September 21
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Concurrent Workshop Sessions I |
September 22
10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Concurrent Workshop Sessions II |
September 22
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Concurrent Workshop Sessions III |
September 23
10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Concurrent Workshop Sessions IV |
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| Assets Policy: Federal |
I.1 Assets: What’s the Budget Got to
Do With It?
The IDA field enables low-income
people to build assets. But how
does asset building work for all
Americans? Examine how the U.S.
Congress develops federal budget
and tax policy for all individuals.
Find out who benefits and why.
Level: Intermediate/ Advanced |
II.1 Fighting Poverty: The Role of Asset Building in Public Policy
A range of government programs—
AFIA, Family Self-Sufficiency,
Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families, the Earned Income Tax
Credit—now facilitates asset building
for low-income individuals. Explore
the connections between these programs
and their future roles in the
asset-building field. Level: Beginner |
III.1 Financial Institutions and
IDA Policy
Legislation can greatly affect how
financial institutions and low-income
people engage with one
another. Deepen your knowledge of
pending legislation, including the
Savings for Working Families Act,
and current legislation that can
impact your daily work with banks
and credit unions. Level: Beginner |
IV.1 Keeping What You've Got: Asset
Protection Policy
Do you know a low-income family
that lost its house because of a
predatory loan or someone who
drained his savings because of high
credit card debt? Learn about asset
protection and help low-income
people keep what they’ve got. Level:
Intermediate |
| Assets Policy: State |
I.2 Overview of State IDA Policy:
1993 – 2004
There is more than a decade of
state-level IDA policy history. Get
an overview of legislative design
issues, types of policy activities,
funding sources and challenges, state
program partnerships, and statewide
IDA and other asset-building coalitions.
Level: Beginner |
II.2 Getting the Most out of the
State Asset Development Report Card
This comprehensive report grades
states on Asset Outcomes and Asset
Policies. Learn more about this
benchmarking tool, its unique state
asset data, and the ways you can use
it in your work. Level: Intermediate/
Advanced |
III.2 Asset Limits: A Look at
Savings Barriers
Many public benefits—including
Medicaid and food stamps—have
asset limits. Learn how to improve
these asset limits through state policy
efforts and working directly with
your state’s human services agency.
Level: Beginner |
IV.2 Building Momentum:
Navigating State Asset-building
Policy Obstacles
In the face of fiscal constraints, it is
difficult to create new funding at
the state level. Explore high-profile
strategies that put asset building on
your state’s policy agenda. Level:
Intermediate |
| IDA Initiatives and Operations: Asset Building by Type and Use |
I.3 IDAs and Housing
The most common IDA use is
home purchase/repair—the primary
way most Americans acquire and
hold wealth. Discuss effective
practices that help accountholders
achieve this goal, including assessing
readiness in a challenging market,
layering housing resources with the
IDA, and repairing credit. Level:
Beginner |
II.3 IDAs and Microenterprise
IDAs are valuable tools in starting
or enhancing a microenterprise.
Microenterprise, in turn, has great
potential to help accountholders
build both skills and assets. Discuss
the risks, challenges, and solutions
involved in supporting entrepreneurs.
Level: Beginner |
III.3 IDAs and Post-secondary
Education
IDAs for post-secondary education
are a growing part of the field, one
that serves both youth and adults.
Explore effective practices in using
IDAs for educational purposes,
including possible conflict with
educational loan packages and tax
consequences. Level: Beginner |
IV.3 Reaching the Poorest of the Poor
Many IDA programs specialize in
serving very low-income families.
Learn successful strategies for
developing programs and providing
other support services that
effectively address the income,
support, and regulatory challenges
facing these families. Level: Beginner |
| IDA Initiatives and Operations: Asset Building by Population |
I.4 Increasing Accessibility:
How to Develop and Fund IDA
Programs for People with
Disabilities
People with disabilities face barriers
to full IDA participation. Learn how
to address the obstacles, receive practical
advice on accessibility practices,
and find out about new funding
streams that are available to support
IDAs for people with disabilities.
Level: Intermediate |
II.4 Asset Building for Refugees and Recent Immigrants
Immigrants and refugees are underserved
by IDA programs, though
they comprise a significant portion
of the U.S. population and often
live in poverty. Explore innovative
strategies and effective practices for designing IDA programs that
address the distinct opportunities
and challenges of asset building for
immigrants and refugees. Level:
Advanced |
III.4 Increasing Access to IDAs
in Rural and Native Communities
IDA program development
continues to grow in rural and
Native communities. Learn about
innovative program design and
development strategies that consider
the unique cultural and resource
issues facing these communities.
Level: Beginner |
IV.4 Serving Multi-cultural Markets
A broad-based national initiative is
currently underway to significantly
improve asset-building rates among
Native, Hispanic, Asian, African-
American, and disability communities.
Hear from members of organizations
that serve these communities
and discuss key issues in obtaining
maximum impact in these markets.
Level: Intermediate |
| IDA Initiatives and Operations: International Asset Building |
I.5 Learning from Abroad:
International Innovations in Savings
and Micro-finance
Savings programs in developing
countries differ from those in the
United States, though many best
practices and lessons can be garnered.
Listen to experts and
researchers discuss these exciting
innovations. Level: Beginner |
II.5 Lessons Learned from Canada's
Largest IDA Initiative
Canada's 10-site demonstration—
Learn$ave—helps low-income
Canadians save for their education.
Plans are currently underway to
begin a Home$ave program as well.
Find out how the Canadian IDA
model is similar to and different
from U.S. models. Level: Intermediate |
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| IDA Initiatives and Operations: Emerging Issues and Approaches |
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III.5 Faith-based IDA Initiatives
Religious organizations incorporate
IDAs into their social justice and
community ministries. Explore
strategies to access diverse funding
for IDAs, innovative programs based
on the unique position of these
organizations, and models to build
effective partnerships with faith-based
organizations. Level: Beginner |
IV.5 Strengthening Families through
Asset Building
The U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services supports
family involvement in asset building
and IDAs. Learn more about these
marriage-strengthening initiatives.
Level: Beginner |
| IDA Initiatives and Operations: Emerging Issues and Approaches |
I.6 Managing Collaboratives
As IDA collaboratives continue to
expand, new strategies and practices
have emerged for managing their
growth and ongoing operation.
Glean insights from representatives
of leading IDA collaboratives on
issues such as expanding or reducing
membership, maintaining accountability,
and exercising flexibility in the face
of change. Level: Advanced |
II.6 Reaching the Numbers:
Maximizing Design to Deliver
More IDAs
Reaching a greater number of
accountholders must be balanced
with maintaining a cost-efficient
program. Look at program models
used by diverse organizations across
the field and consider an array of
effective approaches. Level: Advanced |
III.6 The More You Know:
Tips on Identifying and Securing the
Right Technical Assistance
As the IDA field grows and diversifies,
it needs expert technical assistance
(TA) to further develop and
sustain programs. Discuss tools for
selecting the right TA and getting
the most out of TA providers with
representatives of the Assets
Alliance. Level: Beginner |
IV.6 Asset Purchase Effective
Practices
Developing effective asset-purchase
processes helps ensure successful
completion for accountholders.
Learn practices that elevate
completion rates and streamline
administrative processes from
organizations that have graduated
hundreds of participants. Level:
Advanced |
| IDA Initiatives and Operations: Emerging Issues and Approaches |
I.7 Assets for Independence Act
Demonstration Program
AFIA is the largest national funding
source for IDAs. Learn the nuts and
bolts of utilizing AFIA from practitioners
who operate AFIA-funded
programs and gain insights from
representatives of OCS, which
administers the program. Level:
Intermediate |
II.7 Self-sustaining IDA Initiatives
The long-term viability of IDAs
increasingly depends on finding
ways to pay for operating costs and
provide match funds. Discuss methods
for decreasing costs, diversifying
funding sources, and recruiting new
stakeholders to the field. Level:
Intermediate |
III.7 Funding Sources and Strategies
Continued funding for IDAs is a
persistent challenge. Explore public
and private funding sources as well
as tips and recommendations on
developing an effective fundraising
strategy. Level: Beginner |
IV.7 High Impact Financial
Education
Financial education has become a
central element of asset-building
programs. Decipher the many
resources available to tailor financial
education and learn how to select
curricula and approaches to
education that are engaging,
culturally relevant, and age and
literacy-level appropriate. Level:
Beginner |
| IDA Initiatives and Operations: Emerging Issues and Approaches |
I.8 Program Design and
Sustainability
Organizations nationwide are
exploring ways to improve IDA
program design and create self-sustaining
resources. Join a conversation
among practitioners about
advances made in these areas and
the important relationship between
them. Level: Intermediate |
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| New Technologies, Products, and Markets: Employers |
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II.8 Employer-based Accounts:
Examining Key Issues of the
Emerging Field
Employer-based accounts are emerging
in the IDA and asset-building
field. Uncover the challenges and
opportunities for employers that
wish to offer incented savings and
asset-building benefits to their staffs.
Level: Intermediate |
III.8 The Employer Experience
Understanding the employer perspective
on asset-building programs
for employees is critical in increasing
their engagement. Hear from
employers that offer asset-building
benefits and learn why they chose to
offer accounts, how they determined
the type of account that best suited
their employees, and what their
greatest challenges and successes
have been. Level: All |
IV.8 Forging the Way: Lifelong
Learning Accounts
Lifelong Learning Accounts (LiLAs)
help employees finance education
and training to upgrade their skills.
Glean lessons from research and
demonstration programming
designed to make LiLAs a standard
part of compensation packages
across the country. Level: Intermediate |
| New Technologies, Products, and Markets: Financial Institutions |
I.9 Financial Products of the Future:
The Next Generation of IDAs
There is new thinking about the
future of financial products that can
build assets for the millions of
Americans who are currently
"underbanked" and do not have
incentives to save for long-term
needs. Join experts from the Aspen
Institute’s Initiative on Financial
Security and from the Center for
Financial Services Innovation to discuss
financial products of the future.
Level: Intermediate or Advanced |
II.9 Financial Institutions and IDAs:
Experiences and Attitudes
Recent studies have assessed ways
financial institutions can help bring
IDAs to a national scale. Learn more
about financial institutions' experiences
with and attitudes toward the
matched savings concept. Level:
Intermediate |
III.9 Getting to the "Back of
the Bank"
In order to reach millions, more
mainstream financial institutions
must embrace IDAs. Hear what it
takes to develop a financial product
that is attractive to these institutions
and why the IDA faces challenges to
widespread adoption. Level: Advanced |
IV.9 Managing Partnerships between
Nonprofits and Financial Institutions
Effectively managing partnerships
between nonprofits and financial
institutions is key in gaining broader
acceptance of asset-based accounts.
Benefit from partners who know
how to cut past the jargon, foster
open communication, and create
clear roles that are consistent with
each partner’s strengths. Level:
Beginner |
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| New Technologies, Products, and Markets: Children and Youth |
I.10 Special Considerations for
Youth Savings Programs
Youth savings programs are distinct
from IDAs for adults. Review
effective practices that consider the
needs, motivations, logistics,
learning styles, and legal status of
young people. Level: Beginner |
II.10 Sowing SEEDs: Universal Asset
Building from Birth
Ten organizations across the country
are studying how children, families,
and communities will benefit if
every child in America knows he/she
has a basic economic foundation for
the future. Hear the early learnings
of this new initiative to impel children's
savings policy. Level: All |
III.10 Children's Savings Accounts:
An International Perspective
Public policies and proposals in the
United Kingdom, Singapore, and
the United States are spotlighting
children's savings accounts. Explore
how these policies can be used to
begin early and universal asset
building. Level: Beginner |
IV.10 Policy Proposals,
Opportunities, and Barriers for
Youth Savings
Children and youth savings policies
present great opportunities but face
barriers. Understand the current
landscape surrounding efforts to
create and implement a national
children's savings policy in the
United States. Level: Beginner |
| New Technologies, Products, and Markets: Tools and Products |
I.11 Enhancing IDAs with Existing
Financial Products and Services
Current financial products and
services can enhance IDAs and
similar accounts. Explore the
benefits and intersections of tax
preparation services, the Earned
Income Tax Credit, low-cost
electronic transaction accounts,
electronic benefits transfer, and
other products and services. Level:
Intermediate |
II.11 Using Technology to Enhance
IDA Delivery
Technology to improve IDA
delivery ranges from accounting
enhancements to financial literacy
training. Hear from several
innovators who have designed
technology to dramatically increase
the accuracy and efficiency of
delivering IDAs. Level: Intermediate |
III.11 Integrating Savings and Credit
A current research and development
initiative is supporting community
development financial institutions
(CDFIs) in creating products and
services that use IDAs to link equity
and debt capital for low-income
entrepreneurs. Learn how this
initiative aims to lower the
operating costs, reduce the credit
risk, and increase the loan volumes
of CDFIs. Level: Beginner |
IV.11 State College Savings Plans
as Part of a Progressive Asset-
Building System
So-called "529" plans have features
that benefit low-income households,
especially in certain states. Understand
how the emergence and success
of these state-sponsored college
savings plans may provide a good
product model upon which to build
a universal and progressive asset-based
system. Level: Intermediate |
| Research and Evaluation |
I.12 Evaluating Your IDA Program:
Developing Goals and Measuring
Outcomes
Do you know if your IDA program
is reaching its target group or the
impact of program components, like
the financial education classes?
Learn how to specify and assess IDA
program goals and outcomes, review
a logic model framework to guide
evaluation, and hear examples from
the field. Level: Beginner |
II.12 Quantitative and Qualitative
Findings from the American Dream
Demonstration (ADD)
ADD employed multiple research
methods including an "experiment"
with one IDA program and a control
group with another. Hear the impact
analysis of data gathered from a
longitudinal survey by Abt Associates
and the analysis of data from in-depth
interviews conducted by CSD.
Level: Beginner |
III.12 Research Findings from
Federal IDA Initiatives
AFIA and the Office of Refugee
Resettlement (ORR) are two national
IDA demonstration programs that
began in the late 1990s. AFIA has
received appropriations of $95 million
and supports more than 250
five-year AFIA projects nationwide.
ORR has distributed over $65 million
to 49 grantee agencies. Discuss
the details of the demonstration
findings and their policy implications.
Level: Beginner |
IV.12 Results from Statewide
IDA Initiatives
Statewide initiatives are growing in
the IDA field. States have found
that partnering, using similar systems,
and centralizing services,
among other things, can offer more
to practitioners and citizens of the
state. Discuss strengths and challenges
associated with statewide initiatives
and hear the experiences of
representatives of statewide IDA
programs. Level: Beginner |
