Canadian Foundation for Economic Education

What Canadian Foundation for Economic Education does

The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) is a Toronto-based, non-partisan non-profit founded in 1974 that operates as Canada's only national organization solely dedicated to economic and financial literacy education. CFEE delivers programs and resources across four stated pillars — career development capability, financial capability, economic capability, and enterprise capability — serving a diverse audience that spans youth (K-12 and post-secondary), educators, seniors, Indigenous communities, newcomers to Canada, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

CFEE's core product portfolio includes Money and Youth (a printed guide with over 740,000 copies distributed nationally), FinLit 101 (an online self-instruction course for high school students), the Talk With Our Kids About Money (TWOKAM/PAANE) annual awareness day, and a suite of province-specific Building Futures programs in Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba that are correlated to each province's mandatory curriculum requirements. Additional offerings include Indigenous Peoples' Money and Youth (in partnership with IG Wealth Management), Money and You: Seniors Edition, the Seniors Financial Coffee Clubs (peer-to-peer learning format), Let's Talk Money: Seniors (with Scotiabank), the Summer Side Hustle Entrepreneurship Challenge, and Money Laughs (humor-based video content). All programs and resources are provided free of charge.

CFEE's revenue model is grant- and donation-based rather than transactional, funded through a diversified mix of provincial government grants (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba), corporate sponsorships and foundation grants (IG Wealth Management, RBC Foundation, Scotiabank, Retired Teachers' Association of Manitoba), and program-specific funding. Distribution occurs through three primary channels: direct partnerships with 7,500+ Canadian schools, in-person and virtual community workshops, and a free self-serve online platform. The organization employs 101-250 staff and has earned international recognition including a Child and Youth Finance International Financial Inclusion Award nomination.

Name

Canadian Foundation for Economic Education

Legal name

Canadian Foundation for Economic Education

Website

https://cfee.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CFEE is a Toronto-based non-profit founded in 1974 that delivers free financial literacy and economic education programs across Canada, serving youth, seniors, educators, Indigenous communities, and newcomers through school partnerships, provincial curriculum-integrated programs, and online resources funded by government grants and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Literacy Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Finance & Financial Literacy for Students (EDAMAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial & Consumer Literacy (Banking, Credit, Contracts) (EDAAAAAG), Credit & Debt Management (Credit Scores, Loans, Repayment) (EDAAAJAC), Small Business & Self-Employment Personal Finance (Income, Expenses, Cash Reserves) (EDAAAJAL), Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Financial literacy education
• Economic education
• Nonprofit educational programs
• Youth financial literacy
• Curriculum-aligned resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Funding from federal and provincial government bodies including Alberta Government, Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, Ontario Government, and Manitoba Government to support educational programs
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Donations: Support from corporate partners including IG Wealth Management, RBC Foundation, and Scotiabank for specific program initiatives
3. Foundation Grants: Funding support from charitable foundations and associations such as Retired Teachers' Association of Manitoba

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CFEE provides free financial literacy, economic, career development, and enterprise education programs and resources to Canadians across age groups. Its core offerings include the Money and Youth guide (740,000+ copies distributed), the FinLit 101 online self-instruction course, the Talk With Our Kids About Money (TWOKAM) awareness program, provincial Building Futures curricula for grades 4-12, and dedicated programming for seniors, Indigenous youth, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Product overview

CFEE offers a comprehensive portfolio of financial literacy education programs and resources spanning multiple audience segments. The core offerings include: Money and Youth (a widely distributed guide with 740,000+ copies) and FinLit 101 (online self-instruction course) as primary educational resources; provincial Building Futures programs in Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba providing curriculum-aligned materials for grades 4-12; Talk With Our Kids About Money (TWOKAM) as an annual awareness day and year-round program; and dedicated seniors programming including Money and You: Seniors Edition, Seniors' Financial Coffee Clubs, and Workshops for Seniors. Supporting programs include the Summer Side Hustle Entrepreneurship Challenge, Money Laughs (humor-based content), and Indigenous Peoples' Money and Youth. CFEE also provides teacher professional development through Money and Youth Workshops. The portfolio operates across both English and French, with resources available online and in-person.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Money and Youth: Financial literacy guide for youth focusing on decision making, values, setting goals, earning income, employment, budgeting, and planning.
• Talk With Our Kids About Money Day (TWOKAM/PAANE)
• FinLit 101
• Building Futures
• Seniors Financial Coffee Clubs
• Money and You: Seniors Edition
• Indigenous Peoples' Money and Youth
• Money Laughs
• Summer Side Hustle Entrepreneurship Challenge

Products and services

• Money and Youth A comprehensive financial literacy guide for youth (14+ years) covering decision making, values, goal setting, earning income, employment, budgeting, and planning. Over 740,000 copies distributed across Canadian homes and schools.
• FinLit 101 Online self-instruction course for high school students developed in collaboration with provinces across Canada, also available to teachers, parents, and others for developing personal financial capability.
• Talk With Our Kids About Money (TWOKAM) Annual awareness day and year-round program supporting parents and educators to help children learn about money and develop important financial skills, with resources for home and school.
• Building Futures in Alberta Financial literacy program for grades 7-12 in Alberta featuring 20 learning modules aligned with the provincial curriculum, including videos, animations, and teacher support materials.
• Building Futures in Ontario Financial literacy program incorporating FinLit 101 learning style correlated to Grade 9 Math and Grade 10 Careers courses in Ontario, featuring 30 scenario videos and interactive learning tools.
• Building Futures in Saskatchewan Program supporting the mandatory Financial Literacy 10 (FL10) course in Saskatchewan, providing curriculum correlation guides aligning CFEE resources with learning outcomes.
• Building Futures in Manitoba Complete program supporting integration of financial education into compulsory courses at grades 4-10 level, developed in collaboration with the Manitoba government.
• Money and You: Seniors Edition Financial guidance program for seniors or those nearing senior years, helping with financial decisions around retirement, budgeting, estate planning, and managing money in later life.
• Seniors Financial Coffee Clubs Program bringing seniors together for informal, facilitated discussions on personal finance topics, with content developed in consultation with seniors and financial experts.
• Workshops for Seniors Financial literacy workshops organized in collaboration with local mayors and seniors' associations, covering topics of common interest to seniors with resources and ongoing website support.
• Money and Youth Workshops Professional development workshops for teachers to build confidence and capability in providing economic, financial, enterprise, and career development education.
• Summer Side Hustle Entrepreneurship Challenge Hands-on classroom-ready competition introducing students to small business creation, where students build and pitch their own summer business idea with supporting business plan templates and update events.
• Money Laughs Financial education content through humor, providing engaging video content on financial topics.
• Let's Talk Money: Seniors Program facilitating intergenerational conversations about money between family members, providing resources to help seniors and their adult children discuss financial topics.
• Indigenous Peoples' Money and Youth A financial literacy publication developed in partnership with IG Wealth Management specifically for Indigenous youth, incorporating Indigenous culture, tradition, and territories into the learning content.
• Managing Your Money in Canada Website resource providing ongoing reference and support for managing personal finances in Canada, complementing workshop programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 740,000 copies of Money and Youth distributed nationally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IG Wealth ManagementcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner and sponsor for Indigenous Peoples' Money and Youth program, providing funding and support for culturally-appropriate financial literacy education for Indigenous populations
• Alberta GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided grant funding to improve financial literacy of students through CFEE educational programs in Alberta schools
• Saskatchewan Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for Building Futures in Saskatchewan program delivering career development and entrepreneurship education
• Ontario GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for Building Futures in Ontario program providing entrepreneurship education to Ontario students
• Manitoba GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with CFEE for Building Futures in Manitoba program delivering entrepreneurship and career planning resources
• ScotiabankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the 'Let's Talk Money: Seniors' program, supporting financial literacy education for Canadian seniors through corporate sponsorship
• Retired Teachers' Association of ManitobaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Summer Side Hustle Entrepreneurship Challenge, providing backing for youth entrepreneurship education
• Red River College PolytechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal launch partner for the Summer Side Hustle Entrepreneurship Challenge program for aspiring entrepreneurs

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Junior Achievement Canada: Canadian non-profit delivering entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy programs to youth through schools. Directly comparable to CFEE in target audience (students), school-based distribution model, and free-access sponsorship-driven funding.
• Banzai: Provider of free, sponsor-funded financial literacy and life skills content for K-12 students. Comparable in student audience, free-access model funded by financial institutions, and school-based delivery, with a more digital-native product.
• EverFi: U.S.-based financial literacy, wellness, and SEL education platform delivered through K-12 and higher education institutions. Directly comparable in school-distribution model and sponsored free-access funding, though more technology-driven.
• National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE): U.S. private non-profit foundation dedicated to financial literacy education and research. Closest international analog to CFEE in mission, structure, and program portfolio, though U.S.-focused.
• Prosper Canada: Canadian non-profit focused on financial empowerment for low-income Canadians, with programming for newcomers and vulnerable populations. Comparable in Canadian non-profit financial education focus and target segments overlapping with CFEE's newcomer and Indigenous programming.
• ABC Life Literacy Canada: Canadian non-profit delivering adult literacy and essential skills programs, including financial literacy components. Comparable in funding model (grants, corporate sponsors) and target demographic (adults seeking foundational skills).
• FoolProof Solo: Financial literacy curriculum provider for high school and college students, sponsored by banks and credit unions. Comparable audience, curriculum-aligned modules, and financial-institution sponsorship model.

Broad incumbents

• Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC): Canadian federal agency responsible for financial literacy policy and consumer education. Overlaps with CFEE's mission but operates as a regulator/funder rather than a curriculum-delivery organization, making it both a partner and an adjacent incumbent.
• Visa Practical Money Skills: Corporate financial literacy program from Visa providing free personal finance resources for educators, students, and consumers. Overlaps with CFEE's audience and free-resource model but as part of a broader corporate CSR portfolio.

Regional players

• Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) UK: U.K. government-backed body coordinating financial education and capability initiatives. Mission-aligned to CFEE but operating in a different geography with a national-mandate funding model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_CFEE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cfeefoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/CanadianFoundationforEconomicEducation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-foundation-for-economic-education
• Instagraminstagram.com/cfee_
• TikToktiktok.com/@cfeefoundation

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 Canadian Foundation for Economic Education