Empower Your Community & Compete for Cash Prizes!
Are you passionate about financial education and making a difference in your community? The Financial Literacy Community Nights Project, aligned with DECA’s competition guidelines, is your opportunity to gain real-world experience, sharpen your project management skills, and compete for cash prizes while addressing critical financial literacy issues in your community.
Why Participate?
- Make an Impact: Help your community build essential financial skills like budgeting, managing debt, and planning for the future.
- Build Your Resume: Gain project management experience that colleges and employers value.
- Win Cash Prizes: Teams competing in the Financial Literacy Community Nights Competition can win:
- 🥇 First Place: $1,000
- 🥈 Second Place: $500
- 🥉 Third Place: $250
Prizes are awarded to the team to be shared among members.
How It Works
Teams will follow a structured project management approach to design and host a Community Financial Literacy Night:
1. Identify a Need
- Use research or surveys to uncover financial knowledge gaps in your community.
- Choose a topic that matters most—like budgeting, investing, or credit management.
2. Plan Your Event
- Create a detailed project plan, including timelines, budgets, and team roles.
- Develop educational materials tailored to your audience.
3. Host the Event
- Organize an engaging and interactive event with activities like role-playing, Q&A sessions, and financial simulations.
- Partner with local financial experts or businesses to add credibility.
4. Evaluate Your Impact
- Gather feedback from attendees to measure how your event increased their financial confidence.
- Submit a comprehensive report showcasing your project’s goals, execution, and results.
Topics You’ll Cover
Your project must address at least one of these key financial literacy areas:
- Spending & Saving: Budgeting strategies for everyday life.
- Credit & Debt: Managing debt and understanding credit scores.
- Employment & Income: Basics of salaries, benefits, and career financial planning.
- Investing: Building wealth through long-term financial growth.
- Risk & Insurance: Protecting your finances with insurance and risk management.
- Financial Decision-Making: Making smart, informed choices about money.
Judging Criteria
Your project will be evaluated based on:
- Community Need: How well does your project address a financial literacy gap?
- Project Management: Were your planning and execution effective?
- Innovation: Did you use creative approaches to engage your audience?
- Impact: How did your event improve financial literacy in your community?
How to Get Started
- Form your team and register your project.
- Begin identifying financial literacy needs in your community.
- Plan, execute, and evaluate your Financial Literacy Community Night.
Don’t wait—start planning your event today and make a lasting impact on your community while competing for exciting prizes!
For questions or to submit your project, contact the Utah Office of State Treasurer or your local DECA advisor.