Nashville has been selected as one of five cities to receive a grant to help low-income residents reduce debt and build assets through free, one-on-one financial counseling incorporated into existing services offered in the city. The Office of Mayor Karl Dean and United Way of Metropolitan Nashville are partners in the grant funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and Living Cities’ Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund. The three-year grant will serve an estimated 5,000 Nashvillians at Financial Empowerment Centers across the city. At the Centers, financial counselors will teach clients how to open safe and affordable checking accounts, establish a credit score, maintain a positive balance, decrease debt and maintain savings. Commission, Metro Social Services and state offices that provide welfare benefits through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program.