What National Financial Educators Council does

The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) is a privately held, Nevada-domiciled Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corporation headquartered in Frisco, Texas (with a Las Vegas legal address) that operates a financial education platform built around the Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) credential, standardized K-12 and adult personal finance curricula, a proprietary eLearning platform, and the National Financial Literacy Test assessment instrument. The organization trains and certifies financial educators, licenses its curriculum and resources on annual auto-renew terms, delivers turnkey financial wellness programs and managed social-impact campaigns to enterprises, and operates a 50-state chapter network staffed by local advisory boards that fund operations through $2,500 annual memberships. Its underlying technology stack combines a self-serve eLearning platform, assessment and reporting templates, and a mobile app for personal finance delivery, all built atop its Framework for Teaching Personal Finance (co-developed with the Danielson Group) and aligned to InTASC standards.

NFEC generates revenue through six interlocking streams: CFEI certification enrollment and annual renewal fees; advisory board memberships ($2,500/year mandatory contribution); geographic sponsorships for financial service firms (ongoing with 90-day cancellation); managed social-impact and business-growth campaigns sold to enterprises; personal consultation and program-design services at $1,995 per engagement; and curriculum/resource licensing on 365-day auto-renew terms. The go-to-market combines a grassroots community-led motion (state chapters and advocacy committee), a direct enterprise sales motion (consultations, campaigns, advisory boards, sponsorships), and an event-driven layer (daily support calls, Financial Educators Day, the TBL Financial Literacy MVP contest). Its named customers span government (DOD Office of Financial Readiness), education (Wake Technical Community College, UC Riverside, Blinn College, Aspen Academy, Crosstimbers Academy), financial services (Old National Bank, Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union, Transamerica), community organizations (United Way Worldwide, ReBirth Empowerment, WISE, The Level Up Project), and content brands (Clever Girl Finance, The Basketball League).

The organization is 100% independent with no national sponsors, government affiliations, or promoted financial products. It claims reach of 1.4 million+ people across 71+ countries via 5,000+ trained graduates (completing 300,000+ professional development hours), 2,500+ programs developed, and 107,141 participants tested on the National Financial Literacy Test since 2014 (yielding a 67.4% cumulative average score, below the 70% passing benchmark). It is led by founder and CEO Vince Shorb and added a new product line, the National Life Skills Council (NLSC) offering the Certified Life Skills Instructor (CLSI) credential, in 2025. No external funding, parent company, or revenue disclosures were identified in the source data.

Name

National Financial Educators Council

Legal name

National Financial Educators Council

Website

https://financialeducatorscouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) is a privately held Benefit Corporation that trains and certifies financial educators through its CFEI credential and delivers standardized personal finance curriculum, eLearning, assessments, and managed financial wellness programs to schools, banks, employers, government agencies, and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Education and Coaching Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Education & Coaching (Digital Programs, Tools) (FSAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ), Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD), Financial Accounting & Reporting (GAAP/IFRS) (EDABAJAB), Personal Finance & Financial Literacy for Students (EDAMAIAH)

Keywords

• Financial education
• Financial literacy curriculum
• Financial wellness
• Educator certification
• Financial coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. CFEI Certification Training: Certified Financial Education Instructor training course that generates revenue through course enrollment fees. Over 5,000 graduates trained with over 300,000 professional development hours completed.
2. Advisory Board Memberships: State chapter advisory board memberships with mandatory contributions of $2,500 annually, funding state chapter operations and board member promotions. Payment options include full payment or $1,000 + $125/month.
3. Geographic Sponsorships: State and local sponsorship packages offering brand enhancement, advertising, public relations, and networking benefits customized to patron objectives. Sponsorship continues perpetuity until canceled with 90-day notice.
4. Managed Social Impact Campaigns: Custom-branded financial wellness programs and managed campaigns for organizations seeking to balance social good with business growth objectives.
5. Personal Consultation Services: Personal consultation and program design services priced at $1,995 for 2 hours of consultation and program development support.
6. Curriculum and Resources Licensing: Annual licensing fees for financial education curriculum, presentations, online learning, and program resources. License renews automatically at 365 days.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) delivers professional financial education certification (CFEI), financial coaching certification (CPFWC), and turnkey age-segmented personal finance curricula for kids, high school/college students, and adults, delivered through in-person workshops and an online eLearning platform. The organization also runs the National Life Skills Council with the Certified Life Skills Instructor credential, managed social impact campaigns, and geographic financial wellness sponsorships for organizations, schools, financial institutions, and government clients.

Product overview

The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) operates as a platform-based financial education organization offering multiple interconnected products and services. The core offering is the Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®) certification program, which serves as the foundational credential for financial educators. Around this core, NFEC provides turnkey curriculum packages for kids, high school/college students, and adults, delivered through both in-person workshops and an online eLearning platform. The organization also offers a separate financial coaching certification (Certified Personal Financial Wellness Consultant - CPFWC) and manages a National Life Skills Council (NLSC) with its Certified Life Skills Instructor (CLSI) credential. Additional offerings include managed social impact campaigns, geographic sponsorship programs, the Financial Literacy Test for assessment, and a state chapters network for localized advocacy and community mobilization. All offerings are built on NFEC's standards framework and IACET accreditation, with resources licensed annually to certified instructors and coaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Life Skills Council (NLSC): Launched in 2025 as a professional certification initiative for life skills education, offering the Certified Life Skills Instructor (CLSI) credential.
• Certified Life Skills Instructor (CLSI)
• Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI)
• United for Financial Literacy
• Make Financial Education a Core Subject

Products and services

• Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) Professional certification program that trains and credentials financial educators, signaling they meet industry benchmarks for teaching personal finance with rigor, ethical practice, and instructional excellence. Over 5,000 graduates have completed the program.
• Turnkey Financial Education Package Comprehensive suite of resources for deploying professional-level financial wellness programming, including curriculum, presentations, marketing materials, and assessment tools, designed for organizations seeking to launch financial education without building internal infrastructure.
• Financial Literacy Curriculum (Kids, High School/College, Adult) Standards-aligned personal finance curriculum covering budgeting, saving, investing, debt management, and wealth building, segmented into age-appropriate versions for children, secondary/post-secondary students, and adult learners.
• Online Personal Finance eLearning Platform Proprietary online learning management system delivering personal finance education with interactive content and assessments, serving as the digital delivery backbone for NFEC programs across age groups.
• Certified Personal Financial Wellness Consultant (CPFWC) Financial Coaching Program Professional certification and complete system for financial coaches and counselors to deliver financial wellness guidance to individuals and families, providing the credentials and resources needed to operate a coaching practice.
• National Life Skills Council (NLSC) Certified Life Skills Instructor (CLSI) A division of NFEC focused on life skills education providing standards-based training for educators and community leaders to enhance practical and interpersonal skills instruction, with the CLSI credential offered for instructors.
• Managed Social Impact and Business Growth Campaigns Customized financial education campaigns for financial service providers, educators, and content creators balancing social impact with business growth objectives, including custom branding and campaign management.
• Geographic Targeted Financial Wellness Initiatives Localized financial wellness campaigns providing resources, certified personnel, and community support for specific geographic markets through state and local sponsorship packages offering brand enhancement, advertising, PR, and networking benefits.
• Personal Consultation and Program Design Direct consultation service (US$1,995) providing program design support including needs assessment, outcome definition, and recommended solutions for financial education initiatives, broken into discovery, outcome definition, and recommendations phases.
• Financial Literacy Events and Workshops Event-based financial education programming including workshops and community financial literacy initiatives delivered in partnership with organizations, schools, and community groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88.77% of surveyed high school graduates rate financial education as equal to or more important than core subjects
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• ReBirth Empowerment EducationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Dallas-based nonprofit providing workforce development and support services to marginalized individuals, partnering with Texas Financial Educators Council to make personal finance education accessible.
• Corpus Christi Literacy CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Nonprofit literacy organization in Texas receiving in-kind donations and support from the Council to empower people with financial literacy education.
• Association for Independent Living (AFIL)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Nonprofit residential life skills program for young adults with disabilities, receiving financial education support including money management training through the AFIL Way Program.
• The Level Up ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BIPOC-focused nonprofit raising awareness of issues affecting underserved communities, partnering with NFEC for financial literacy programming to foster economic self-sufficiency.
• ilooklikeLOVEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Dallas nonprofit serving single mothers with education, relief, and recovery services, expanding financial education efforts through partnership with NFEC to empower mothers toward greater financial wellness.
• Crosstimbers Academy Charter SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Texas charter school serving grades 9-12 with project-based learning, receiving financial education resources and support from NFEC to enhance life skills instruction.
• Blinn CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20242-year public higher education institution in Texas incorporating personal finance concepts into EDUC 1300 courses for first-semester freshmen.
• Maverick Financial Literacy Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Program spotlight featuring founder Bankole Kumolu-Johnson delivering interactive financial literacy training covering budgeting, saving, investing, and debt management across diverse demographics (ages 15-56).
• The Basketball League (TBL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Multi-year partnership launching in 2020 to promote financial literacy across 49 TBL communities. More than 100 TBL players enrolled in CFEI training, national MVP contest created, halftime quiz games implemented, and Mother's Day promotions. Partnership expanded in 2023-2024 to include player certifications, community resource donations, and Financial Educators Day recognition. Other partners include Baron's, Broad St. South Podcast with Angel Martinez.
• Department of Defense Office of Financial ReadinesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019NFEC tailored CFEI training to help educators meet DOD mandated touchpoints and address improvement areas identified through pretests. 100% of participants reported increased confidence in delivering financial literacy education.
• Ellis Cropper (Massachusetts Financial Educators Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017NFEC partnered with retired Army Major and financial professional Ellis Cropper to establish the Massachusetts Financial Educators Council, aiming to increase access to quality financial education and advocate for higher standards statewide.
• First Financial Security (LiSA Initiative)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017LiSA Initiative partners with NFEC to train CFEIs who deliver workshops nationwide, empowering communities with education, mentorship, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Aspen AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017NFEC partnered with Aspen Academy to create a 200-hour financial education curriculum for PK-8 students with 20 hours per year, aligned with Common Core Standards. Includes performance-based assessments and curriculum maps.
• SunTrust FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Foundation funding provided to Wake Technical Community College for the Center for Financial Education. NFEC developed programming, supplied educational materials, and created the brand for the initiative. Case study highlighted by Boston Federal Reserve as best practice.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF): NGPF is a non-profit that provides free personal finance curriculum, teacher training, and PD to K-12 educators across the U.S., making it the closest direct competitor in school-channel financial education and instructor enablement.
• Council for Economic Education: CEE is a long-standing non-profit that sets national standards for financial and economic literacy, offers curriculum and teacher training, and runs the National Personal Finance Challenge — directly comparable to NFEC's standards and curriculum mission.
• FoolProof Foundation: FoolProof provides K-12 and adult financial literacy curriculum and educator resources with a sponsor-free, consumer-advocate stance — closely aligned with NFEC's independent, product-neutral positioning and instructor-focused delivery model.
• Junior Achievement USA: JA delivers K-12 financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs through a national volunteer network — analogous to NFEC's grassroots, state-chapter model and a key channel partner/competitor in school financial education.
• Money Management International: MMI is a non-profit credit counseling and financial education provider offering counseling, debt management, and educational resources to consumers — overlapping with NFEC's coaching division and adult financial wellness programming.

Broad incumbents

• National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE): NEFE is the largest U.S. private foundation dedicated to financial literacy research and grantmaking, funding many of the same educator-training and curriculum efforts as NFEC and operating as a broader, grant-funded incumbent in the category.
• Practical Money Skills (Visa): Visa's Practical Money Skills provides free personal finance curricula, lesson plans, and educator resources for K-12 and adults — a broad, well-funded incumbent in financial literacy that competes with NFEC on free curriculum distribution.

Others

• Ramsey Solutions: Ramsey Solutions is a large, established personal finance education brand offering curricula, books, podcasts, and teacher tools (Ramsey Education / Foundations in Personal Finance) for K-12 and adult learners, representing the dominant scaled competitor in financial education.

Emerging players

• Zogo Finance: Zogo is a venture-backed fintech/EdTech startup that gamifies financial literacy via a mobile app and partners with banks and credit unions — a tech-forward emerging player competing in the same institutional (FI) financial wellness channel as NFEC.
• Khan Academy (Personal Finance): Khan Academy offers free, high-quality personal finance video lessons and exercises for students and adults, supported by philanthropic capital — an emerging free alternative that competes with NFEC's eLearning and curriculum offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NFEC_FINEDU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/NationalFinancialEducatorsCouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/National-Financial-Educators-Council-174808982688132
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-financial-educators-council

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Financial Educators Council