Learn More about Economics Competitions: The National Personal Finance Challenge (NFPC)

The Junior Economic Club has partnered with the Council for Economic Education and the Center for Economic Education to promote financial literacy via the National Personal Finance Challenge. Learn more below.

The NFPC is a nationwide competition that provides high school students the opportunity to build and demonstrate their knowledge of money management. Teams showcase their expertise in the concepts of earning income, buying goods and services, saving, using credit, investing, and protecting. The competition begins with competitions at the state level. The winning team from each state moves on to the National Semi-Finals from which the top-scoring teams advance to compete for the National Title, with top prizes of $250-$2,000 per teammate on the winning teams. For spring 2021, Semi-Finals and Finals competitions will be held entirely online.

Are you a student interested in competing? Find 2-3 other students from your school to form a team and sign up here!

How it Works

Teachers can register teams of three to four high school students starting on March 1st. All teams then complete an online, multiple-choice test by April 23rd. The tests are individual, and the teams with the highest total scores move on to the Semi-Finals Round, which will be scheduled by region to be held on one day between May 6-May 26. This round asks teams to answer online multiple-choice questions. High-scoring teams then move on to the National Finals, which will ask students to create a financial plan for a detailed fictitious family scenario (case study). Students will present to and answer questions from an expert panel of judges comprised of economists and financial professionals. This round will be held on June 3rd.  

Awards

Top-performing teams at the National Personal Finance Challenge will receive a trophy, banner, and cash prizes for each student member corresponding to their team’s rank in the National Finals: 

1st place: $2,000
2nd place: $1,000
3rd place: $500
4th place: $250

Chicago Access Zone

The Chicago Access Zone program is for student teams whose members reside in Chicago and attend schools with low-income population. Chicago Access Zone teams begin with a mandatory pre-survey offered through CEE’s Ready Assessments and continues with competition at the state level (registration needed through CEE). The winning team from each state and from each Access Zone move on to the National Semi-Finals from which the top-scoring teams advance to compete for the National Title. In the spring of 2021, Semi-Finals and Finals competitions will be held entirely online. Special Chicago Access Zone teams conclude with a mandatory post-survey offered through CEE’s Ready Assessments and to be completed by June 15, 2021. 

For Interested Students

Please find 2-3 other students who are interested in competing. Then, send the information above to your teacher and ask them to register your team. If you attend a low-income school, also request that they fill out this form to be included in the access zone.

If you are unable to find a teacher willing to register your team, please ask everyone to complete the interest form linked to the button below, and we will get back to you with more information.

Study Materials

EconEd Link: Council for Economic Education’s portal for lesson plans, videos, activities, ed tech tools, resources to supplement our publications and more. 

Federal Reserve Education: Get the latest on educational resources from the Federal Reserve.

Financial Avenue: Inceptia's online financial education program, Financial Avenue, mentors students on the basics of personal finance while talking to them on their level. 

Gen I Revolution Simulation: In 2010, CEE published Gen I Revolution, an online strategy game that simulates a cyberpunk battle against financial illiteracy. Players will confront both economic themes and personal finance challenges.

Next Gen Personal Finance: Free resources for personal finance teachers.

Wells Fargo Hands on Banking: The Hands on Banking® online learning center offers resources for anyone who wants to learn more about money management.