Help Shape the Next Generation of Fiduciary Planners
Volunteer as a judge or mentor for NAPFA's national Student Financial Planning Competition.
Why get involved
Students nationwide build comprehensive financial plans and present them on video. As a volunteer, you'll play a direct role in developing future fee-only advisors. If your firm is hiring, you also get an early look at emerging talent!
Ways to volunteer
- Round 1 Judge (late February – early March)
Review initial video submissions (15–20 minutes each) and score them with a provided rubric, on your own schedule. - Mentor (early March – early April)
Coach a finalist team through two sessions of up to three hours each. The first session focuses on strengthening the plan. The second is for rehearsing the presentation. - Final Round Judge (early – mid-April)
Review and score the finalists' refined presentations.
Who we're looking for
We are looking for NAPFA members with client-facing financial planning experience. To volunteer, you need:
- CFP® certification
- At least one year of financial planning experience to serve as a judge, or two years to serve as a mentor
The competition is a friendly one, but we want to avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interest. Volunteers do not judge or mentor students from a school they are affiliated with, and each volunteer serves as either a mentor or a judge, not both.
Timeline
- Fall 2026: Volunteer sign-up open
- Late February – early March: Round 1 judging
- Early March: Mentors matched with finalists
- Early – mid-April: Final round judging
- Mid-April: Winners announced
- May 5–8, 2027: Winners recognized at the NAPFA 2027 National Conference in San Diego
Know a student or professor who should hear about this?
Share the student page or the collegiate page. Download the flyer.
Questions? Email membership@napfa.org