From the Guest Editor

Dear Community Partners and Friends,

“Why do you think poverty exists in our country?”

It’s an interview question I’ll never forget. It was sandwiched between, “Tell us a little about yourself” and “Why are you interested in this position?” Years have passed, but not a week goes by that I don’t think about that question. And the more I learn through this community, the more my answers evolve.

That was certainly the case the first time I came across Prosperity Now’s Scorecard. It tells the story of how historical and current-day systems and policies create and perpetuate poverty. More importantly, however, it provides concrete solutions for how we can move forward in creating stability and wealth for all. So yeah…I’ll own it: I’m a bit of a Scorecard fanatic.

It started slowly: placing printed copies in every legislator’s mailbox and integrating the liquid asset poverty measure into our legislative agenda. Customized state reports were submitted as part of committee testimony. It wasn’t too long before Scorecards started mysteriously appearing on every chair at public events and forums. Presentations to current and potential funders and community partners would start with a Scorecard walkthrough, highlighting the importance of our collaborative missions. With data spanning racial disparities, financial assets and income, businesses and jobs, homeownership and housing, health care, and education—thus holding relevance to nearly every conversation—one corner of my desk soon became an unofficial Scorecard clearinghouse. And when I found myself running for public office, I showed up to each debate with printed copies so that every candidate had one in front of them.

So maybe you find yourself working at an under-resourced non-profit, as I was. And maybe you find yourself, again and again, in the situation of being asked for data and suggestions on policy change that will make a positive difference. We didn’t have a monitoring, evaluation or a graphic design budget, but we had the Scorecard!

In the year ahead, I invite you to think about your answer to this question:
What is one new way you will use the Scorecard to advance prosperity for all?

Here’s to a 2020 full of opportunities to do so,

Kate Larose
Administrative Services Director, Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living
Prosperity Now Community Steering Committee Member

If you have any items you’d like to see featured in future Community Bulletins, share them with us at [email protected].

Highlights

Seattle's Byrd Barr Place Advocates for Washington State TANF Reform

Over 1 million American families facing financial hardship depend on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). While this program has benefited many Americans, the benefits have not been equal. Seattle nonprofit Byrd Barr Place found that time limits, sanctions, caseworker bias and other structural barriers due to institutionalized racism are leading black families to be disproportionately cut from TANF. Byrd Barr Place is on a mission to address this issue through policy changes. They are advocating for a rollback on time limits which specify how long a family can be on TANF and would like to establish greater accountability for caseworkers. Prosperity Now spoke with Andrea Caupain Sanderson, Chief Executive Officer of Byrd Barr Place, to learn more about this initiative. Read more

**Prosperity Now 2020 Scorecard Launches on January 29th**

The 2020 Prosperity Now Scorecard data is almost here! On January 29, Prosperity Now will release state and local data, including data on congressional districts, examining the financial health of families across the U.S. To learn more about the 2020 data, register today for our 2020 Scorecard webinar on Wednesday, January 29 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

During this interactive webinar, experts will cover national and local-level outcome measures on financial assets and income, jobs and employment, housing and homeownership, healthcare, and education. Webinar participants will also learn how advocates can use this data to advance policy priorities that support their communities. Please note that while this webinar is free, advanced registration is required. Register today!

The Community’s Top Spotlights of 2019

Members of the Prosperity Now Community work tirelessly to increase financial health and stability in communities nationwide. We don’t take for granted the opportunity we have to connect and learn with so many of you who do amazing, innovative work. We appreciate the trust so many of you have placed in us to share your stories through platforms like this Community Bulletin. Here’s a look back at the top clicked Community Bulletin Spotlights from 2019:

If you have suggestions for future Spotlights, reach out to us at [email protected].

Resources from Across the Community

Investing in the Future of Our Community: A Case Study on Funders’ Motivation for Supporting Children’s Savings Accounts | Asset Funders Network
The Asset Funders Network explores motivating factors for potential CSA funders and how success is evaluated while sharing challenges that may deter funders from investing in CSAs.

U.S. Financial Health Pulse: 2019 Trends Report | Financial Health Network
This report showcases the landscape of financial lives for Americans, examines the stark disparities and provides strategies to improve financial health.

Debt in America: An Interactive Map | The Urban Institute
This map shows the geography of debt delinquency and delineates the stark differences in debt for communities across the United States.

Evaluating Tax Time Savings Interventions and Behaviors | Prosperity Now
This new report details the savings behaviors and outcomes of low-and-moderate income-tax filers over three different tax filing and savings platforms.

Two Years Later: The Impact of the 2017 Tax Law on Women and Families | National Women’s Law Center
This fact sheet describes the unequal impacts that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has had on women, people of color and families in the United States.

Making the Case for Banking Access: Talking to Unbanked People About Bank Accounts |Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund
This CFE Fund report provides techniques to communicate with those who are unbanked, including Spanish speakers who are unbanked.

Coming Home: Providing a Pathway to Housing for All | Prosperity Now
Prosperity Now proposes several policy solutions that would address and reduce housing barriers that impact low-to-moderate income families.

Opportunities and Events

Opportunities

San Francisco’s Mission Asset Fund (MAF) partners with nonprofits across the country so that they can deliver the benefits of Lending Circles directly to their communities. Now, MAF is hitting the road! Join MAF in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, New York, Phoenix and San Diego to share a delicious lunch, meet community advocates and learn how to bring Lending Circles to your community. Register for an event in your city here.

Jobs

Director of Operations | The Prosperity Agenda | Seattle, WA or Philadelphia, PA

Events

Webinar: 2020 Prosperity Now Scorecard Data Release | Prosperity Now | January 29, 2020

Making Tax Time Work for Everyone: Strengthening Tax Credits for Working Families in 2020 | Prosperity Now and Tax Credits for Workers and Their Families (TCFW) | Washington D.C. | February 6, 2020

Prosperity Indiana Summit | Prosperity Indiana | Indianapolis, IN | February 18, 2020

Local Voices Informing Federal Action: A Symposium on Home Affordability | Habitat for Humanity International | Washington, D.C. | February 13, 2020

Walking the Walk: Operationalizing Lessons from Decolonizing Wealth and Winners Take All – A Food for Thought Conversation | Philanthropy New York | New York, NY | February 13, 2020

Strengthening Communities: Housing Affordability and Access | NeighborWorks | Los Angeles, CA | May 20, 2020

Save the Date: The 2020 Prosperity Summit | Prosperity Now | National Harbor, MD | September 30 – October 2, 2020

Policy Updates

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

As part of a larger tax package, Utah became the 30th state to adopt a state-level EITC for low- and-moderate income households. The tax package includes $500,000 to support outreach efforts and promote the new EITC and grocery sales tax credit. The tax credit is worth 10% of the federal credit and is expected to assist around 25,000 working families across Utah.

Manufactured Housing

The expanded version of the HUD Manufactured Housing Modernization Act was included in the U.S. appropriations bill for FY20 and is now law! A big thank you to our manufactured housing advocates for all of your advocacy efforts over the past year! Read more.

U.S. Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) and Cindy Axne (D-IA-3) introduced H.R. 5547, the Manufactured Housing Community Preservation Act of 2020. This bill would require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to create a matched-grant program that helps nonprofits and other local organizations purchase and maintain manufactured housing communities through awards of up to $1 million.

Children’s Savings Account (CSA)

The City of Saint Paul, MN officially launched its CSA program, College Bound Saint Paul. Every child born as a city resident on or after January 1st, 2020 will receive a savings account with a $50 seed deposit which parents can then contribute to over time. College Bound Saint Paul is the first citywide CSA program to start at birth. Learn more here.

Colorado’s statewide CSA bill, HB 1280, has officially taken effect. Under the bill, every child born in Colorado or adopted by Colorado residents on or after January 1st, 2020 is eligible to receive a $100 seed deposit in a 529 account. Read more.

Nebraska passed LB 544 in 2019, a bill known as the Meadowlark Scholarship Act. Under this legislation, every child born in Nebraska on or after January 1st, 2020 will automatically receive a $100 seed deposit in a 529 savings account. Families, as well as church communities and friends, can contribute additional funds to the account.

The City Council of Los Angeles, CA approved the establishment of a CSA program, Opportunity LA. Starting in the 2020-2021 school year, 10% of first graders from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) will receive a savings account with a seed deposit of $50. Read more.