Upcoming Events
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Past Events
Special Briefing on the 2009-2010 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard - 10.8.09
Californians face significant barriers to economic security, according to the 2009-2010 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, a biannual report released by CFED. This report presents a comprehensive look at wealth, poverty, and the financial security of families at the state and national level.
EARN collaborated with several organizations to highlight the findings of the Scorecard and its implication on asset building policies at the state level. Distinguished speakers at this event included Andrea Levere (CFED), Jennifer Brooks (CFED), Olivia Calderon (New America Foundation), Heather McCulloch (Bay Area Asset Support Center), Merle Lawrence (Levis Strauss Foundation) and Sunaena Chhatry (EARN).
This event was sponsored by CFED, EARN, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Levi Strauss Foundation, Tides, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, and the Bay Area Asset Support Center.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Stimulating the State of California - 04.20.09
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create and save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges in order for our country to thrive in the 21st century. Rosalyn Crain, Legislative Manager at CFED presented on tax changes in ARRA that benifit low-income families in California and offered resources available through state and federal agencies to help low-income families and the agencies that serve them (e.g. health care, education, workforce/economic development, literacy, other social services).
This webinar was hosted by EARN, Frontera Asset BuildingNetwork, and the National Community Tax Coalition.
If you missed the webinar, you can download Rosalyn's PowerPoint presentation. To access the audio of the webinar email sunaena@sfearn.org.Microfinance California - 05.28.09
The first statewide conference on microfinance highlighted microfinance strategies and practices unique to the United States economy, including the role of financial institutions in community development and the importance of financial education in the context of a predatory lending crisis. Download conference materials.
Asset Policy Forum
The Asset Policy Initiative of California and the NewAmerica Foundation, launched the Bipartisan Asset Policy Forum, a luncheon speaker series designed to educate policymakers, legislative staff and advocates on key asset-building issues affecting Californians.
American Dream 2.0: Safe & Sound First-Time Homeownership Strategies for Working Families in California - 12.17.08
Lori Bamberger, highlighted policystrategies outlined in APIC's new white paper entitled American Dream 2.0. She offered a series of strategies on homeownership policy for California's business, nonprofit, and government leaders. Ms. Bamberger is the Principal of Lori Bamberger Consulting (LBC),which provides strategic assistance to leading organizations at theintersection of the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Over thepast year, Ms. Bamberger helped spearhead APIC's Assets andHomeownership Initiative. Download presentation and American Dream 2.0 white paper.
Green Assets: Building Savings Through Energy Security- 11.18.08
Lisa Margonelli, an Irvine Fellow of the New America Foundation, highlighted policy strategies and initiatives California can adopt to ease the burden of rising energy costs and promote savings. Ms. Margonelli presented on The Energy Security for American Families Initiative(ESAF), a program that would put efficiency-maximizing technology within reach oflower-income California households through a range of incentives andlow-interest loans. Download presentation.
Strengthening California's Workforce through Education, Training, and Savings- 10.20.08
Amy Sherman, Associate Vice President for Policy and Strategic Alliances at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) discussed how workforce development policy can strengthen California's economy. Ms. Sherman identified policies that promote education and skills development to make California's workforce highly-skilled, highly-trained and well positioned to improve the state's economic vitality. Download presentation.
California's ScholarShare: Fostering Savings for Higher Education and Skills Training- 09.30.08
Zeny Agullana, Executive Director of the ScholarShare InvestmentBoard gave an overview of California'stax-advantaged 529 college savings plan; where the program is headed, how itcan help all Californians offset the high cost of education, reducepost-graduation debt, and strengthen the economy. Download presentation.
Microenterprise Development: The Dream of Entrepreneurship in California - 07.21.08
Claudia Viek, CEO of the California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity (CAMEO), discussed the ways in which California can stimulate the growth and success of entrepreneurship by fostering microenterprise development. She also describe the benefits of microenterprises including: economic self-sufficiency, job creation, community economic development, and poverty alleviation. Download presentation.
Expanding Savings and Retirement Security - 05.21.08
Mark Iwry, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, Principal ofthe Retirement Security Project, and Research Professor at GeorgetownUniversity presentedon the current retirement savings crisis - its causes and thecontinuing effect it will have on the financial security of workingfamilies as well as the state and national economy. He also discussedstate and national policy options to significantly encourage retirementsavings and the accumulation of assets by lower- and middle-incomeworkers. Download presentation.
Financial Literacy: Need, Strategy, Opportunity - 4.17.08
Ellen Seidman,Director of the Financial Services and EducationProject in the Asset Building Program at the New America Foundation presented on the importance of financial literacy for bothindividual households and the broader macroeconomy. Download presentation.
Banking the Unbanked: Bringing Californians into the Financial Mainstream - 3.26.08
Anne Stuhldreher, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger discussed what it means to be "unbanked" and why it is a problem for California. She also provided an overview of Bank on California, which is modeled after Bank on San Francisco, headed by San Francisco City Treasurer José Cisneros. Mr. Cisneros will describe the ground-breaking initiative that is successfully bringing thousands of local unbanked residents into the financial mainstream. Download presentation: Bank on San Francisco and Bank on California.
The Savings Crisis: Policies to Help Californians Build Wealth - 2.13.08
Featured speaker, Dory Rand, presented on the savings crisis and discussed policy solutions that can help Californians build wealth. Ms. Rand is Supervising Attorney of the Community Investment Unit at the Sargeant Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. Download presentation.
California's California: Savings and Opportunity in the Central Valley - 1.31.08
Carol Whiteside discussed the Central Valley's economy as it relates to family incomes and asset accumulation and how those factors relate to residents' ability to pay for college education and/or job training, start small businesses, and sustain a decent standard of living in retirement. Ms. Whiteside is a former mayor of Modesto and President of the Great Valley Center. Download presentation.
The Mortgage Crisis in California: Policy Strategies for Preserving the American Dream - 11.19.07
Paul Leonard discussed the current subprime mortgage crisis - it's causes, the continuing effect it will have on homeownership, wealth, and the California economy, as well as present possible solutions. Mr. Leonard directs the California office of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). Click here to view the program. Download presentation.
Assets and Opportunity: Exploring Californians' Financial Well-Being - 10.09.07
At the second luncheon we examined California’s asset-building policies through CFED’s 2007-2008 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard Report. Jennifer Brooks, CFED’s Policy Director presented on California's ranks with other states in relation to asset-building policies. Download presentation.
Asset Policy 101 - 9.29.07
Nearly 100 people participated in the inaugural event where asset policy expert Heather McCulloch provided an overview of this dynamic and growing field of asset building. Click here to hear the program. Download Presentation.
