ABOUT US
Enabling students to call the shots about our fiscal future
About the challenge
In 2013, Dr. Mike Aguilar founded the Fiscal Challenge as a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization. The Fiscal Challenge is a national competition open to all undergraduate college students. The competition aims to increase student participation and interest in economic and fiscal policies through experiential learning.
Over the past ten years, the Fiscal Challenge has achieved this goal by creating a national platform for student competitors from different backgrounds to debate these issues with experts in the field. The competition has received ample favorable press coverage from organizations including Politico, Washington Post, The Hill, and US News & World Report, as well as recognition from the Journal of Economic Education for how it brings to life economics and fiscal policy for student competitors.
Our mission
Our mission is to enhance students’ understanding of fiscal policy through the use of experiential education.
What’s the purpose of the Fiscal Challenge?
Most economics curricula contain a gap: fiscal policy receives insufficient attention.
Taxes, spending, the national debt, and deficit are critical elements of advanced macroeconomic models—and are drivers of our everyday lives. A proper understanding of fiscal policy helps students grow as scholars, become more informed citizens, and possibly become policymakers themselves.
The United States is at a crossroads—on an unsustainable fiscal policy path with so much at stake. By providing students with an experiential learning activity that takes them from the Classroom to the Capitol, we put them in the driver’s seat of our country’s future.
Each year, we host a national economics competition open to all undergraduate college students in the U.S.
What to expect?
Participating in the Fiscal Challenge equips you with practical insights into the U.S. economic system while building leadership, public speaking, and mediation skills. You’ll gain real-world knowledge, sharpen critical thinking, and learn to analyze complex problems while presenting innovative solutions.
We provide resources to start your research and can help you find an advisor if your team would like to utilize one. This experience will distinguish you from peers by deepening your expertise in a vital but understudied field.
Your goal is to craft a budget proposal to stabilize the national Debt-to-GDP ratio at approx. 95% over a 30-year horizon, targeting Q2 2055.
Each spring, the top six teams from the first round are invited to Washington, D.C., to present their plans to a panel of expert judges.
The finals are an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your skills and network with leading professionals in fiscal policy.
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Judges, Advisors, Moderators, and Guest Speakers
Meet the Fiscal Challenge Team
Our Partner
Join our judicial and advisory team
Students always say that the finals being held in Washington, D.C., is the highlight of this free educational experience for their team. After the winners are determined, we host a networking session. This is an excellent opportunity to meet professionals in Washington, D.C., and connect with students nationwide.
If you are an educator or professional in the fiscal policy & economic world, we’re interested in finding a way to get you involved with growing the challenge. If you are interested in becoming an advisor or guest speaker for the 2025 season, please contact [email protected] by January 31, 2026.
Mike Aguilar
President & Founder
Dr. Mike Aguilar founded the Fiscal Challenge in 2013 based on his belief that there is nothing more powerful than experiential education couched within a competition. Mike is Teaching Professor of Economics at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (UNC – Chapel Hill), Adjunct Associate Professor at UNC – Chapel Hills’ Kenan Flagler Business School, and Adjust Associate Professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He previously served as Chief Investment Officer of Cardinal Retirement Planning in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Early in his career, he worked at the Congressional Budget Office.
Mike has won numerous awards for teaching excellence and is committed to student success within and outside of the classroom. He has published his research in leading journals including Real Estate Economics, Journal of Economic Education, and Journal of Econometrics, among others. Mike holds a PhD in Economics from UNC – Chapel Hill, an MA in Economics from New York University, and a BS in Economics and BA in Mathematics from Binghamton University.
As Founder and President of the Fiscal Challenge, Mike oversees all recruiting, fundraising, and operation efforts. He leverages his extensive experience in macroeconomics to judge the first round of the competition and invites economics professionals to serve as mentors to student competitors. He welcomes conversations with peers who share his passion for supporting the next generation of professionals who will shape U.S. fiscal policy.
Contact Information:
[email protected]
Allie Roed
Program Director
Allie Roed is the Program Director of the Fiscal Challenge, where she leads the competition’s final round in Washington, D.C. and drives year-round engagement through marketing and outreach to universities nationwide. She was drawn to the Fiscal Challenge for its unique ability to give undergraduates hands-on experience with fiscal policy, helping them connect government decisions to their daily lives and future careers.
With extensive experience in marketing strategy, event management, and program leadership, Allie has a proven track record of growing participation, strengthening member engagement, and executing high-impact programs. She is passionate about helping students build the knowledge and leadership skills to make a meaningful impact on today’s most pressing fiscal and economic challenges.
Contact Information:
[email protected]