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| Financial capability: Building knowhow and nest eggs |
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April is National Financial Literacy Month, an ideal time to focus on the importance of teaching Americans—from all walks of life, but particularly for those with low to moderate incomes—how to establish sound and savvy monetary habits that include saving, budgeting, maintaining good credit, planning for retirement and preparing for unexpected financial events.
To help build these skills, NeighborWorks America trains nonprofit professionals to offer services in their communities that build financial capability. NeighborWorks also helps its national network of more than 245 local organizations connect with consumers and encourage greater participation in the formal banking system. |
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| Too many moderate-income consumers are not financially prepared |
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NeighborWorks America released highlights from its fifth annual consumer finance survey, the first to focus primarily on households with annual income of $75,000 or less.
Among the findings is the alarming fact that more than one-third of low- and moderate-income households have no emergency savings in place. Additionally, nearly half of low- and middle-income adults either know someone who has been a victim of a financial or identity scam, or have been a victim themselves. |
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| What does it take to establish the savings habit? |
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Everyone knows it's important to save for a "rainy day." Emergencies happen: appliances break, cars sputter to a stop, jobs are lost. But many people find it difficult to start the savings habit when so many other desires and demands compete for scarce funds. How can nonprofits help?
This blog post reports on the progress and lessons learned from a matched-savings partnership between NeighborWorks America and EARN. |
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| Small-business program helps vet take care of more than pets |
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The owner of an after-hours veterinary clinic in Mississippi got the financial education and resources she needs to grow her business, assist her employees and help the community from Hope Enterprise Corp, a NeighborWorks member based in Jackson, Mississippi. |
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| Community conversations: Sheila Rice, recently retired director of NeighborWorks Great Falls in Montana |
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Sheila Rice came to her community development career rather late in life, though that's certainly not reflected in the breadth of her accomplishments as executive director of NeighborWorks Great Falls and NeighborWorks Montana, a 15-year period she calls "the most interesting, valuable, growing and impactful" part of her life.
In a recent conversation, Rice discusses her work, the importance of affordable housing, the role of NeighborWorks organizations and the opportunities ahead for the national NeighborWorks network. |
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