center (FEC), providing residents with free, one-on-one financial
counseling and coaching through a new partnership supported by a $250,000 grant.
Funded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund through the Wells Fargo Foundation, the new Financial Empowerment Center will be housed within Howard County’s Office of Consumer Protection and will offer professional financial counseling to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Howard County.
County Executive Calvin Ball said the initiative is designed to help residents build long-term financial stability. From the press release:
“Financial empowerment is the foundation of strong families and thriving communities,” Ball said. “Through this partnership, we are bringing trusted, professional financial counseling directly to our residents. Our Howard County Financial Empowerment Center will open doors for our neighbors to reduce debt, grow savings, and achieve long-term stability.”
The center will provide free assistance with budgeting, debt reduction, savings, credit building, banking services, asset protection, and legacy planning. Financial counseling will also be integrated into a variety of existing county and community programs, including housing assistance, workforce development, reentry services, and other human services.
United Way of Central Maryland will deliver the counseling services, while more than a dozen county agencies and nonprofit partners will help connect residents with the program.
Howard County is the first county in Maryland to establish a Financial Empowerment Center, joining similar initiatives already operating in Baltimore City and Gaithersburg. The model is part of a growing national effort to offer financial counseling as a public service, with Financial Empowerment Centers nationwide having served more than 211,000 clients.
These kinds of initiatives highlight how local governments are prioritizing financial wellness while balancing broader efforts such as economic mobility, housing stability, and long-term community resilience.
