Purpose: To recognize elected and appointed federal leaders for using their national platform to support and advance the financial literacy and financial education effort.
Eligibility: Current members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, Cabinet Officials, and heads of Federal Agencies, except those except those with close ties to Jump$tart or any awards committee members.
Eligible to Submit Nominations: Employees or officials of Jump$tart national partner organizations; officers of affiliated state coalitions; and the current awards committee.
Deadline: Nominations must be submitted by November 15, 2025.
Selection: Honorees will be selected by a committee of Jump$tart Board and Partner representatives. Results will be announced in early 2025. One or two honorees may be selected in a given year; when two honorees are selected, we strive for them to represent different bodies and/or different parties.
Participation: Honorees will be invited to receive their award at the Jump$tart Coalition Awards Event in Washington, D.C. in April 2025. The honoree will be invited to address luncheon guests, including leaders from the business, finance, and education communities, as well as government agencies and the media.
Previous Honorees:
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and U.S. Rep. David Dreier (R-26-CA), 2004; U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-13-IL), 2005; U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-15-TX), 2006; U.S. Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) and U. S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND-At Large), 2007; U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), 2008; U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice (D-30-TX), 2009; U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Sheila Bair, 2010; Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, 2011; U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-4-NY), 2012; and U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), 2013; CFPB Director Richard Cordray, 2014; U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), 2015; FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg, 2016; U.S. Rep. Terri Sewel (D-AL-7), 2017; U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty (R-OH-8), 2018. U.S. Congressman David Scott (D-GA), 2023.
Criteria:
The committee will consider the nominee’s national leadership, supporting financial education and youth financial literacy by:
- Introducing legislation or promoting policy to advance financial education and financial well-being.
- Using his/her public platform to raise awareness about the importance of financial literacy and to gain support for the effort, especially where it promotes equity and inclusion.
- Taking part in activities and events that educate students and adults about personal finance.
- Collaborating with colleagues, as well as the private sector, on financial literacy initiatives.
- Directing human, financial, and other resources to support and advance the financial literacy effort.
Background:
Introduced in 2004 as the Federal Legislator Award, the award recognized current members of the United States Congress who had demonstrated support for financial education and youth financial literacy. In 2010, the award was renamed the Federal Leadership Award to include non-elected leaders of the federal government.