Align
Ascend
Achieve
Building Financial Capability. Creating Generational Impact
Ascension Circle equips youth and communities with the financial knowledge and real-world skills needed to build stronger financial futures.
Ascension Circle is a faith-based nonprofit delivering structured financial education to youth, student-athletes, families, and underserved communities, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to reduce debt risk, build savings, and strengthen economic mobility.
Sponsor a Youth Participant

Community Impact
Measurable Community Impact
Ascension Circle programs are designed to produce documented, trackable outcomes, not just participation. Every cohort is measured against defined behavioral benchmarks, and results are reported to partners, donors, and stakeholders.
About Us
Who We Are
Ascension Circle is a faith-based financial education organization dedicated to equipping the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to build lasting financial stability. Operating as a 508(c)(1)(A) nonprofit, we provide structured, evidence-based financial literacy programs for youth, student-athletes, and historically under-resourced communities.
Through interactive curriculum, real-world learning experiences, and measurable outcomes, our programs help participants move beyond financial awareness to develop practical money management and wealth-building skills that last a lifetime.
The Financial Knowledge Gap Is Real
Millions of Americans, especially youth and low-income families, lack access to structured financial education. The result: chronic debt, low savings rates, and limited economic mobility. Ascension Circle exists to close that gap through evidence-based curriculum, structured programming, and measurable outcomes.
57% of U.S. adults cannot pass a basic financial literacy test
Source: FINRA
Nearly 40% of Americans cannot cover a $400 emergency expense
Source: Federal Reserve
Financial education improves credit scores in adulthood
Source: Urban Institute
Youth financial literacy programs increase savings behavior by ~20%
Source: CFPB
Flagship Program
A Structured 6-Week Financial Capability Program
Escaping the Financial Matrix is Ascension Circle's flagship curriculum, a structured, 6-week financial capability program delivered in 60–75 minute sessions. Available live, virtual, or hybrid. Designed for youth ages 8–18 and adult community cohorts.
Week 1: Understanding Money & the Financial System
How money works, the rules of the financial system, and why financial knowledge is power.
Week 2: Budgeting & Cash Flow Management
Building a personal budget, tracking income and expenses, and creating a spending plan.
Week 3: Credit, Debt & the Scoring System
How credit scores work, types of debt, and strategies to build and protect credit.
Week 4: Saving, Emergency Funds & Banking
Savings strategies, emergency fund targets, banking tools, and compound interest basics.
Week 5: Investing & Wealth-Building Fundamentals
Introduction to investing, asset types, and the principles of long-term wealth creation.
Week 6: Building Your Financial Roadmap
Participants create a personalized 3-step wealth plan and present their financial roadmap as a capstone deliverable.
Participant Deliverables
Written personal budget
Credit improvement action plan
Savings strategy with 90-day goal
3-Step personal wealth roadmap
All participants complete pre/post assessments. Program outcomes are tracked and reported per cohort.
Meet the Founder
Executive Director Robert Brickey Founder & Executive Director
Robert Brickey
Former Elite Athlete
Discipline forged through competition at the highest level
Community Leader
Trusted voice in Charlotte's neighborhoods and schools
Financial Educator
Teaching system mastery through structured curriculum
Youth Development Advocate
Championing the next generation's path to financial freedom
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Meet the Founder
From the Court to the Community
Robert Brickey’s journey is rooted in discipline, leadership, and a deep commitment to helping others succeed.
A former elite athlete who competed at the highest levels of college basketball, Robert learned early that the same focus and discipline required to master sport also applies to mastering the financial systems that shape our lives.
After years of studying personal finance, investing, and wealth-building, he recognized an important truth: the financial system has rules, and those who learn them gain the power to build opportunity within it.
Robert founded Ascension Circle to ensure that young people, families, and underserved communities gain access to the financial knowledge, tools, and guidance needed to build lasting economic stability and confidence.
Through structured financial education programs and community partnerships, Ascension Circle is helping equip the next generation with the skills to navigate financial systems, make informed decisions, and create stronger financial futures.
Our Programs
Structured Financial Capability Programs
Every Ascension Circle program is a structured learning environment built around measurable outcomes, not just awareness. Our curriculum is interactive, project-based, and age-differentiated, with pre/post assessments to track participant growth.
Financial Capability Programs
These programs help participants develop real financial capability — the knowledge, confidence, and skills required to navigate financial systems and build long-term economic stability.
Outcomes
What Participants Achieve
Ascension Circle programs are built around documented behavioral outcomes, not just attendance. Every participant exits with tangible skills, tools, and a personalized financial plan.
Ages 8–18
Age-Based Financial Education Pathway
Our youth curriculum is designed around three developmental stages so students learn the right financial skills at the right time. Each level includes interactive learning, real-world examples, and measurable outcomes through pre- and post-program surveys.
Students don’t just learn about money, they leave with practical financial skills they can use immediately and throughout adulthood.
All levels include pre/post assessments to measure knowledge gain and behavioral change.
Athletics + Education
Athletic Programs + Financial Education
At Ascension Circle, we believe the court is a classroom — and every drill is a lesson in discipline, strategy, and long-term thinking. Our athletic programs seamlessly integrate basketball training with financial literacy, leadership development, and mindfulness practices.
Financial Literacy Modules
Athletes learn budgeting, investing basics, and money management alongside their physical training — because mastering the financial game is just as critical as mastering the court.
Leadership Development
Through team exercises and mentorship sessions, young athletes develop communication skills, accountability, and the confidence to lead both on and off the court.
Meditation & Alignment
Mindfulness practices help athletes center themselves — building the mental clarity and emotional discipline required to make wise decisions in every arena of life.
Discipline & Long-Term Strategy
Athletes learn that the habits forged in training — consistency, patience, preparation — are the same habits that build financial freedom and generational wealth.
Teach athletes how to master both the physical and the financial systems — because true champions build legacies beyond the game.
Partners
Strategic Alliances for Lasting Impact
Ascension Circle is built on the power of partnership. We collaborate with schools, churches, community organizations, and corporate sponsors to deliver measurable outcomes, curriculum integrity, and leadership development at scale. When you partner with us, you invest in a structured approach to community transformation.
Our Partnership Model
Ascension Circle operates through strategic partnerships that allow financial education programs to reach youth and communities where they already gather. By working alongside schools, churches, community organizations, and corporate sponsors, we create practical pathways for financial education, engagement, and long-term impact.
These partnerships allow Ascension Circle programs to scale across schools, churches, and community networks while building stronger financial futures for the next generation.
Our partnerships are designed around accountability, clear objectives, and shared mission. Every collaboration is structured to deliver measurable impact — from youth reached and workshops completed to long-term outcomes in financial literacy and leadership development.
What Partners Receive
  • Curriculum integrity — research-informed, field-tested content
  • Measurable outcomes — impact reporting and program evaluation
  • Leadership development — capacity building for staff and volunteers
  • Brand alignment — association with a trusted, mission-driven organization
Ready to Partner?
Join a growing network of organizations committed to financial empowerment and community impact.
Get Involved
Your Involvement Creates Measurable Change
Ascension Circle grows through strategic partnerships and community action. Whether you represent a school, corporation, church, or simply want to contribute — there is a meaningful, high-impact role for you. We align with CSR initiatives, economic mobility goals, and leadership development priorities.
Ways to Support Financial Empowerment
Resources
Recommended Financial Tools
We've partnered with trusted financial tools and platforms to help you take action on what you learn. These affiliate links support Ascension Circle at no extra cost to you.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Ascension Circle may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Contact
Partner With Ascension Circle
Whether you're looking to book a session, explore a partnership, or simply learn more about our mission — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out using any of the channels below, and a member of our team will respond promptly.
Get in Touch
General Inquiry
Questions about our programs, mission, or organization? Send us a message and we'll connect you with the right team member.
Booking Request
Interested in booking Robert Brickey for a speaking engagement, workshop, or live session? Let us know your preferred date and format.
Email
light@ascensioncircle.org
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