for Low-income Residents and Communities
State associations work to make welfare reform work for low-income people and to put supports in place for low-income families to ensure that they can achieve long-term self-sufficiency. They also work to ensure that community groups are active in welfare reform efforts.
Ø Individual Development Accounts: All five state associations facilitate collaboration, share ideas, participate in the state collaborative, and provide training to CDCs, bankers, legislators, government officials and United Way and other grantmakers. OCDCA has sought to help community-based development organizations to access Ohio’s new $2 million in TANF funds allocated for IDA matches and secure stable funding for IDA programs. MACDC and OCDCA facilitated grants to groups of CDCs in their state from the Office of Community Services and received more than half a million dollars. Future plans include larger collaborative fundraising efforts in MA, MD, and NJ.
Ø Expand CDC efforts in the area of workforce development. MACDC launched the Workforce Development Initiative to support the continued expansion of CDC efforts in this area.
Ø Microenterprise. OCDCA, CCEDA, and MCCD are founding and active members of statewide intermediary of lenders, practitioners, and advocates that provides technical assistance and training for micro-enterprise development. Nearly $1.25 million is expected to be allocated by state governments for microenterprise. MCCD and OCDCA are focused on building the capacity of the nonprofits to provide technical assistance.
Ø Rental Assistance. MCCD created a state rental assistance program that provided rental subsidies for families with emergency housing needs. The program is a competitive grant; 17 counties applied for and received state funds. Hundreds of families receive rental assistance from what is to be an annual program. The Network and CCEDA are working with other allies to create similar programs.
Ø Coalition Participation. CCEDA, the Network, and OCDCA participate in statewide coalitions that advocate for a coordinated strategy to develop supports for the working poor, including those transitioning from welfare to work. These coalitions advocate for state earned income tax credits, rural programs, an increase in the state income tax threshold to $20,000, a FamilyCare health care program, early childhood education expansion, WorkFirst Transportation Transition Support, and health insurance.