Individual Wealth Building

A consortium led by a steering committee of members from five foundations (Haas, Ford, Mott, Heron, and Annie E. Casey), the Network aims to support asset building for people of limited means. Areas of focus include Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), Children's Savings Accounts, retirement accounts, homeownership promotion, micro-enterprise promotion, access to education, and anti-predatory lending programs. Read more about Asset Funders Network...

DC EITC Campaign is a coalition of nonprofit, business, community, labor, immigrant, and religious organizations that was created in 2000 to support enactment of a DC Earned Income Tax Credit. The campaign led to the establishment of a DC EITC equal to 10 percent of the federal EITC, which has since been expanded to 25 percent of the federal credit, the campaign's goal. The group also works to ensure that eligible residents have the tax preparation assistance to claim the money they are owed. Read more about DC Earned Income Tax Coalition...

The Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC) provides services to 44,000 low-income people on an annual basis.  With a mission to end poverty, services include counseling, employment training, energy assistance and weatherization, life skills education, Veteran services, and substance abuse classes.  The nonprofit also has a matched savings program through which 36 people saved nearly $43,000 in 2015.  To help people access affordable, healthy food, CAASTLC supports 5 community gardens and the Seeds of Hope Farm.  The Farm offers paid internships to help area youth learn job skills and has a CSA program through which low-income families can receive organic produce at reduced rates or in exchange for volunteering.

Founded in 1973, the Community Action Project of Tulsa has been a national leader in asset-based efforts. Through its Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Campaign and free tax preparation services, CAP served more than 17,000 clients during the 2008 tax season, resulting in almost $25 million in tax refunds. CAP was also one of thirteen national sites of the American Dream Demonstration project, which tested the viability of Individual Development Accounts on a national scale. Read more about Community Action Project of Tulsa...

Founded in 1972 as the Chinatown Manpower Project, Inc. to provide Chinese immigrants with job training, CMP (which now stands for Career Mobility Partnership) offers a range of workforce and economic development programs geared to help all New Yorkers achieve economic self-sufficiency and career advancement.  Its Business Outreach Center, launched in 2000 to improve the minority and immigrant community through small business development, education and multi-community networking, is credited with helping nearly 400 businesses create jobs and increase sales by $2.8 million. Read more about Chinatown Manpower Project, Inc....

Aided by a $300,000 PRI from the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, Good Work Network (GWN) is a New Orleans-based nonprofit that provides business development services to minority- and women-owned businesses throughout a 15-parish region in Southeast Louisiana.  Programs include administrative support services, capital access assistance, market access assistance, credit counseling, microloans, technical assistance, trainings, and networking opportunities.  Since 2006, GWN has served over 4,050 individuals, helped businesses create over 340 jobs, assisted in acquiring over $2,600,000 i Read more about Good Work Network...

A nonprofit focused on increasing the capacity of low-income communities to develop affordable housing, grow business enterprise and build family and community assets, Covenant Community Capital launched its "Smart Savers Program" in 2001 in partnership with the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast. Initially funded by a grant from the federal government, the partnership has expanded to include the City of Houston, the Houston Credit Coalition, several private banks, and a network of other community partners. Read more about Covenant Community Capital...