Federal Leadership Award

Recognizing Members of the U.S. Congress and appointed leaders of federal agencies who have used their platforms to advance financial literacy.

Introduced in 2004 as the Federal Legislator Award, it initially recognized sitting Members of the United States Congress who had used their platform to demonstrate support for financial education and youth financial literacy. In 2010, the award was renamed the Federal Leadership Award to include appointed, confirmed leaders of  federal agencies. The Federal Leadership Award is not necessarily bestowed annually and often has more than one recipient in the same year.

Hugh Norton, Visa, presents the 2018 Award to U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, with Jump$tart President Laura Levine and Chairman Mike Staten

Award Selection

Recipients of the Federal Leadership Award and other Jump$tart honors are selected by a committee of national Jump$tart Coalition Board Members and prior honorees.  Awards are presented at the coalition’s Annual Awards Luncheon, the pinnacle event of Jump$tart’s Financial Literacy Month celebration each April.

Past Winners

  • 2023 – U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-GA-13)
  • 2018 – U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH-3)
  • 2017 – U.S. Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL-7)
  • 2016 – Martin Gruenberg, FDIC Chairman
  • 2015 – U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
  • 2014 – CFPB Director Richard Cordray and U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH-15)
  • 2013 – U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC)
  • 2012 – U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY-4)
  • 2011 – Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben S. Bernanke
  • 2010 – FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
  • 2009 – U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX-30)
  • 2008 – U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
  • 2007 – U.S. Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) and U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND-At Large)
  • 2006 – U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-15-TX)
  • 2005 – U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL-13)
  • 2004 – U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) and U.S. Rep. David Dreier (R-CA-26)