About Know Your Dough
Empowering youth and young adults through Financial Literacy Education
Who are we?
Know Your Dough (KYD) is a non-profit organization partnering with schools and community organizations in SW Colorado to provide financial literacy education programs to students and young adults and inspire them to begin their path toward financial literacy and independence.
We offer in-person and teacher-led online financial literacy classes to local elementary, middle school, high school students and young adults.
KYD’s in-person and online programs use games, interactive activities, and FUN!
KYD’s in-person and online programs use games, interactive activities, and FUN!
KYD was founded in 2013 to address the addition of Personal Finances to the Colorado Academic Standards. 9R Schools lacked the curriculum to address this new standard/competency; we saw a need and wanted to help!
Our Mission
To Create strong financial futures for our youth and young adults by:
- Delivering high-quality, life-changing personal financial knowledge
- Promoting practical, short and long-term financial literacy
- Empowering financial security and independence
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Our goal is to create a generation of adults who are responsible, resourceful, and self-reliant. |
Our Funding
Our organization is funded by grants, private donations, business memberships and sponsorships and other fundraising activities.
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Know Your Dough is volunteer-based
and our community loves Know Your Dough! |
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What do we do?
Designed for classroom use, KYD delivers financial literacy programs in-person by our trained volunteers, or by teachers in their classroom, using our customized online, interactive, voice-over (optional), turnkey programs.
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KYD teaches financial skills through interactive, FUN programs! |
Basic Economics
Budgeting Saving Debt Credit Investing Giving |
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Unlike standard online programs where the students stare at a
computer screen or use a workbook, our programs are online teaching modules, delivered by a human in a teaching environment with interactive activities, movement and lots of Q&A. |
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KYD programs are engaging and FUN
and the kids love it! |
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We believe that teaching students the basics of money management
lays a foundation for students to build strong money habits early and avoid many of the mistakes that lead to lifelong money struggles. |
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Financial decision-making is a learned skill, and KYD provides age-appropriate financial literacy education to SW Colorado youths and young adults, giving them the tools and confidence they need to make sound financial decisions.
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Who do we serve?
Our programs are available to all 2nd Grade, 4th Grade, Middle School, and High School teachers, as well as youth and young adult community organizations, in SW Colorado.
We partner with community organizations such as Oak Tree Resources and TRIO Talent Search (for underserved High School students pursuing higher education). We also offer programs through Fort Lewis College, partnering with the TRIO program and FLC’s 1st Generation Conference.
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In a typical year, KYD reaches:
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40+ classrooms
1000+ students
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How many students have we impacted?
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Over 8000 students!
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What is our impact?
Our impaction students is significant. To measure impact, we administer the same pre-test and post-test to participants and compare the results to determine the overall improvement. The tests directly measure financial knowledge, skill building and behavioral improvement.
In the last school year, we achieved 48% average increase in financial literacy across all programs!
In the last school year, we achieved 48% average increase in financial literacy across all programs!
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Average improvement in financial knowledge after completing a Know Your Dough program |
What is our history?
In 2012, the State of Colorado added Personal Finances to the Colorado Academic Standards. Schools did not have the curriculum to address this new standard and teachers were not prepared to teach personal finances. We saw a need and wanted to help. We determined that there were no other organizations providing these services in Durango and other local communities, and so, Know Your Dough was founded in 2013.
KYD's first class in 2013
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KYD launched its first Personal Finance program in August, 2013 to a small room full of high school students at the Durango Recreation Center. The week long program included a combination of interactive games, activities, and lessons combined with guest speakers. In post-program survey results, every participant said they would recommend the program to a friend. With that success and the financial support of our community we decided to seek our non-profit status with a 501c3. |
KYD obtained 501c3 status in September 2013, and our first in-classroom Personal Finance program was launched in December 2014 at Durango High School. We established a partnership with the Durango 9R School District Superintendent; we received his blessing and financial support to provide programs to all 9R Schools.
We initially began by providing financial literacy programs to 4th, 7th and 11th graders in conjunction with state testing on personal finances. The younger we start working with students the better, and connecting with them three times throughout their school education is most effective.
Since then, KYD has added multiple program offerings and included grade level specific selections designed to align with current Colorado Academic Standards.
We continue to expand our programs regionally and to serve other ages, including 2nd grade and young adults. provide customized programs and seminars to elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and community organizations in Southwest Colorado.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, adhering to the social distancing requirements,
Know Your Dough re-designed our programs in order to reach students
without our program volunteers being physically present in the classrooms.
Know Your Dough re-designed our programs in order to reach students
without our program volunteers being physically present in the classrooms.
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KYD developed interactive, voice-over, online teaching modules that can be led by Teachers in their classrooms as well as remote learning modules. |
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Since 2014, we’ve expansed our program offerings and included grade level specific selections designed to align with current Colorado Academic Standards, reaching over 1,000 students each year in program locations that include (past and present) :
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Durango School District:
St Columba (new in 2024) Durango Montessori School Mountain Middle School Fort Lewis College Youth Organizations: Boys & Girls Club of La Plata County Goys & Girls Club of Southern Ute Tribe 4H Club Young Adult Organizations: In the Weeds Wellness Court Oak Tree Resources Durango Adult Education Center |
Bayfield School District:
Mancos School District:
Hope Christian Academy - Ignacio Koogler Middle School - Aztec, NM TRiO: TRiO FLC -FLC 1st Generation Conference (for 1st generation college students) TRiO Talent Search (Middle and High School) - Ignacio High School - Big Picture High School - Durango High School Special Programs: Wi$e for Teachers The Women's Resource Center: Girls To Women & Get Your Girl Power Conference Durango Library Teen Program Denier Youth Services Center |
In the school years to come, we look forward to expanding our financial literacy programs to all public schools in the Four Corners Region, while reaching private and charter schools in these communities as well.
2016 Finalist
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Know Your Dough was nominated for
Non-Profit of the Year in 2016 and 2017 and was a Finalist in 2017. |
2017 Nominee
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Although we did not win the award, we pledge to continue working out our mission,
expanding our programs to meet the need of financial literacy education for the youth in our community.
expanding our programs to meet the need of financial literacy education for the youth in our community.
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