SoFi Partners with Kelsea Ballerini and tnAchieves to Invest $2 Million for Tennessee's Next Generation to Achieve Their Ambitions

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SoFi Partners with Kelsea Ballerini and tnAchieves to Invest $2 Million for Tennessee's Next Generation to Achieve Their Ambitions

SoFi’s Rising Stars Program Provides Post-Secondary Students with Financial Skills and Resources They Need to Succeed: Financial Education, 1:1 Coaching, Grants, and Resources to Start Investing Early

SAN FRANCISCO – May 16, 2025 – SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFI) has teamed up with five-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated, multiple ACM and CMA Award-winning, multiplatinum songwriter, producer, and author Kelsea Ballerini and tnAchieves, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to college access and success, to launch the Rising Stars Program. This $2 million initiative is aimed at helping the next generation of Tennessee students achieve financial independence. SoFi will provide tnAchieves with over $500,000 in grants to expand its COMPLETE program. SoFi’s contributions will fund students’ 1:1 coaching and financial support as they prepare for a high-skill, high-wage career, as well as a specialized financial readiness curriculum for the 60,000 students across their programs. In addition, to help people start investing early, SoFi is offering every Tennessee resident between 18-24 the opportunity to receive a minimum of $5 in stock of their choosing, at no cost, with a chance to receive up to $1,000 in stock – all with no minimum deposit or fees required. 

"It has taken me years of hard work to reach my ambitions, and I’ve been lucky to have the support of so many people along the way," said Kelsea Ballerini. "I'm incredibly proud to be working with SoFi to give students in Tennessee the financial tools and education they need to succeed. Investing even small amounts of money in your 20s will go further than larger amounts invested later in life. Building true financial independence starts by investing in your future early…in all the ways!”

The Rising Stars Program will enable tnAchieves’s COMPLETE to expand its support for students across Tennessee to help them meet college enrollment requirements and successfully earn a college credential, from 1:1 coaching to financial assistance for food, housing, laptops, textbooks, and emergency funds. SoFi will also equip all tnAchieves students with a financial planning curriculum covering topics like budgeting, investing, and saving for future life milestones. The organization's impact is significant: students who participate in the COMPLETE program are six times more likely to graduate than their peers. 

“tnAchieves could not be more excited to partner with SoFi to bring financial literacy resources to our students and families, helping more Tennesseans achieve their ambitions of going to college and earning a high-quality degree,” said Krissy DeAlejandro, President/CEO of tnAchieves. “The Rising Stars Program will provide our students with the critical support and mentorship they need to get into college, pursue meaningful careers, and build generational wealth. We are grateful for their support as tnAchieves executes programs designed to build Tennessee’s future workforce by meeting each student where they are—at scale.”

“At SoFi, we’re committed to helping people achieve financial independence to realize their ambitions. And we know access to financial education, coaching, and investment tools can drive generational wealth and long-term success,” said Lauren Stafford Webb, CMO at SoFi. “This partnership is about creating real opportunity for young people to get their money right and build the foundation for their financial future. As a mother and a Tennessean, I care deeply about investing in the state’s next generation, and SoFi is honored to work alongside Kelsea Ballerini and tnAchieves to make an impact.”

SoFi is also making it easier for people to get started with investing and on the path to financial independence. To participate, students can register for an Active SoFi Invest brokerage account, with no minimum deposit required. Once their account is set up, they will be directed to a promotion where they can select stock values ranging from $5, $10, $50, $100, or $1,000. This offer is available to Tennessee residents between the ages of 18-24 who do not have an Active Investing brokerage account with SoFi. Registration is open from June 6 until July 31, 2025. Visit sofi.com/RisingStars to learn more.

The Rising Stars Program is part of the SoFi Generational Wealth Fund, which has contributed millions of dollars across multiple initiatives to help underserved communities build wealth for the next generation. These programs have made a meaningful impact by helping low-income families purchase their first home, funding high school athletic programs, providing financial aid for family planning, and empowering women’s financial independence. Kelsea Ballerini joins SoFi’s inspiring roster of Generational Wealth Fund partners, which includes NBA All-Star and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, tennis champion and best-selling author Venus Williams, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, and Los Angeles Sparks forward and WNBA star Cameron Brink. 

About SoFi

SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) is a one-stop shop for digital financial services on a mission to help people achieve financial independence to realize their ambitions. Over 10.9 million members trust SoFi to borrow, save, spend, invest, and protect their money – all in one app – and get access to financial planners, exclusive experiences, and a thriving community. Fintechs, financial institutions, and brands use SoFi’s technology platform, Galileo, to build and manage innovative financial solutions across 158.4 million global accounts. For more information, visit www.sofi.com or download our iOS and Android apps.