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Financial Education
Our Financial Education Team offers financial education classes at no cost to the participant. We offer classes in-person and virtually, via Zoom. Please see below for more details.
Expand all- First Time Home Buyer Education Classes
Home Ownership Seminar
This six-hour seminar held on Saturdays brings you expert guest speakers including a lender and real estate professional who will explain how each step of the process works and answer your questions. Choose the location that is best for you:
Saturday, October 11, 2025, 9AM - 3PM - MANASSAS LOCATION - SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/HOSRegistrations
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 9AM - 3PM - WOODBRIDGE LOCATION - SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/HOSRegistrations
Saturday, November 8, 2025, 9AM - 3PM - MANASSAS LOCATION - SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/HOSRegistrations
Saturday, November 15, 2025, 9AM - 3PM - WOODBRIDGE LOCATION - SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/HOSRegistrations
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9AM - 3PM - MANASSAS LOCATION - SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/HOSRegistrations
Saturday, December 13, 2025, 9AM - 3PM - WOODBRIDGE LOCATION - SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/HOSRegistrations
Smart Money Management
This seminar packs Income, Expenses, Assets and Liabilities management into one two-hour session. It examines spending habits, explains net worth and cash flow; offers better credit and debt management tools while guiding you to create your personalized spending plan. Choose one of the classes listed below:
Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 1PM - 3PM ZOOM CLASS, SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/2SmartMoneyManagement Registration form will be sent to you via Adobe Acrobat for e-signing.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 7PM - 9PM IN-PERSON AT WOODBRIDGE LOCATION, SIGN HERE: bit.ly/2SmartMoneyManagement Registration form will be completed in the in-person class.
Financial Assessment
This is a one-on-one counseling session with one of our HUD certified Housing Counselors.
By appointment only. Visit this site: VCE Financial Education & Housing Counseling Interest Form or email [email protected] to request an appointment.
NOTE: These classes are open to anyone. You do NOT have to be in the First Time Home Buyer Program
- Financial Empowerment Series I – IV (Held in Odd Months)
FES I – Budgeting Basics
FES II – Borrowing Basics
FES III – Understanding Credit Reports and Scores
FES IV – Identity Theft, Avoiding Fraud and Scams
SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/FinancialEmpowermentSeries for enrollment into this series. Link to registration form will be sent to you via Adobe Acrobat for e-signing and submission.
- Class Topics (Held in Even Months or of timely interest)
Avoiding Foreclosure: Join us as we review the options that exist and where to turn for assistance. Understanding home mortgages, what to do if you get behind on mortgage payments, learn how to avoid foreclosure. To sign up, use this link: bit.ly/AvoidingForeclosureEviction
Budgeting Basics: Learn the basics of budgeting to help keep you on track. To sign up, use this link: https://bit.ly/BudgetingBasicsStandAloneClass
Credit and Debt Management: Join us to learn what credit is, how a credit card works, how debt works and how to manage both. To sign up, use this link: https://bit.ly/CreditandDebtManagement
Spending and Savings Plans: Join us to learn spending and saving strategies. To sign up, use this link: https://bit.ly/SpendingandSavingPlans
- Third Thursday Lunch & Learn: Small Business Classes
Each Third Thursday of the month, we hold Small Business 101 virtually at 12PM (Noon), where we share tips and resources for starting and managing a small business.
SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/SmallBus101 for our LUNCH & LEARN: Small Business 101 class, is each third Thursday at 12PM.
SIGN UP HERE: bit.ly/SmallBusiness102Workshop for our Small Business 102 class held on alternating months.
SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/SmallBus103 for our Small Business 103 class held occasionally, check back for scheduled dates.
Prince William County Announces Second Annual Start SMART Small Business Series & Pitch Competition for Local Entrepreneurs
Prince William County is bringing back the Start SMART Small Business Series & Pitch Competition, a free, in-person program designed to equip local entrepreneurs with practical skills to start and grow their businesses.
The series meets on Tuesdays, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Prince William Chamber of Commerce, located at 9733 Buchanan Loop, Manassas, VA 20110. The program runs Sept. 23 - Dec. 16, 2025, with no sessions on Nov. 11 (Veterans Day) and Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving week).
The program is open to individuals who live and/or work in Prince William County and intend to base their business in the County. Participants may range from those with just a business idea to entrepreneurs with up to 8–10 years in business who are planning to expand.
Over 11 training sessions, participants will work through the FDIC/SBA Money Smart curriculum and additional workshops led by the Mason Small Business Development Center. Topics include business planning, financial management, marketing, and growth strategies.
Those who attend at least 8 of the 11 sessions will qualify for the pitch competition on Dec. 16. The competition serves as the program’s 12th week, where participants showcase their ideas before a panel of judges.
The first-, second-, and third-place winners of the pitch competition will receive monetary awards to be applied toward startup or operating costs. Winners are selected using a judging rubric based on the knowledge and skills covered during the training sessions.
Now in its second year, the series is a collaboration among Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Financial Empowerment Center, Virginia Career Works, and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development & Tourism, with additional support from Mason SBDC and the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. The program underscores the County’s continued commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and strengthening the local economy.
Register now while space is available. For more information, contact Enica Russell, Education & Outreach Specialist at [email protected] or call 703-792-5943.
To see all of our classes and/or sign up for them, please visit our Monthly Calendar If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or call and leave a message 703-792-6287, 703-792-4713 (Spanish) or toll free 1-833-501-8763.
You can also complete our VCE Financial Education & Housing Counseling Interest Form online.
To keep informed of updates, please sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter.
Our in-person classes are held at the following locations:
Sudley North Government Center (Jean McCoy Conference Room)
7987 Ashton Avenue
Manassas, VA 20109
Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building (Leesylvania Conference Room)
15941 Donald Curtis Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Development Services Building
5 County Complex
Woodbridge, VA 22192
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Financial Education & Housing Counseling Program
8033 Ashton Ave., Suite 105
Manassas, VA 20109
[email protected]
