We provide funding for rigorous, innovative and actionable research that seeks to improve the public's financial well-being and has the potential to make a profound contribution to the field of financial education. We currently offer research grants and will soon expand our support to include directed research opportunities.
We welcome original research questions and replication studies that align with our funding priorities. Research projects must use rigorous empirical and/or theoretical analysis. Original data is welcome but not required.
Our grant cycle remains open to all eligible concepts, but we give preference to well-designed projects that align with any of the following four topic areas:
- Measurement: Studies that re-evaluate current financial literacy metrics and how financial literacy, behavior, perception, knowledge and skill can be measured more effectively.
- Systemic Inequality: Studies that investigate knowledge, skill and wealth disparities, especially among populations that are statistically more likely to experience systemic barriers to improving their financial well-being.
- Data and Methodological Limitations: Studies that examine bias—specifically as it pertains to personal finance— to help our field identify knowledge gaps and to strengthen research data and design by including traditionally less heard voices.
- Youth Focus: Studies that examine inconsistencies in exposure to financial education among youth in the U.S. as well as variations in financial socialization and education within family units.
Find more detailed information about our funding priorities.
Important Dates
Our 2022 grant cycle is now closed. Check back for more details about our 2023 cycle later this year.
Download and share our official Call for Letters of Inquiry in PDF format.
What Grantees are Saying
“Working with NEFE has been such a wonderful experience. Our team has felt supported from day 1 and through our entire process. We have appreciated the opportunity to work with NEFE to identify ways to improve our project methodology, engage with content experts, and disseminate our results. The support of NEFE has allowed us to complete a project that wouldn’t have been able to be completed without the financial support as well as the continued engagement with NEFE staff.”
-Melissa Wilmarth, PhD, Assistant Professor at University of Alabama