Our daily blog offers selected news of interest to SmartSAVER’s stakeholders and shines a light on the creative ways that communities are promoting the Canada Learning Bond. Stay up to date, read what others are doing and share your own story.

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We hope our blog will create conversation and support the exchange of ideas.

We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your CLB promotion or share tips to engage eligible families. Do you have a question for the community? Submit your stories, ideas and questions to info@SmartSAVER.org and we’ll share it on our blog.


Build learning into kids’ summertime fun!

Jacqueline and Son. Savings Selfie Winners 2015.

2015 Savings Selfie Winner: Jacqueline.

Unstructured summer play is great, but that doesn’t mean it can’t include learning!

We asked ABC Life Literacy to share some tips on how parents can incorporate literacy into kids’ daily activities. We were so excited by their ideas that we added a few of our own fun-ancial literacy suggestions too!


ABC Life Literacy Canada encourages parents to keep kids’ literacy skills sharp all summer. Research shows that children who read during summer retain their literacy skills and get a head start on September learning.

Try these fun activities:

  • Follow a recipe together to practice reading, math and comprehension all at once!
  • Traveling by car, bus or streetcar? Read signs, billboards and license plates together. Show your children how to find your destination using maps.
  • Send postcards from places you visit. If you’re vacationing locally, send one to yourself!
  • Build a summer book of memories. Tape in pictures and paper souvenirs and ask family members to write comments and captions.

SmartSAVER encourages parents to start conversations with their kids about what they want to be when they grow up, and to start education savings early. Research shows that children as young as 11 think about whether higher education will be financially possible for them, and that perception can influence their education goals and the effort they put into their school work today.

Encourage parents to consider these activities:

  • Take 10 minutes with their kids to complete the online RESP application at SmartSAVER.org with their choice of participating financial institutions. With an RESP account, children can start to receive government contributions for their future education, like the Canada Learning Bond that contributes up to $2,000 into each eligible child’s account.
  • Try SmartSAVER’s online calculator to check how much their child could get and show them how their savings can grow with the Canada Education Savings matching grant.
  • Visit the bank with their child so they can check on or even add money to their RESP.

Find more ABC Life Literacy activities at FamilyLiteracyDay.ca, and more RESP information at SmartSAVER.org.

 


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Incorporate the Canada Learning Bond Into Your Website For Great Results!

To simplify access to our online RESP starter and Canada Learning Bond (CLB) application, a number of our partners have created their own CLB web pages and are embedding the application directly into their own websites. Embedding the application on your website not only cuts down on the number of steps a family must take to access the application, but also allows them to complete the process without leaving your website. It’s a great way to capitalize on the web traffic your organization’s website already receives and offers one more tool to encourage people to visit your website.

Partners who have launched their own CLB webpage have seen up to a threefold increase in the number of parents who are completing applications compared to sending them to SmartSAVER.org directly. The key to this success is trust! Families already access your website for trusted information. By placing information about the CLB with a link to the application on your website, you show the families who trust you that you trust SmartSAVER. When your custom web page indicates that RESPs and the CLB can be accessed for free through the online application, parents will believe it.

Check out these great examples!

  1. Toronto District School Board (TDSB) RESP and CLB web page

The TDSB used our template to create their own RESP and CLB webpage. Accessed through their own website at www.tdsb.on.ca/SmartSAVER , this provides TDSB parents with a warm introduction to the application process along with the most important information they need to get started. When visitors click the green ‘Start My FREE RESP’ button, a unique URL tracks the completed applications sent from their page.  

Our webpage template is available in PSD format. You can adapt it to your organization’s web layout, colours and add details relevant to your campaign or audience.

TDSB SmartSAVER campaign

2. Momentum Embeds SmartSAVER’s Application

Momentum Calgary used SmartSAVER’s simple iFrame code to embed the CLB application directly into their own website www.momentum.org/startsmart . This allows visitors to complete the application without ever leaving Momentum’s website.

Request SmartSAVER’s iFrame code for your organization! Applications generated by your organization can be tracked using a unique URL.

momentum screen shot

3. CLB Promoter Buttons

Not ready to create a CLB page? Add one of our promotional buttons to your organization’s homepage. This will help ensure the visitors to your site are encouraged to learn more about RESPs and apply for the CLB. The buttons are available in different sizes. Request one from SmartSAVER today.

advocate web button 1 advocate web button 2

Here are some more examples of unique CLB webpages!

By Joe March.

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