We're redefining financial education.

The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) champions effective financial education. We are the independent, centralizing voice providing leadership, research and collaboration to advance financial well-being. As one of the first organizations to wholly dedicate its efforts on improving the effectiveness of financial education, we continue our legacy of strengthening action-oriented research agendas, mobilizing intermediaries, and creating better solutions for researchers, educators, practitioners and policymakers.

We have dedicated ourselves to the public good since our founding in 1984. We began with the development of the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program® (HSFPP) and followed it with additional programs – all at no cost to learners. While we no longer offer educational resources, we are committed to furthering the field of financial well-being.

Collaboration leads to change.

To understand and meet the changing financial education needs of all Americans, NEFE joins forces with thought leaders across the country and worldwide to help improve financial well-being. We facilitate rigorous financial literacy and behavioral research, convene experts on various personal finance topics, and comment and engage in national public policy efforts.

Our Mission

Annual Report

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is financial capability important to financial well-being?

Financial capability is important to financial well-being because it reflects a person’s ability to apply financial knowledge in real-life situations. Someone may understand the basics of budgeting, saving, or credit, but financial capability also requires the confidence, access, skills, and support to act on that knowledge. When people are financially capable, they may be better prepared to make decisions about spending, borrowing, saving, and planning for the future in ways that support their goals and circumstances.

Strengthening financial capability can help individuals respond to unexpected expenses, make informed choices about debt and credit, and build habits that contribute to greater financial stability. Because of this, financial capability is an important part of improving financial well-being for individuals, families, and communities.

How does research support financial capability and financial well-being?

Research plays an important role in strengthening financial capability and financial well-being by identifying the factors that influence financial behavior, decision-making, and outcomes. Through financial education, financial literacy, and behavioral research, organizations like NEFE can better understand how people interact with financial information, what barriers they face, and which approaches are most likely to support meaningful improvements in financial outcomes. This evidence moves the conversation beyond assumptions and toward strategies grounded in data and real-world experience.

By studying how financial education works, how people make financial decisions, and how systems affect financial outcomes, the field can develop more effective tools, policies, and interventions. In this way, research supports financial capability by helping the field apply that knowledge to improve financial well-being at both the individual and community levels.

How does collaboration help advance financial well-being?

Advancing financial well-being requires more than a single organization or a single area of expertise. Financial challenges are shaped by education, policy, behavior, economic conditions, and access to resources, so progress often depends on cross-sector collaboration. When researchers, educators, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders work together, they can share knowledge, identify emerging needs, and develop more informed approaches to strengthening financial capability and improving financial outcomes.

Collaboration also helps bridge the gap between research and practice. When organizations bring together people who study financial behavior with those who create policy, deliver education, or work directly with communities, we can better translate evidence into action. NEFE supports this kind of collaboration by convening experts, promoting partnerships, and encouraging dialogue across the financial education field, helping move forward ideas and strategies that can have a broader and more lasting impact on financial well-being.