Stay Informed!

Behavioral Economics 201: Applying the Research to Asset-Building Initiatives: Lessons From A Year of Experimentation

September 23, 2010 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Room: Washington 1

This session is sponsored by Bank of America.

Although asset-building work is often about behavior change - helping people begin or increase behaviors such as saving for retirement, applying for valuable public benefit programs or enrolling in educational opportunities - behavioral science (what psychology and behavioral economics teaches us about how people behave and make decisions) is rarely applied to asset-building programs. This session will highlight three projects from a year of experimentation that took a behavioral lens to classic asset-building challenges. Presenters will discuss design, implementation and findings (what worked and what didn't) from projects aimed at increasing the take-up of business classes for small business owners, increasing the preparedness of small business owners at tax time and increasing take up of savings and benefits programs at tax time. Participants will learn about what might work in their own programs, as well as what they would need to design and implement their own rigorous behavioral interventions. Please note that this session complements the previous session, Behavioral Economics 101: Decision Making In the Context of Poverty, which will provide a general introduction and overview to financial decision making in the context of poverty. For background information, please visit: www.cfed.org/programs/innovation/mhernandez/.

Speakers

• Genevieve Melford, CFED - Moderator
  Genevieve Melford is senior program manager for applied research and a member of the Innovations in Manufactured Homes (I'M HOME) team at CFED. Ms. Melford's areas of focus include performance measurement; state and local economic development; asset building and financial security; manufactured housing; development finance; research on the links between small and medium enterprise development and poverty reduction; and the financial needs of low-income people and communities. Prior to joining CFED, Ms. Melford helped develop a performance measurement system for a statewide economic development plan for the Oregon Business Council and conducted field research on opportunities for commercial investment in the Indian microfinance sector. She has also worked as a labor consultant in New York City, performing research and analysis for a range of labor union clients in support of organizing, bargaining and policy campaigns.
• Mindy Hernandez, ideas42 (Innovator-in-Residence)
  Mindy Hernandez works with non-profit organizations and government agencies to apply findings in the behavioral sciences to improve a wide range of programs and policies that impact low-income people-- from rethinking college scholarship programs to creating smarter automatic savings opportunities. Before joining ideas42, Mindy worked as the Research Director of the Education and Society Program at the Aspen Institute and with the Education Division at the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Prior to joining Carnegie, Mindy managed the literacy program at For the Love of Children (FLOC) an organization serving at-risk children in Washington, DC. Mindy has also worked in Kolkata , India, where she conducted research on the gap between sex trafficking legislation and its implementation, and has spent time on the Hill in the office of U.S. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA). Mindy holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a Masters degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University.
• Linda Paulson, Community Tax Centers, a Project of Foundation Communities
  Linda Paulson is the tax services coordinator for the Community Tax Centers, a project of Foundation Communities in Austin, Texas. FC is a nationally acclaimed nonprofit that provides affordable housing and other tools that educate, support, and improve the financial standing of its residents and the community at large. CTC is the free income tax preparation program that serves Austin and the surrounding area. As an Enrolled Agent, Linda is federally licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS. She manages programs for CTC, including tax services for self-employed and small business owners, the ITIN program, a year-round tax center, and the Family Unification Loan program. She also assists in training 600+ volunteers to prepare 17,000 tax returns and conducts community educational sessions. Prior to coming to FC, Linda worked 30 years with the local Legal Aid program, where she helped start a low-income taxpayer clinic, conducted ESL outreach and education, and represented taxpayers in controversy with the IRS.
• Meagan Kiesel, Campaign for Working Families
  Megan Kiesel is director of impact and outreach for the Campaign for Working Families. She is responsible for designing, implementing and supervising all aspects of the Campaign’s asset and resource building efforts. In this capacity, she ensures the agency links customers with opportunities to stabilize household budgets and build assets. She is also responsible for maintaining strong relationships with community based organizations to recruit tax customers, volunteers for tax sites, and other resources or services that assist the Campaign in meeting its mission and goals. Ms. Kiesel joined the Campaign in September 2007. Prior to joining the Campaign she served at the Philadelphia community organization Project H.O.M.E. supporting voter empowerment initiatives. Megan worked for several years in the Family and Community Service of County, initially as Coordinator of its HIV Prevention Program. Megan holds a Masters in Social Work from Temple University and is a graduate of the York College of PA.

Resources

Mindy Hernandez - powerpoint presentation