Dear friends, 

It’s been a busy fall season here at Prosperity Now!

Last week, we shared our new mission, vision and framework with our entire network. I hope you had a chance to engage with us on social media as we released this exciting news. Please take a moment today to read our special blog, “Casting a New Vision for Prosperity,” for an overview of what our re-orientation means for Prosperity Now and how it will impact our work.

We are grateful for all the feedback we have received from you so far and are looking forward to new ways to connect and engage each other in this work. With your support, the Prosperity Now Community will continue to grow stronger in our pursuit of a more equitable society.

This month also marks National Women’s Small Business Month, a celebration of the achievements and contributions female entrepreneurs make to their communities and our economy. We now know that before the pandemic, Black women were among the fastest-growing entrepreneurs in the country. We also believe that BIPOC-owned businesses are critical drivers for economic growth in our community and aim to support, promote, and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs of color through our research initiatives. Our continuing national economic recovery must include comprehensive support for minority- and women-owned businesses!

As we inch toward the end of the year, we are looking forward to a powerful 2022. Prosperity Now is committed to transforming our economy to work for everyone, without exception.  We look forward to working in partnership and coalition with committed, connected and caring individuals like you to propel us forward as we enter the coming year under a new strategic framework that centers our most vulnerable.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the mission.

The Hill: Work requirements for the child tax credit are draconian and counterproductive, Joanna Ain, Associate Director of Policy, Prosperity Now

Forbes: Emergency Rental Assistance Is Still Available, Doug Ryan, Interim Vice President of Policy, Prosperity Now

Mississippi Free Press: Black Vision Fund: Deploying Capital to Black Business Will Reduce Wealth Gap, Gary Cunningham, President and CEO, Prosperity Now

Inside Philanthropy: A Veteran in Native American Philanthropy and Advocacy Sees Progress. Will it Continue? Sherry Salway Black, Prosperity Now Board Member

The New York Times: Seeding Accounts for Kindergartners and Hoping to Grow College Graduates

The Importance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month: An interview with Mona Kafeel, Executive Director of the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation

Since 1987, October has been observed nationally as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is an opportunity to bring the issue to the forefront, advocate for change, celebrate survivors, and mourn those who have tragically lost their lives to domestic violence. Domestic violence is a deep-rooted issue that affects our family members, friends, colleagues, and many other members of our community. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, over 10 million adults experience domestic violence in the United States each year. To further discuss the impact this issue has on our communities, we spoke with Prosperity Now partner, Mona Kafeel, the Executive Director of the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, about the work of her organization and the importance of spreading awareness. Read More.

Last Chance to Tell Congress to Invest in Housing and Children!

With the release of the White House’s Build Back Better framework, now is the time to make a final push for investments in affordable housing and permanent, fully refundable tax credits for working families. We are calling on Congress to permanently expand the child tax credit and help lift low-income children—particularly Black, Latinx and Indigenous children—out of poverty without the draconian work requirements proposed by Senator Joe Manchin. We are also calling on Congress to maintain significant investments in affordable housing through rental and downpayment assistance, increasing the affordable housing stock, and funding community development financial institutions.

Click here to help make the expanded CTC permanent.

Click here to help build and preserve affordable housing.

The Earned Income Tax Participation Gap | Prosperity Now
This Prosperity Now report shares research on the EITC participation gap and lessons learned from a focus group of VITA partners on how they can identify and encourage EITC-eligible populations to participate in this major anti-poverty program.

Returning Citizens Need Better Housing Options – Here’s How They Can Get Them | Prosperity Now
Housing security is the key to building financial stability, acquiring wealth and connecting with the community, but returning citizens face several barriers that prevent them from securing affordable housing. This blog discusses how to prioritize housing security by ending residency restrictions for returning citizens.

Mutual Accountability is the Key to Equity-Oriented System’s Change: How Initiatives Can Create Durable Shifts in Policies and Practices | Urban Institute
A new report by the Urban Institute examines the importance of mutual accountability and shared goals when funding initiatives to advance racial equity.

Alternative Service Delivery Case Studies: How Two Vita Programs Shifted Their Service Delivery Models | Prosperity Now
Two new case studies written by Prosperity Now, as part of the Ensuring and Expanding Access to Tax Preparation Services in Underserved Communities project, demonstrate how VITA programs can successfully implement and serve taxpayers through alternative tax preparation methods when facing technology and other access barriers.

Eviction Record Expungement Can Remove Barriers to Stable Housing | Center for American Progress
This piece by Center for American Progress shares that by advocating for expungement and sealing of eviction records as a commonsense reform, we can minimize the negative effects of eviction records and increase stable housing options for low- and moderate-income people.

House Build Back Better Legislation Advances Racial Equity | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
A new report by CBPP, describes the potential impact of the Build Back Better legislation, which would cut child poverty, narrow long-standing racial disparities in child poverty rates and reduce homelessness and housing instability.

New Poverty and Food Insecurity Data Illustrate Persistent Racial Inequities | Center for American Progress
A new report from the Center for American Progress outlines new data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that details the economic well-being and hardship of American households in 2020, finding that Black and Hispanic families consistently experienced crisis-level poverty and food insecurity rates, especially when compared with their White counterparts.

Giving People Money Works: What the Expanded Child Tax Credit Has Taught Us (So Far!) | Prosperity Now
This blog expands on what we know to be true: giving people money works! The monthly Child Tax Credit payments have already demonstrated an impact on child poverty and helping families put food on the table.

Exchange 2021: The Systems Summit, Capturing the Moment for Equitable Systems Change | The Social Impact Exchange, Nov. 9-10, 2021

Benefits Over Burdens: Policymaking Lessons from the Expanded Child Tax Credit | Aspen Institute | Nov. 10, 2021

November 2021 Strengthening Families Webinar: New Resources from and for Parents | Center for the Study of Social Policy| Nov. 11, 2021

Advocacy Guide | Prosperity Now
Check out this comprehensive tool to help you engage and mobilize your communities to take action! 

Right At Home 2021 | Prosperity Now