From Our Leadership
At a moment when the national climate feels unsettled and pressure is mounting across sectors, NEFE remains focused on our mission to champion effective financial education and advance financial well-being for all. The expectations for this field are not only higher, they are also more complex. This is not a headwind, but a mandate that we are meeting with intention and purpose. Expanding access, strengthening systems and advancing high-quality financial education is our work, not a side effect or option.
The progress in 2025 demonstrated how far the movement has come. Four additional states passed legislation requiring personal finance instruction for high school students. With these additions, 30 states now either require a full course or are implementing that requirement. Five years ago, just seven states had requirements in place. This movement reflects a powerful truth. Financial education is no longer emerging—it is advancing with urgency and purpose. This is not incremental change, but rather structural progress. Public demand is fueling this momentum. Our nationwide polling continues to confirm that Americans overwhelmingly believe this is vital, fundamental learning that must be taught in schools, as it is an essential preparation for life.
Last year also marked the conclusion of NEFE’s first formal strategic plan, where we celebrated meaningful results and measurable progress while reflecting on lessons learned. That retrospective is formative. Strategy is not a document—it is a discipline. Our Board of Trustees and staff are now collaboratively developing our next strategic plan, which will launch in 2026. This next chapter is about sharpening our focus, supporting partners and advocates more effectively, and strengthening the field's infrastructure. While advancing access, quality and impact, we will keep raising standards, challenging assumptions and driving forward with clarity and purpose.
Research remains critical to this work. In 2025, NEFE selected five research projects—a record number for a single grant cycle—awarding more than $600,000 in external research funding. Since 2006, we have invested over $7.6 million across more than 50 projects. Evidence matters. If we want durable progress, practice must be guided by rigorous inquiry.
We hope you find these highlights of our year informative and helpful to all you do each day. The work ahead is significant, and the expectations continue to rise, but so will the opportunity. Together with our partners, we are building a stronger, more durable field that expands impact and shapes the future of financial education.
