Publication Groups:

Assets Newsletter
Highlights developments in the IDA field.
(contains 26 publications)

Publications:

2005 Assets And Opportunity Scorecard -- A Snapshot
Published May 17, 2005

The Assets and Opportunity Scorecard benchmarks the 50 states and the District of Columbia on 31 asset outcomes and 38 state asset policies that can help or hinder citizen's efforts to get ahead. An excellent companion piece to the online report, this 20-page, color publication provides a snapshot of this year's findings.

[$3.00] Available in hardcopy only
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2007 - 2008 Assets And Opportunity Scorecard
Published September 01, 2007
The Assets and Opportunity Scorecard benchmarks the 50 states and the District of Columbia on 31 asset outcomes and 38 state asset policies that can help or hinder citizen's efforts to get ahead. An excellent companion piece to the online report, this color publication provides an overview of this year's findings.
[$3.00]
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A Prosperity Grid For North Carolina - Connecting Households And Communities To Economic Opportunity
Published June 10, 2009

A new report developed by the NC Asset Alliance entitled "A Prosperity Grid for North Carolina - Connecting Households and Communities to Economic Opportunity" outlines a number of steps the state can take to help individuals and families accumulate assets while also encouraging legislators to make smart choices that position North Carolina to come out of the current economic slump with an improved and much fairer revenue system.

As a member of the N.C. Assets Alliance, CFED worked alongside fellow coalition partners to help the organization publish "A Prosperity Grid for North Carolina - Connecting Households and Communities to Economic Opportunity", a report aimed at expanding economic opportunity in the state of North Carolina. CFED's vice president for programs and director for assets and poverty, Carl Rist, played an integral role in the group’s development.

An Individual And Community Asset-Building Asessment Of The Mahoning Valley
Published June 01, 2009
In response to an invitation from the Raymond John Wean Foundation and the Community Wealth Building Advisory Committee (CWBAC), CFED conducted an assessment of the needs, opportunities and institutional capacity for individual and community asset-building in the Mahoning Valley, with a focus on the cities of Youngstown and Warren. The principal goal of the project was to provide the community with actionable information regarding the financial security and economic opportunities of individuals and families in the Mahoning Valley, specifically the urban core areas of Youngstown and Warren.
[$0.00]
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Assets & Opportunity Special Report
Published September 01, 2008

Net Worth, Wealth Inequality and Homeownership during the Bubble Years

The Special Report looks at a new wave of data that extends through early 2006 and updates knowledge since CFED’s release of the 2007‐2008 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard about what happened to net worth, wealth inequality, home equity and homeownership during the housing bubble years and at the start of the foreclosure crisis. The data in this report tell a story of uneven and inequitable changes in financial security, with low - and moderate-income households being hit the hardest. Key findings include:

• Net worth grew for the top 60% of households by income, but fell for the bottom 40%.
  
• Home equity remains the largest component of net worth, especially for low-income and minority populations.
  
• Since 2006, falling home values and foreclosures have eroded recent gains in home equity across all populations, especially among low-income and minority households.

The report also shows that when homeownership is done right - with counseling, fixed - rate non - predatory financing and personal savings that create equity and leverage debt - it continues to be one of the most powerful asset - building opportunities available to help low - income and minority families stabilize and strengthen the odds of building a brighter economic future.

Building Assets For Stronger Families, Better Neighborhoods, And Realizing The American Dream (1998)
Published January 01, 1998
Introduces IDAs as part of a multi-faceted concept of a larger asset-building movement.
[$0.00] Available for download
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Building Assets: A Report On The Asset-Development And IDA Field (2001)
Published January 01, 2001
Provides in-depth information on asset building and IDA theory, rationale, research, policy, and practice.
[$35.00] Available for download (free) and in hardcopy
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Children's Savings Accounts And Financial Aid
Published June 01, 2006
A growing body of academic research suggests that saving plays an important role in educational attainment, changing aspirations, and breaking the cycle of poverty. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a lack of hope is a factor in many of the poor choices made by young people. With nest egg savings, all children may be able to look toward a future in which they have the resources and know - how to invest in themselves.
[$0.00] Available for download
Free Download

Directory Of IDA Programs (2003)
Published January 01, 2003
Lists self-reported contact information and details of IDA programs nationwide, periodically updated through surveys. (Free link.)
[$0.00] Available for free at www.idanetwork.org.
Free Download

Directory Of State IDA Associations (2001)
Published January 01, 2001
Provides structure, funding, activity and contact information about statewide coalitions supporting the growth of IDAs.
[$10.00] Available in hardcopy only
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Employer IDA Initiatives: The Promise Of Delivering IDAs Through Employers
Published January 01, 2003
Assets matter in helping lift families out of poverty. Research assessing the effects of asset accumulation indicates that assets can have long-term positive economic and social effects on individuals’ wellbeing. Assets provide economic security, mobility, and opportunity.
[$0.00]
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Federal IDA Briefing Book: How IDAs Affect Eligibility For Federal Programs (2002)
Published January 01, 2002

Makes clear the impact of savings/assets accumulated in IDAs on benefit levels and eligibility for various federal means-tested programs.

[$0.00] Available for download
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Financial Education In Native Communities: A Briefing Paper (2003)
Published January 01, 2003
Examines efforts to promote financial education in Native communities and presents strategies for increasing access.
[$0.00] Available for download
Free Download

Finding Paths To Prosperity - Facilitator's Package
Published January 01, 2000
Finding Pathways to Prosperity is a new curriculum to aid IDA programs in providing financial literacy education. Materials include a facilitator's guide with CD ROM for $8.75 and the student workbook is $4.95 for class participants ($13.70 total). The facilitator's guide provides 10 session outlines and information about developing effective training sessions, using participatory training techniques, adapting materials for low-literacy audiences, and other tips. The CD ROM offers customizable handouts, visual aids, and supportive materials. The workbook contains practical information on money management and financial planning, setting goals, planning for life's events, addressing attitudes about money, developing spending plans, repairing credit, and considering saving/investing options. Discounts are available for those IDA practitioners and programs without an ability to pay the full price. For discount information contact Ashley Arrington.
There is a $3.00 handling fee; an additional shipping charge is determined by UPS Ground Service.
DC residents only, add 5.75% sales tax (if tax exempt, include copy of certificate)
CA residents only, add 9.5% tax (if tax exempt, include copy of certificate)
NC residents only, add 6.75% tax (if tax exempt, include copy of certificate)

[$13.70]
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Finding Paths To Prosperity - Facilitator's Package (Spanish Version)
Published May 01, 2008
Finding Pathways to Prosperity in Spanish aids IDA programs in providing financial literacy education. The facilitator's guide provides 10 session outlines and information about developing effective training sessions, using participatory training techniques, adapting materials for low-literacy audiences, and other tips. The workbook contains practical information on money management and financial planning, setting goals, planning for life's events, addressing attitudes about money, developing spending plans, repairing credit, and considering saving/investing options.
[$0.00]
Free Download

Hidden In Plain Sight: A Look At The $335 Billion Federal Asset-Building Budget (Long Version)
Published January 01, 2004
Analyzes federal spending and tax policy to determine how much asset-building initiatives cost, where the money goes, and who benefits.
[$0.00] Available for download
Free Download

Hidden In Plain Sight: A Look At The $335 Billion Federal Asset-Building Budget (Summary Version)
Published January 01, 2004
Analyzes federal spending and tax policy to determine how much asset-building initiatives cost, where the money goes, and who benefits.
[$0.00] Available for download
Free Download

IDA Program Design Handbook (2000)
Published
Provides a step-by-step guide—with tips, advice, and tools—for building an IDA program.
[$25.00] Available on CD-ROM
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IDA State Policy Brief: IDAs And Public Assistance Asset Limits
Published September 01, 2004
This second policy brief highlights some ways in which states can make it easier for Individual Development Account (IDA) holders (as well as other low-income households) to save toward their long-term goals without jeopardizing their eligibility for programs that can help them meet day-to-day needs. Assets Play a Critical Role in Alleviating Poverty
[$0.00] Available for download
Free Download

IDA State Policy Brief: Promoting Asset Building Through The Earned Income Tax Credit
Published June 01, 2004
This first policy brief provides an overview of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a rationale for using the EITC and other tax refunds to promote asset building, and recommendations for more effectively linking tax refunds to state asset-building initiatives.
[$0.00] Available for download
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In Their Own Words (2003)
Published January 01, 2003
Includes stories of hope as told by IDA accountholders of the American Dream Demonstration.
[$10.00] Available in hardcopy only
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Individual Development Accounts For Youth: Lessons From An Emerging Field (2001)
Published January 01, 2001
Documents the activity in, lessons learned from, and effective practices among IDA programs that seek to promote long-term savings behavior in young people.
[$30.00] Available in hardcopy only
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Return On Investment? Getting More From Federal Asset-Building Policies
Published January 24, 2007
This report is based on “Subsidies for Assets: A New Look at the Federal Budget,” L. Woo and D. Buchholz, 2006, presented at the 2006 Assets Learning Conference, available for free download at http://www.cfed.org/go/assetbudget. That paper contains, in greater detail, the data and methodology cited in this report.
[$0.00]
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State Asset Development Report Card
Published
Uses socioeconomic and policy measures to benchmark the accumulation, distribution and protection of assets among their citizens.
[$0.00] Available for download
Free Download

Subsidies For Assets: A New Look At The Federal Budget
Published September 01, 2006
Increasing attention has been paid in recent years to the critical role that financial assets play in household stability and opportunity. While much effort is going into developing new programs and policies to help more households build nest eggs, relatively little attention is paid to the cost and benefits of policies and programs that already exist.
[$0.00]
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The Role Of Public Policy In Reducing Poverty And Expanding Economic Opportunity
Published May 11, 2008
Helping America's poor build assets is one of the most cost‐effective and sustainable improvements we can make as a society. While policymakers seeking to reduce poverty have traditionally focused on income, spending, and consumption, a new vision has steadily gained prominence in recent years, focusing on savings, investment, and asset‐building policies that work in conjunction with, not instead of, traditional anti‐poverty policies and programs.
[$0.00]
Free Download