Building Confidence and Independence With Money.
Take Charge Lab is an online program to help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) practice real-life money skills in a supportive environment.
About Take Charge Lab
Created by the team at Take Charge America, this engaging online program helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities handle everyday financial situations with greater confidence. It was developed by financial counselors and disability specialists and tested with members of the IDD community.
The Problem We’re Solving
People with IDD experience abuse—including financial abuse—4x more than the general population.* Traditional financial literacy programs are often inaccessible for these individuals, leaving them vulnerable to financial exploitation and limiting their path to independence.
Footnote: *Ghaderi, G., & Cobigo, V. (2024). Exploring the complex cognitive, affective and behavioural processes of individuals with intellectual disabilities in financially abusive situations. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37, e13196.
How Take Charge Lab Helps
Everyday money decisions can feel stressful and confusing. Take Charge Lab helps these individuals to:
Participants gain confidence in managing everyday money situations.
Reduce their risk of financial exploitation
Participants build skills that help them feel more confident and independent when handling money.
Develop practical money skills on topics like budgeting and credit.
Designed with Accessibility in Mind
Take Charge Lab is intentionally built for diverse learning needs:
Clear, simplified language that supports comprehension
Visual and scenario-based learning grounded in real-world finances
Multiple engagement formats for different learning preferences
Scaffolded progression that builds confidence over time
The content is designed to feel practical and relatable, focusing on situations people with IDD encounter in everyday life.
Take Charge Lab Emphasizes Flexibility
The platform can be used as:
- A standalone learning tool
- A supplement to existing life skills or transition programs
- A structured resource for group or individual instruction
Real People. Real Progress.
Take Charge Lab supports learners, caregivers, and support teams together.
How the Program Works
A clear, supportive experience that helps learners build money skills with confidence—step by step.
Short lessons that feel approachable
Bite-sized topics with simple explanations, real-life examples, and supportive pacing.
Practice that builds confidence
Activities reinforce concepts with clear steps—so learners can repeat, learn, and improve over time.
Designed for support teams
Works alongside caregivers and staff—making it easy to guide learners without replacing existing services.
Real-world safety and awareness
Helps learners recognize safer choices, build independence, and practice healthy financial habits.
Partnership
Take Charge Lab supports the work agencies already do by providing an accessible tool they can incorporate into their programs.
Integrate into programs without replacing your services.
Works alongside caregivers, providers, and support teams.
“Small steps, taken consistently, create life-changing progress.”
Contact
Reach out to learn more about Take Charge Lab and how we can work together.