This National Community Reinvestment Coalition paper advocates for the idea of “age-friendly banking,” highlighting the importance of providing effective and tailored financial products, services, and protections specifically for older adults. In the wake of the Great Recession, older adults are often susceptible to financial fraud and scams. This paper aims to expand the dialogue between community-based organizations, aging networks, and financial institutions on how to develop and implement age-friendly banking strategies and initiatives.
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A project of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico, the New Mexico Native American Business Enterprise Center (NMNABEC) is intended to assist in the formation of new and survival of existing businesses in Native American communities. Funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, NMNABEC works with individuals, proprietors, corporations and Tribal entities on and off the reservation to provide financial and technical assistance. In addition to identifying available loans, loan guarantees, lines of credit, bonding with banks and insurance agencies, NMNABEC also provides general business counseling, assistance with bookkeeping and marketing work.
Despite signs of a U.S. economic recovery, CFED’s 2013 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard shows that many Americans are still struggling just to get by. This year’s result finds that nearly half (43.9 percent) of households—or more than 132 million people—are “liquid asset poor.” As a result, they do not have enough assets to provide themselves with a basic personal safety net to protect against an unforeseen crisis, such as unemployment or a medical emergency, or plan for future needs, such as a child’s college education or homeownership. To address this problem, this report highlights measures states have taken to build financial security and increase opportunities in the areas of financial assets and income, businesses and jobs, housing and homeownership, health care, and education.
The Debt Resistors Operations Manual, put together by an anonymous collective of activists from Strike Debt and Occupy Wall Street contains practical information, resources and tips for individuals dealing with indebtedness in the United States. Covering all aspects of the debt system — from personal debt to municipal debt — the manual shows how households, cities and countries are controlled by a system of debt.
To protect the un-and-under-banked from excessive fees and high-cost predatory lenders, Karen Harris argues that we reinstate the US Postal Savings System.In an article for The Shriver Brief, Harris shows that the now-defunct system once provided safe banking services for immigrants and working people that private banks did not.Citing examples of successful postal banking services in other countries, Harris shows how reinstating such a system in this country could help underserved populations by providing affordable banking services, while giving the Post Office a needed boost in jobs and income.
Established in 1986, the California Reinvestment Coalition (CRC) has been advocating for fair and equal access to credit for all California neighborhoods. As the state's largest community investment coalition, their 300-member organization attempts to create wealth equality through policy advocacy, grassroots alliances, research, and shareholder activism.Read more about California Reinvestment Coalition...
One of the major initiatives of the Annie E. Casey foundation, Family Economic Success (FES) believes that children are most likely to flourish when their families are on sound financial footing. The FES approach to building economically viable communities includes three main components: asset-building, family economic supports through public services and tax credits, and workforce development. Read more about Family Economic Success Program, Annie E. Casey Foundation...
