North Idaho College draws 537 women to money conference
537 women packed North Idaho College for a free money conference that ended with 40 $1,000 scholarships and expanded sessions on investing and homeownership.
North Idaho College drew 537 women Tuesday for a free financial literacy conference that ended with 40 $1,000 scholarships, a sign that practical money advice is finding a strong audience in Kootenai County and across North Idaho. The second North Idaho Women and Their Money Conference turned a campus event into a direct boost for women trying to make better decisions about budgeting, banking, homeownership, investing and long-term planning.
The one-day conference, held at North Idaho College on June 9, offered 18 breakout sessions and had 550 seats available. Registration ran from April 24 through June 1, and organizers widened the event’s reach this year to women in Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone and Benewah counties. ABC News anchor and freelance correspondent Alison Kosik served as keynote speaker.
The conference was built as more than a seminar. Organizers described it as a free, daylong financial literacy experience meant to inspire, educate and empower women to take control of their financial future. The scholarship drawing at the end gave that mission a tangible payoff: 40 attendees received $1,000 awards that can be used for summer 2026, fall 2026 and spring 2027 classes at NIC.
That combination of education and tuition help appears to be driving the conference’s growth. The inaugural event in 2025 drew 365 participants and offered 15 breakout sessions, ending with $20,000 in scholarships, including 20 awards of $1,000 each. This year’s scholarship pool doubled to $40,000, and the number of breakout sessions increased by three, reflecting stronger support and a wider appetite for money skills that can translate into education, stability and upward mobility.
For a region where many public conversations center on housing, school funding and other immediate pressures, the turnout suggested another need just as real: clear, accessible guidance on how to save, invest and plan ahead. North Idaho College’s role as host, and the size of the crowd it drew, showed the campus functioning not just as a college, but as a place where women across the region can find practical tools for their financial lives.
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