Financial Stability Partnership
Financial Stability Partnership
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Financial Stability Partnership (FSP) is working to increase the number of individuals and families in Southern Arizona that are financially stable and live above a sustainable income level.
The FSP works on a number of strategies to help individuals and families increase their income, build savings, and gain and sustain assets. The FSP and UWTSA will continue to implement best- and promising practices to help individuals and families link to the resources they need to become more financially stable.
Below is a list of highlights of the FSP:
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Task Force of Southern Arizona’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program has completed more than 20,000 tax returns since 2004 saving taxpayers approximately $4 Million in tax preparation fees and bringing back more than $22 Million in Federal tax refunds. Each year more than 200 volunteers participate in this program at locations throughout the community to help families access all of the tax credits they are entitled to.
Additionally, Asset Building volunteers are also on-site at select VITA sites to offer information about financial education, public benefits (such as food stamps and health care), individual development accounts, traditional banking products, credit reports, and other financial programs.
The Financial Education Collaborative of Southern Arizona (FECSA) is working to increase access to and knowledge of financial education and other asset building opportunities through the community.
The Supporting Work Project focuses on groundbreaking ways that community and business leaders are partnering to help employers of all sizes play an important role in educating their lower-wage workers about publicly funded work supports and in making it easier for them to apply for and receive these benefits.
The Prosperity model is designed to address the issues of bundling services in one location by delivering information and access to income supports at locations already frequented by hard-working families – while their children are provided free childcare during their participation in workshops and other activities. Workshops topics include budgeting, savings products, understanding credit, and the path to home ownership
In addition to their place of employment, most families with children also must visit their children’s child care center on a regular basis. Therefore, UWTSA has started two pilot Prosperity Centers in childcare centers in 2009. UWTSA believes that the financial assistance programs people need should be placed in locations they already frequent: workplaces and childcare centers.
This is the framework that the FSP uses to help guide the work:
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For more information about Income and Financial Stability, please contact:
Cheryl O'Donnell
Director Income Strategies
Click here to email Cheryl
520.903.3914
