Tracey West
Ecstra Foundation is inviting entries from Australian schools for the 2026 ‘Talk Money Financial Literacy in Action Awards’[1].
The awards, now in their fourth year, recognise and celebrate outstanding efforts by teachers to promote financial literacy in Australian classrooms.
Dr Tracey West, financial education manager at Ecstra Foundation, said the awards are open to teachers from Kindergarten to Year 12 who are finding creative ways to build financial literacy in their classrooms.
“The program aims to raise awareness of how vital it is for young people to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to make informed financial decisions”, said Dr West.
“By recognising and celebrating excellence in financial education, these awards highlight the importance of teaching essential money skills that will benefit students and, ultimately, communities across Australia.
“We encourage all primary and secondary schools to take part and help their students build lifelong financial confidence. From understanding budgets and the power of compound interest, to learning about tax, superannuation and employment, these are the money management skills that set students up for future success,” Dr West said.The four award categories are:
- Kindergarten to Year 6
- Years 7 and 8
- Years 9 and 10
- Years 11 and 12
Nominations are now open, and close at 5pm on Friday 27 February 2026. A winning entry from each of the four categories will be selected by a judging panel and announced during Global Money Week, which runs from 16 to 22 March 2026. The prize for each winning entry includes $2,500 for their school.
Ecstra knows how busy the school term can be, so entering the Financial Literacy in Action Awards is quick and easy. Teachers simply need to provide a short summary of their project or unit of study and an outline of the lesson plan, including its objectives, materials and intended learning outcomes. Schools can also involve students by sharing examples of their ideas or completed projects. Previous award-winning projects, demonstrating innovative approaches to financial education, are available on the Talk Money website. Winners will be notified by email and announced on Talk Money with Ecstra Foundation social media channels.
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