Polk County Financial Empowerment Center
- The Polk County Financial Empowerment Center provides professional, confidential 1:1
financial counseling for Polk County residents, at no cost, as a public service. Services
are provided through a collaboration between Polk County and the Evelyn K. Davis Center,
a DMACC program.
- Polk County Financial Empowerment Center counselors are certified, compassionate and motivated to help participants with their financial concerns and goals
Schedule Your Appointment Today!
Activities and Goals
- Analyzing specific financial questions and challenges
- Comprehensive financial health assessment
- Review of credit reports
- Budgeting analysis
- Strategies to raise credit scores, decrease debt and increase savings
- Using safe financial practices
- Development of plans to achieve longer term goals
Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
- Services tailored to identify and address potential personal financial barriers to business goals. This includes raising credit scores to increase eligibility for capital, separating business and personal finances and assessing personal financial resilience during a period of transition to self-employment income
How Does It Work?
- Initial sessions are 60-90 minutes. Follow-up sessions are 30-60 minutes.
- Financial counseling can be provided in person or virtually (phone)
- In the first session counselors will describe the service, answer questions and listen to participants to learn about their concerns and goals
- Participants will be asked to review and approve a Client Service Agreement, and a Credit Pull Authorization if they wish to review their credit report (A credit report pulled by the FEC will not affect your credit score)
Did you Know - Polk County FEC participants have reduced non-mortgage debt by more than $5 million!
It’s Tax Season – Free Tax Assistance is available for residents earning roughly $67,000 or less, through the Volunteer Income Tax Services (VITA) program from the Iowa Center for Economic Success.
Join BankOn for access to safe and affordable banking.
- The Polk County Financial Empowerment Center began operations in March of 2020 through
a replication initiative grant from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. Polk County is now one of more than 30 cities and counties nationwide to invest
in this work for local residents.
- The Polk County FEC began in response to encouragement from the community to bring
no-cost, highly professional financial counseling to our community to help struggling
residents achieve economic stability and self-sufficiency, while also helping residents
identify pathways for even higher economic goals such as home ownership, small business
development, higher education and general wealth building
- Local agencies and programs have also benefitted. Agencies often identify financial counseling as a need for clients but they do not have the time, training or personnel to provide the service with the same level of expertise. To that end, the Polk County Financial Empowerment Center has been a valuable resource for programs working in areas of housing, banking, small business supports, basic needs, workforce development, re-entry, college financial aid and more See “Referral Partners” sub-section below for more information
Kent Johnson
Senior Financial Coach
Kent Johnson has worked in the non-profit financial education industry for over 30 years, primarily in the states of Iowa and Minnesota. Johnson became a financial counselor after having some of his own financial struggles early in life, which fueled his passion to help others.
He has written financial education materials for non-profits and has been quoted and featured in many publications including the book, "Dollars and Sense for College Students", as an expert in finance. Johnson also taught banking and insurance through Des Moines Area Community College.
He is a nationally certified Financial Counselor through the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, a certified Housing Counselor through HUD, and a Certified Student Loan Counselor through the FCAA.
Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree through Iowa State University with an emphasis in Business administration.
He is very passionate about his work and the clients he serves and enjoys his role as the Program Manager/Financial Coach of the Polk County Financial Empowerment Center within Evelyn K Davis.
Johnson offers financial coaching half-time as a part of his role and has a strong background in credit building/rebuilding, reducing debt, banking access, and a wholistic approach in overall money management. He understands that conversations about money can be difficult at times and enjoys the interactions with his clients, regardless of where they are in their financial path.
In his spare time, Johnson is a part time musician/guitarist and enjoys visiting his family and friends in Minneapolis and Iowa.
Toni Hoyt
Financial Coach
Toni joined the Polk County Financial Empowerment Center in 2023, as a Certified Personal Financial Coach.
As a long-time Polk County employee, she has seen many ways financial struggles impact every facet of peoples’ lives. She understands the humility and strength it takes to ask for help.
Since first learning of the Polk County Financial Empowerment Center’s opening at the Evelyn K Davis Center in 2020, she has encouraged people to take advantage of the long-term financial wellbeing that can be achieved with the help of a certified FEC financial coach at no cost.
Toni appreciates the opportunity to encourage and empower people throughout their financial journey.
In her free time, Toni enjoys spending time with family and friends, being outside and watching sports.
Mercedes Morton
Financial Coach
Mercedes Morton joined the Polk County Financial Empowerment Center (PCFEC) in 2024, as a Bi-lingual Personal Financial Coach. She was a Career Coach at the Evelyn K. Davis Center for almost three years before she transitioned to PCFEC.
She is a Servant Leader who has served her community in different professional roles in Polk County, IA. She has more than 25 years of working experience with government and non-for-profit organizations. Her combined experience in the legal, financial, social services and healthcare fields gave her the necessary skills and the professional knowledge to educate, to advocate, and to empower individuals to become self-sufficient and to reach their financial goals.
Mercedes’ education and work experience have equipped her with the necessary tools to plan, to analyze, and to develop strategies by creating Spending Plans, by motivating her clients, and exploring alternatives for them to reach Financial Health together with individuals from different ages, groups, and backgrounds.
Mercedes has a bachelor’s degree of Healthcare Administration from Mercy College, an Associates in Business Administration from DMACC, and an Associates in Accounting from Colegio La Divina Providencia.
She also has her own business providing judicial and healthcare interpreting and translations services in English-Spanish. Mercedes is a Paralegal by trade, but she is completing her certification at DMACC, and soon will be obtaining her Paralegal Certificate.
In her free time, Mercedes loves to spend time with her family and friends. She enjoys reading, dancing, and outdoor activities. She also loves to ride her road bike in the summer and goes for hikes and walks to national parks.
Corenne Seward
Financial Coach
Corenne Seward has been a Certified Personal Financial Coach with the Polk County Financial Empowerment Center within the Evelyn K Davis center, since 2022.
With over 25 years of knowledgeable experience in human services, customer service, community resources, and financial planning, Corenne has assisted clients from all walks of life achieve their financial goals. Her dedication and passion to serve her clients is unrivaled because she believes everyone deserves to succeed in financial health.
From Iowa State University, Corenne holds her Bachelor of Science in Child, Adult, and Family Services. She is certified through the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors since 2022. She also holds certifications in 2024 for C3 de-Escalation and Motivational Interviewing. She is pursuing a Master’s in Family Financial Planning through Iowa State University to better serve her clients.
Aside from her job, she enjoys time with family and friends. Going on walks, DIY projects, reading, and listening to music.
To discuss how the Polk Co. FEC can support your agency or business clients and employees please contact Program Manager Kent Johnson at kljohnson10@dmacc.edu or 515-697-1463.
To support this important work as a funding partner please contact Program Manager
Kent Johnson at kljohnson10@dmacc.edu or 515-697-1463