AC CAN STAKEHOLDER CONVENING

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1 Post-Meeting Materials Packet AC CAN STAKEHOLDER CONVENING May 11 th, 2017 Exploring Advocacy and Making Change Oakstop International Event Suite 1721 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612

2 Table of Contents I) Agenda 1 II) Presenter Biographies 2 III) IV) FRAMING YOUR STORY Framing Your Story Advocacy Presentation Slides 3 Advocacy Tactics Menu Handout 9 Building a Strategic Message Handout 11 Allowable Advocacy Activities for Agencies Handout 13 Shelterforce Blog Article on Advocacy Handout 14 Public Charities Can Lobby Handout 16 EXPLORING HURDLES TO ADVOCACY Notes from Brainstorming Activity 18 V) Alameda County Community Asset Network (AC CAN) Presentation Slides: About AC CAN 20 AC CAN 1-Page Overview 27 Family Assets Count Oakland 1-page Overview 29 Family Assets Count Alameda County 1-page Overview 31 i

3 AC CAN STAKEHOLDER CONVENING May 11, 2017, 10:15 am 12:00 pm Exploring Advocacy and Making Change Oakstop International Event Suite 1721 Broadway Oakland, CA OUTCOMES: 1. Increase participant understanding of advocacy tactics 2. Provide a simple framework to translate individual experiences into narratives which change minds 3. Explore some of the challenges of doing advocacy work 4. Learn from the experience in the room to identify effective advocacy strategies AGENDA ITEMS PARTICIPANT AGENDA I) WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION TO AC CAN A. Welcome and thanks B. About AC CAN and Invitation to Join Network C. Overview of Agenda and Outcomes II) FRAMING YOUR STORY A. Training on how to shape your advocacy story into an effective narrative B. Discussion on the limits of nonprofit advocacy C. Time for participants to practice shaping their own stories Facilitators/ Presenters Rosalyn Epstein, Coordinator, AC CAN and Urban Strategies Council Andrea Luquetta-Kern, Deputy Director, California Reinvestment Coalition Time 10:15-10:25 10:25-11:10 III) BREAK 11:10-11:20 IV) EXPLORING HURDLES TO ADVOCACY A. There are many challenges to doing effective advocacy to make macro level change for low-income communities. In small groups we will work together to identify ways to get over the hurdles. 1. What is the range of advocacy activities, what kinds of advocacy are nonprofits already doing, and what kinds would they like to start doing? 2. How do we strengthen the connections between direct service agencies and advocacy organizations? 3. How do we support individuals to tell their own Sarah Jones, Center for Economic Opportunity Program Manager, International Rescue Committee 11:20-12:00 1

4 AC CAN STAKEHOLDER CONVENING May 11, 2017, 10:15 am 12:00 pm stories and advocate for their own needs? 4. How can we compensate individuals who use their limited time and energy to share their personal stories in public ways? 5. How can we connect advocacy and storytelling to the work that busy nonprofits are already doing? Speaker Biographies: Andrea Luquetta-Kern is the Deputy Director at the California Reinvestment Coalition. In addition to working with major banks to increase access to affordable consumer banking accounts and to improve compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act, Andrea also fights against predatory consumer financial products and practices. Andrea joined CRC after several years as a litigator at Western Center on Law and Poverty, where she enforced affordable and fair housing laws on behalf of extremely low income tenants throughout California. As a former organizer, Andrea also helped lead a statewide coalition of advocates working to identify and end impediments to fair housing across California. Andrea graduated UCLA School of Law's Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy where she also completed a Concentration in Critical Race Studies. Rosalyn Epstein coordinates the Alameda County Community Asset Network which builds local capacity to create economic equity by working collectively with its members to develop innovative asset-building strategies, services, and policies. It has the ultimate goal of increasing the income and assets of low-to-moderate income Alameda County residents. Rosalyn also coordinates income and asset development programs for Urban Strategies Council. During her career, Rosalyn has developed and managed asset-building programs for youth and adults which include financial education, financial coaching, tax preparation, and managing a VITA tax preparation site. She also worked in youth sexual and reproductive health and built a culturally responsive and LGBTQ-inclusive sexuality education curriculum. She has a B.A. in Women s Studies from Smith College and an MSW from the University of California, Berkeley. Sarah Jones is the Program Manager for the Center for Economic Opportunity at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Oakland In her current role, she oversees IRC s financial education programming, serves as a financial coach for a small caseload of clients, and manages IRC s career development services. She attended Indiana University in Bloomington and received a B.A. in International Studies with a concentration in human rights and African studies in Ms. Jones joined the IRC in February 2014 as an AmeriCorps*VISTA to aid in the development and integration of the Center for Economic Opportunity into IRC s existing services. Ms. Jones serves on the Alameda County Community Asset Networks Steering Committee. 2

5 Allowable Advocacy Activities for 501(c)(3) Agencies Organize Communities Educate Public Nonpartisan Voter Ed. Change Corporate Behavior Educate Legislators PARTISAN POLITICAL IRS Lobbying Exceptions Influence Regulations Encourage Voting Educational Conferences LOBBYING Litigation Research Leadership Training Can do Can do within specified limits; measurable under the 510 (h) expenditure test Cannot do Adapted from Boulder Advocacy 3

6 PERSONAL STORIES, NOT FACTS, MAKE CHANGE Lead with shared values Fairness Trust Privacy Facts can help but can also make people defensive Couch facts in values Personalize when you can Promote solutions Promote a resource ( Use it, protect it ) Make a rule Evoke familiar themes and metaphors Little guy vs Big business Person in need vs Opportunist Tell a systemic story This could be you, your sister, your grandmother Who are you trying to convince do what action Adapted from the Opportunity Agenda Vision, Values, Voice Toolkit 4

7 SPOT THE VALUES, THEMES, AND SOLUTIONS: MEET BERNADETTE 1. Every one can get overwhelmed with bills 2. Payday lenders make it sound easy 3. Its not easy, its very hard to get out of the debt 4. Unscrupulous debt collector vs the less powerful individual 1. Violation of privacy 2. Endangering her job security 5. The CFPB is a resource Dealing with financial matters can be really stressful, you don t have to face them alone, the CFPB is there to help #DefendCFPB 5

8 Annette Smith Goes to Washington Watch how everyone uses values framing 6

9 Now you try Topic Area: Audience: Value(s): Problem(s): Solution(s): Action(s): 7

10 Parting advice Work with partners whose advocacy campaigns line up with your mission Trust is paramount they trust you, you trust them, you both trust your partners Develop long term leaders 8

11 Alameda County Community Asset Network Advocacy Tactics Menu Supporting Clients Help Clients Understand their Rights Rights resources by issue area Support Clients to Report Violations of Their Rights Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Connect Clients to Legal Assistance If their Rights Have Been Violated AC CAN Legal Resource List Sign a Petition Sign On to Letters of Support as an Organization Making Your Voice Heard Collect and Share Stories Contact local advocacy organizations working on your issues to share your stories Talk Poverty story database Attend a Town Hall Meeting Scheduled by your Elected Official and Plan to Speak Use this website to find your elected official s town hall or contact them directly Organize a Community Meeting or Call with Your Elected Official Organization can do this alone, or working together with other organizations Partnerships Form a Coalition to Collaborate with Other Stakeholders on Shared Issues Build and Nurture Ongoing Working Relationships with Elected Officials and Other Decision-Makers who can Influence Progress of the Organization s Advocacy Agenda 9

12 Alameda County Community Asset Network Advocacy Tactics Menu Educate Others on Your Issue Contact Elected Officials (and their Staff) and Educate them on an Issue and/or Advocate for them to Take A Position or Action Find your federal elected officials Find your California elected officials Write a letter, Call, Schedule an in-person visit, Invite them to come to your site and observe your work Communicate With, Educate, and Engage Your Constituents/Networks and the General Public Write an Opinion Article or Letter to the Editor of an online or print publication Plan Media Outreach Through Online, Broadcast, and Print Media as Needed to Communicate Your Messages Gather and Analyze Credible Information on an Issue and Publicize it Channels of Engagement Identify which advocacy channels you want to influence to pick the most effective tactics. ADMINISTRATIVE The organization monitors and works to influence executive branch, policy change, regulatory and enforcement activity in order to further advocacy priorities. LEGISLATIVE The organization monitors and works to influence legislative branch activity in order to further its advocacy priorities. BALLOT MEASURES, REFERENDA, AND INITIATIVES The organization monitors the planning and progress of, and takes public positions on ballot measures, referenda, and Initiatives related to its advocacy priorities. ELECTORAL The organization understands the election process and participates in voter and/or candidate education efforts. LITIGATION The organization monitors litigation related to its policy priorities and pursues activities such as initiating litigation or signing on to amicus curiae briefs. CONSUMER The organization organizes a boycott against a company whose policies counter its advocacy priorities. DISRUPTIVE The organization prevents business as usual through coordinating disruptive activities such as strikes, sit ins, and protests. 10

13 Alameda County Community Asset Network Building a Strategic Message One formula for building an effective message is Value, Problem, Solution, Action. Using this structure, we lead with the shared values that are at stake, outline why the problem we re spotlighting is a threat to those values, point toward a solution, and ask our audience to take a concrete action. Lead with values. Most communicators agree: people don t change their minds based on facts alone, but rather based on how those facts are framed to fit their emotions and values. Shared values help audiences hear messages more effectively than do dry facts or emotional rhetoric. o o This country is built on the idea of opportunity for all, regardless of where you come from or what you look like. Our economic policies should be propelled by the values of accountability, economic security, and opportunity for all, not greed, privilege, or the interests of a few. Introduce the problem. Frame problems as a threat to your vision and values. This is the place to pull out stories and statistics that are likely to resonate with the target audience. Where possible, include the cause of the problem, as well as who is responsible for fixing it. For example, our flawed immigration policies are threats to opportunity, equality, and community. Eliminating affirmative action policies is a threat to equal opportunity. Choose facts carefully. We all have a lot of evidence to support our claims. However, facts do not tend to change minds if the facts are not couched in values. After priming audiences with values, present one or two pieces of evidence that make your case. Break facts and statistics down to manageable pieces of information, into stories that people can digest. o But that s far from what we re seeing today, with working Americans living standards declining and the richest 1% holding 40% of the nation s wealth. Pivot quickly to solutions. Positive solutions leave people with choices, ideas, and motivation. Assign responsibility who can enact this solution? Make sure your solution fits the problem you have posed. For example, if you have painted a picture of harsh conditions on the U.S. Mexico border and the resulting migrant deaths that occur there, federal immigration policy reform may not sound like the right solution to your audiences. You will need to connect more dots to get your audiences to your policy solutions. Information on this handout was developed by Opportunity Agenda, an organization that partners to tell compelling stories that will change the national conversation, shift the culture and result in transformative social change. Craft your own message and find other tools here: 11

14 Alameda County Community Asset Network Building a Strategic Message o Reclaiming the promise of opportunity means demanding an economy that works for everyone, not just the richest members of society. Corporations need to pay their fair share, and banks need to invest in building up communities sustainably. Assign an action. Try to give people something concrete they can picture themselves doing: making a phone call, sending an . Steer clear of vague learn more messages when possible. o Join us by [include a concrete action that your audience can take]. My Message Topic Area: Audience: Value(s): Problem(s): Solution(s): Action(s): Information on this handout was developed by Opportunity Agenda, an organization that partners to tell compelling stories that will change the national conversation, shift the culture and result in transformative social change. Craft your own message and find other tools here: 12

15 Allowable Advocacy Activities for 501(c)(3) Agencies Organize Communities Educate Legislators Educate Public PARTISAN POLITICAL Nonpartisan Voter Ed. IRS Lobbying Exceptions Change Corporate Behavior Encourage Voting Educational Conferences LOBBYING Influence Regulations Research Leadership Training Litigation Can do Can do within specified limits; measurable under the 510 (h) expenditure test Cannot 13 do

16 The Shelterforce blog Rooflines Published by the National Housing Institute Nonprofits Yes You Can Advocate. And Now s The Time Posted by Miriam Axel-Lute on February 2, 2017 Amidst the chaos of the past couple weeks there has been at least one positive change a lot more people are starting to stand up and speak out about issues that concern them. I have personally had people seek out my advice for their first-ever calls to legislators and spoken to many first-time protestors. Many, many, more individuals have dramatically stepped up their commitments (myself included) to call, write, show up, and be a visible presence for justice in the world. The nonprofit sector needs to make a similar shift, organizationally. For a long time, many of us left the advocacy to the 501(c)4s, to our national organizations, to the organizing groups. We know there are some political restrictions (which are really very narrow) on 501(c)3s, but most of us don't know exactly what they are, and tend to err on the side of caution, of not rocking the boat, and of not risking our funding. And when we do speak up, it's often very carefully limited to our wheelhouse advocating to keep the programs that fund us alive and funded, or for rule changes that let us do our jobs better. We can't afford to do that any longer. In the community development world, our constituents are overwhelmingly low income, and include people of all races, colors, and creeds. Our very reason for being is to support everyone in growing healthy communities where people can achieve their full potential. We have worked in untold communities that have been brought to life again by refugees and immigrants. We battle every day to heal the scars left by generations of legalized segregation, discrimination, and hateful violence. Even when our particular missions are specific, technical, and "not political," they still embody a desire for justice, fairness, opportunity, and compassion. This means that not only do we need to stand up against disastrous and inhumane funding cuts, we can not stand idly by and be silent on the bigger picture moral crises facing our country right now, as well as the danger to its democracy. As nonprofit organizations, we have an additional moral authority to bring to bear when we advocate as compared 14

17 to people acting alone. Many of us have relationships with and access to policymakers in our official capacities that individuals do not. We have the ability to gather and share stories from our constituents to underscore the points that need making. We cannot make every cause our own, but neither can we keep our heads down and not speak on anything beyond our doors. So in that spirit, I gave myself a refresher course on what 501(c)3s can and can't do, so I could share it with all of you. I suggest you read this piece from the American Bar Association and check out the Alliance for Justice's Bolder Advocacy site. But here's a quick version. You can not take sides for or against a candidate for election, nor engage in or use resources for any partisan activities. (Please note, despite fears to the contrary, this does not mean you cannot comment on the sitting president or his policies just because he has filed for re-election early. You can. Just do not make any commentary about the 2020 election in the process.) You *can* make unlimited commentary about issues, both to the public and directly to legislators. This does not count as lobbying. Lobbying is only telling a legislator your opinion on specific legislation (direct lobbying) or telling the public your opinion on specific legislation while including a very specific call to action (grassroots lobbying). (Without the call to action it is not lobbying.) You *can* lobby, as long as you don't spend too large a percentage of your budget on doing so (either up to 5 or 20 percent of your annual expenditures depending on how you report it on your taxes, according to the American Bar Assocation). While some advocates recommend that all nonprofits track their lobbying expenditures and report them (which allows the higher limit), even if you don't do that, there are many things that are safely modest in terms of expense and time that could have a big effect: Add your organization's name to sign-on letters like this one. Endorse non-partisan events, such as interfaith vigils for fair immigration rules or responses to hate crimes in your community. Consider sending a speaker from your organization. Make an appointment to visit or call your legislators, and speak up about not only the programs you work with, but also the larger context and why civil rights and a functioning democracy matter to you. Register your residents, members, and clients to vote (without telling them how to vote or what party to sign up for of course), and make sure they know where. Write an op-ed or letter to the editor, pass a board resolution, write an open letter in support of values that are under attack, drawing connections to your work. Look here for suggestions on messaging. Consider doing it jointly with other similar organizations. Have you stepped up your advocacy in the face of the current political climate? Are you considering doing so? How? Let us know in the comments. (Note: I am not a lawyer. If you are uncertain about any specific activity, please check with one, preferably one with specific knowledge in this area, as the ABA notes that many lawyers that are not very familiar with the law tend to err too far on the side of caution. There are often pro bono lawyers that specialize in this kind of advice) Image: By Joanna Penn, via flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Miriam Axel-Lute is editor of Shelterforce and associate director of the National Housing Institute. Her is miriam at nhi dot org. 15

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20 AC CAN STAKEHOLDER CONVENING May 11, 2017, 10:15 am 12:00 pm NOTES FROM BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITY EXPLORING ADVOCACY AND CHANGE 1. What is the range of advocacy activities, what kinds of advocacy are nonprofits doing, and what kinds would they like to start doing? Potential Barriers: lack of supervisory support, difficulty narrowing issues, staff capacity, ability & connectedness to direct service Start/participate in letter writing campaigns o Promote through calls, s, and social media Collect stories to create a story bank o Make them searchable through tags and categories Host informational meetings Host rallies (make it fun & exciting) Build/tap into partner networks (CBOs, cities, religious groups, ) Fundraise to support advocacy activities o Travel o Food o Supplies o Staffing Develop/coordinate high profile supporters o Elected officials o Business leaders o Tech professionals o Celebrities Set up and send action alerts Invest in branding what s our ribbon/color? Align with children, seniors, veterans 2. How do we strengthen the connections between direct service agencies and advocacy organizations? Integrate networking events either during the work day or at the end of the work day to maximize participation Host speed dating networking events Create opportunities to present about each other s work Encourage organizations to come to the table with concrete ideas for collaboration Develop a story bank Work with coalitions that bridge the divide between advocacy and direct service Focus on strengths 18

21 AC CAN STAKEHOLDER CONVENING May 11, 2017, 10:15 am 12:00 pm Host more advocacy trainings for direct service providers and opportunities to build individual leaders Remind people of the context of advocacy and the consequences Develop marketing/branding strategies Invest in establishing trust between groups o Are there ways to factor in funding opportunities for mutual benefit? 3. How can we support individuals to tell their own stories and advocate for their own needs? How can we compensate individuals who use their limited time and energy to share their personal stories? Train staff members to empower the clients that they serve to self-advocate Develop a story bank Provide a community space where clients can feel safe and encouraged to share their experiences Model advocacy in a public forum Invest in building community leaders that can be designated representation Factor in the cost of attendance Brainstorm non-monetary compensation for individuals 4. How can we connect advocacy and storytelling to the work that busy nonprofits are already doing? Host focus groups to involve clients in the process Create a story bank o Success and Work in Progress stories Create spaces & structure for advocacy o Frame it specifically for staff/direct service Host larger-scale advocacy events to maximize participation & exposure Develop leaders within communities to be advocates for change 19

22 AC CAN Stakeholder Convening: Exploring Advocacy and Making Change Thursday May 11, 2017 Oakstop Event Space 20

23 What is Alameda County Community Asset Network (AC CAN)? Network of service 48 providers, credit unions and banks, community-based organizations, public agencies, and base building groups That work in partnership To increase the income and assets of low-to-moderate income Alameda County residents. Alameda County Community Asset Network 21

24 AC CAN s Guiding Philosophy We believe people should be met where they are in their income and asset development efforts and that services and products should be appropriate to client s needs We believe that poverty is a structural issue that has to be addressed at the policy and systems level as a complement to individual client service provision We believe that together, working in partnership, we will have a larger impact Alameda County Community Asset Network 22

25 Major Activities Hold learning and networking events Develop tools/resources Develop engagement in advocacy activities Alameda County Community Asset Network 23

26 Get Involved! Become a member F Facebook.com/alamedacountycan Alameda County Community Asset Network 24

27 Today s Agenda WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION FRAMING YOUR STORY EXPLORING HURDLES TO ADVOCACY CLOSING Alameda County Community Asset Network 25

28 AC CAN Stakeholder Convening: Exploring Advocacy and Making Change Thursday May 11, 2017 Oakstop Event Space 26

29 ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY ASSET NETWORK WHO WE ARE Founded and staffed by Urban Strategies Council since 2007, Alameda County Community Asset Network (AC CAN) is a network of service providers, credit unions and banks, community-based organizations, public agencies, and base-building organizations that work in partnership to increase the income and assets of people in Alameda County. OUR MISSION AC CAN s mission is to build local capacity to create economic equity in Alameda County by working collectively with our members to develop innovative income and asset-building strategies, services, and policies. OUR VISION AC CAN members are active, inspired, forward-thinking, and informed leaders who work together to address the root causes of poverty and partner with low-to-moderate income people to build income and assets. The result is that our members and Alameda County residents recognize their capacity and power to create healthy, vibrant, and economically just communities. OUR PHILOSOPHY OUR APPROACH We believe people should be met where they are in their income and asset development efforts and that services and products should be appropriate to client s needs We believe that poverty is a structural issue that has to be addressed at the policy and systems level as a complement to individual client service provision We believe that together, working in partnership, we will have a larger impact AC CAN works to give its members the tools, capacity and connections needed to better support Alameda County residents in building and preserving income and assets, through: Tools and resources in the field Technical assistance and trainings Referrals and resource connection among partners Breaking down silos across disciplines and promoting interdisciplinary asset building strategies TO LEARN MORE OR BECOME A MEMBER, CONTACT: accan@urbanstrategies.org alamedacountycan alamedacan AC CAN Members & Partners FOUNDED AND STAFFED: Alameda County Community Food Bank Alameda County Public Health Department * Alameda County Social Services Agency * Alameda County-Oakland Community Action Partnership Alameda Health System Pipeline to Opportunities Program Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Alternatives in Action AnewAmerica Community Corporation BALANCE Beneficial State Foundation Brighter Beginnings Building Skills Partnership California Reinvestment Coalition* Catholic Charities of the East Bay Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Centro Legal de la Raza Community Development Finance Community Financial Resources Community Trust, A Division of Self-Help Federal Credit Union Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union Davis Street Family Resource Center EARN East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) East Bay Community Law Center Ensuring Opportunity Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco * Fremont Family Resource Center Game Theory Academy * Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA) International Rescue Committee Lao Family Community Development, Inc. Lawyer s Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCR) MidPen Resident Services Corporation MindBlown Labs Mission Asset Fund (MAF) MyPath NPower Oakland Unite/OUSD Juvenile Justice Partnership, Transition Center Operation HOPE Opportunity Fund Rubicon Programs The Stride Center The Unity Council The Workforce Collaborative Tri-Valley Housing Opportunity Center United Way of the Bay Area s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Campaign Urban Strategies Council * Women s Achievement 27 Network and Development Alliance (WANDA) * STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER

30 CURRENT PROJECTS Family Assets Count - with CFED and Citi Community Development, provides new data and tools on family financial security and shares the building blocks for an economic opportunity agenda. Income and Asset Development a new workshop for ACCAN member organizations staff and others new to the field of income and asset development to increase their understanding of terms, services and opportunities to support family economic security and an introduction to how ACCAN member organizations contribute to this goal. Network Convening - leader for CFED s Asset and Opportunity Network-providing network learning opportunities, connecting members and allies to national and local efforts, resources and tools to improve economic outcomes for families. FOR TOOLS CREATED BY AC CAN visit Online Resource Directory: Find a financial service provider in Alameda, Contra Costa or Marin County that offers services including: credit building, debt repair, financial counseling, and foreclosure counseling. assetbuilding-bayarea.org Banking Menu: Answer 10 simple questions to find the best fit, lowest-cost financial product (bank or credit union account) within Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo and Marin counties. Savvy Consumer Curriculum: An innovative financial education curriculum that uses popular education techniques to raise awareness about predatory financial products and connects residents to local low-cost alternatives to build and preserve wealth. STRATEGIC PLAN AT-A GLANCE: PRIORITY OUTCOMES FOR 2016 AC CAN has identified five priority outcomes that the Network will focus on over the next two years PILOTING INNOVATION: By 2016, AC CAN members have access to the best research-based, fresh, effective, and cutting-edge ideas, tools, and resources to practice their work, engage communities and collaboratively inform local, regional, and national policies. º Define and share who we are and what we are good at; Create opportunities for networking and exchange of ideas; Identify and test innovative income and asset building strategies. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: By 2016, AC CAN members have a common framework and shared language about income and asset development that is reflected in the work of their organizations and addresses the structural issues of poverty and economic equity. AC CAN members act on and represent this shared framework in their daily work, practices with the community, and in the public space. º Create a common framework and shared language; Create opportunities for shared training and learning. FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY: By 2016, a financially sustainable AC CAN in which all expenses are covered within revenues raised and a 90-day operating reserve is maintained that enables AC CAN to respond to new and emerging opportunities and maintain core staffing and convening support. º Diversify revenue sources to include a wider range of supporters; Increase unrestricted operating funding VISIBILITY: By 2016, our strong reputation and track record makes AC CAN the go to organization for media, stakeholders, policy makers and organizations seeking input and feedback on income and asset development services, products, and policies in the region. ADVANCING THE FIELD: By 2016, AC CAN members are agents of change that influence the local, regional, and national narrative on what works, shape funder s priorities, and inform policy change. º Update and expand communication tools; Position members and staff at tables of influence. º Create innovative partnerships; Expand our dialogue with funders; Influence the narrative about income and asset development. 28 Alameda County Community Asset Network Jan 2016

31 OAKLAND & ALAMEDA COUNTY Building Financial Security in Oakland and Alameda County: A Data Snapshot Oakland Households In Oakland, 17% of households live in poverty, but nearly three times as many (47%) are financially vulnerable. These liquid asset poor households do not have enough savings to live above the poverty level for just three months ($6,062) if they lose a job, face a medical crisis or suffer another type of income disruption. In Alameda County, 38% of all households are liquid asset poor, and communities of color fare even worse: 63% of African-American households and 69% of Hispanic households in Oakland are liquid asset poor. Of households in Oakland earning between $50,000 and $75,000 annually, 43% are liquid asset poor. This means that even among those earning what is considered a sustainable annual household income ($63,990 for a family of four in Alameda County), many are not saving. 1 These households live in a state of persistent financial insecurity, one emergency away from falling into debt or even losing their home. The inability to bounce back from financial pitfalls not only hurts local families, but also stifles the region s long-term economic growth. These findings are part of a new brief from Family Assets Count, a project of CFED (the Corporation for Enterprise Development) and the Assets & Opportunity Initiative, in partnership with Citi Community Development, Alameda County Community Asset Network (ACCAN) and Urban Strategies Council. The analysis spotlights a range of challenges confronting families living in financial insecurity: Forty-one percent of homeowners and 53% of renters in Alameda County are cost-burdened (spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing). In addition, nearly two-thirds of renters are liquid asset poor. Fifteen percent of Oakland families do not have a savings or checking account twice the national rate. More than one in five families in Oakland has a bank account but still relied on predatory financial services such as check-cashing services or payday loans in the past year, which means they are paying far too much to access their hard-earned money. Forty-seven percent of Alameda County consumers have sub-prime credit, and the average household has $12,395 in credit card debt. College completion greatly improves the chances that one s family will not be living in liquid asset poverty. In Oakland, 55% of households headed by someone with just some college education are liquid asset poor, compared to 25% of those headed by a person with a Bachelor s degree. Taking on these challenges will require focus and collaboration among policymakers, advocates, practitioners and philanthropists to strengthen programs, services and policies that improve family financial stability in Oakland and Alameda County. Ensuring pathways to education, living wages and sustainable employment, along with empowering families to save for emergencies, invest for future goals and protect their assets, are essential for both Oakland and Alameda County households and critical to sustainable economic growth. Through cutting-edge data, tools and resources, Family Assets Count leverages the power of cities to improve financial stability for families and advances programs and policies that reduce barriers and encourage families to save and build assets. For more information and data, visit FamilyAssetsCount.org. 1 The Self-Sufficiency Standard for California, Oakland, CA: Insight Center for Community Economic Development, 2014, LIQUID ASSET POVERTY 47% Don t have enough savings to live above the poverty line for three months ASSET POVERTY 33% Don t have enough net worth to live above the poverty line for three months UNBANKED 12% Don t have a checking or savings account UNDERBANKED 21% Have a bank account but still use check-cashing or payday loans Asset Poverty & Liquid Asset Poverty: CFED, 2016 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP, used for US and all states excluding AK, DC, SD, WY); FDIC, Unbanked and Underbanked: 2013 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households (used for US, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the 69 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas). Estimates for more localized geographies are derived from CFED s statistical modeling process using the FDIC or SIPP and American Community 29 Survey data. The figures are geographic estimates and are not meant to directly reflect the FDIC or SIPP data.

32 Building Financial Security in Oakland and Alameda County: A Data Profile MEASURING FINANCIAL INSTABILITY OAKLAND & ALAMEDA COUNTY The concept of asset poverty serves to broaden our definition of financial instability to include not only what a family earns, but also what it saves and owns. Rates of liquid asset and asset poverty are typically far higher than income poverty, demonstrating the pervasiveness of the issue. A family of four in 2016 is... INCOME POOR LIQUID ASSET POOR ASSET POOR Don t earn income above the federal poverty level Don t have 3 months of savings to live above poverty level (money in bank accounts, stocks, mutual funds and retirement accounts) Don t have 3 months of net worth to live above poverty level (total assets total liabilities) IF WHAT THEY EARN IF WHAT THEY SAVE IF WHAT THEY OWN is below $2,021/mo is below $6,063 is below $6,063 AN AGENDA FOR FAMILY FINANCIAL SECURITY IN OAKLAND AND ALAMEDA COUNTY Housing and transportation costs in the Bay Area consume a majority of most families income, making it difficult for them to save and purchase assets. In fact, families in Oakland earning the median household income would need to devote 55% of their income to afford the median rent in Oakland. 2 Multiple news outlets have reported that Oakland has the fourth-highest rents in the nation, with a growth rate in the double digits, surpassing that of San Francisco and New York. 3 We must pursue a combination of structural and programmatic reforms to help families move out of poverty, stay out of poverty and create financial stability. Our economic security agenda should include the following actions: Provide Comprehensive and Integrated Services: Co-locating multiple income- and asset-development services and creating robust client referral networks and wraparound services are proving to be effective approaches to addressing the complex and changing nature of households financial coaching and service needs. Encourage Financial Capability at All Ages: While financial capability is important across all stages of life, ensuring that young people and others entering into the workforce have financial skills, knowledge, and access to fair financial products is particularly critical to supporting a lifetime of financial well-being. Expand Protection and Uptake of Working Family Tax Credits: The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) play an important role in reducing poverty, particularly among families with young children. For now, the EITC and the CTC are protected in the federal budget, but statewide and nationally, turning the tax code right-side up is imperative to addressing wealth inequality. Protect Consumers from Predatory Practices: Undergirding all strategies for economic security must be sound public policy and forceful legal advocacy to both undermine predatory practices and provide consumers with good information and legal representation to protect themselves. Unscrupulous foreclosures, unlawful debt collection practices, and unjust court fines and fees can compound already stressful situations for families. Increase Sustainable Wage Employment: We must ensure that working people in Oakland and Alameda County have access to jobs that pay sustainable wages both by increasing the quality of jobs and by creating pathways that enable residents to prepare for and connect to those jobs. Preserve and Increase Healthy, Affordable Housing: Affordable housing is a cornerstone of financial security. We need to pursue strategies such as inclusionary zoning, expanding protections for renters, strengthening code enforcement to ensure that housing is healthful and permanently removing land from the speculative market through community land trusts. Provide Pathways for Entrepreneurs: As the Oakland economy grows, we must create opportunities for small businesses to start, expand and thrive. We must prepare and support entrepreneurs to create good jobs, find safe loan and credit products, and make sound financial decisions. Much like individual consumers, entrepreneurs also need to build their financial capability, especially in an expanding market like Oakland. 2 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012); Median Rent List Price ($), Multifamily 5+ Units, Zillow, October 2015, data/#rental-data. 3 December 2015 Rent Report (San Francisco, CA: Zumper, 2015). 2 PUBLISHED FEBRUARY For more information and data, visit FamilyAssetsCount.org.

33 ALAMEDA COUNTY, OAKLAND Building Financial Security in Alameda County: A Data Snapshot Alameda County Households In Alameda County, nine percent of households live in poverty, but four times as many (38%) are financially vulnerable. These liquid asset poor households do not have enough savings to live above the poverty level for just three months ($6,062) if they lose a job, are managing healthcare costs or suffer another income disruption. Communities of color fare even worse: 60% of African-American households and 63% of Hispanic households are liquid asset poor. Of households earning between $50,000 and $75,000 annually, 41% are liquid asset poor. This means that among even those earning what is considered a sustainable annual wage of $63,990 for a family of four in Alameda County, many cannot save. 1 These households live in a state of persistent financial insecurity, one emergency away from falling into debt or even losing their home. The inability to bounce back from financial pitfalls not only hurts Alameda County families, but can also stifle the county s long-term economic growth. These findings are part of a new data analysis from Family Assets Count, a project of CFED (the Corporation for Enterprise Development) and the Assets & Opportunity Initiative, in partnership with Citi Community Development, Alameda County Community Asset Network and Urban Strategies Council. The analysis spotlights a range of challenges confronting families living in financial insecurity: Alameda County has a 52 percent homeownership rate, comparable to that of the state (54%). Unfortunately, two out of five of those homeowners are cost-burdened (spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing). In addition, over half (53%) of renters in Alameda County are cost-burdened and 55% are liquid asset poor. Nine percent of Alameda County families do not have a savings or checking account two percentage points greater than the national rate. More than one in ten families in Alameda County has a bank account but still relied on alternative financial services such as check-cashing services or payday loans in the past year, which means they are paying far too much to access their hard-earned money. For comparison, Oakland s underbanked rate is six percentage points higher than that of Alameda County families. College completion greatly improves the chances that a family will not be living in liquid asset poverty. In Alameda County, 43% of households headed by someone with just some college education are liquid asset poor, compared to 20% of those headed by someone with a Bachelor s degree. Taking on these challenges will require focus and collaboration among policymakers, advocates, practitioners, and philanthropists to strengthen programs, services and policies that improve family financial stability in Alameda County. Ensuring pathways to education, decent wages and sustainable employment, along with empowering families to save for emergencies, invest for future goals and protect their assets, are essential for Alameda County households and critical to sustainable economic growth. Through cutting-edge data, tools and resources, Family Assets Count leverages the power of cities to improve financial stability for families and advances programs and policies that reduce barriers and encourage families to save and build assets. For more information and data, visit FamilyAssetsCount.org. LIQUID ASSET POVERTY 38% Don t have enough savings to live above the poverty line for three months ASSET POVERTY 24% Don t have enough net worth to live above the poverty line for three months UNBANKED 7% Don t have a checking or savings account UNDERBANKED 19% Have a bank account but still use check-cashing or payday loans 1 The Self-Sufficiency Standard for California, Oakland, CA: Insight Center for Community Economic Development, 2014, insightcced.org/tools-metrics/self-sufficiency-standard-tool-for-california/. Asset Poverty & Liquid Asset Poverty: CFED, 2014 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP, used for US and all states excluding AK, DC, SD, WY); FDIC, Unbanked and Underbanked: 2013 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households (used for US, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the 71 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas). Estimates for more localized geographies are derived from CFED s statistical modeling process using the FDIC or SIPP and American Community Survey data. The figures 31 are geographic estimates and are not meant to directly reflect the FDIC or SIPP data.

34 Building Financial Security in Oakland and Alameda County: A Data Profile MEASURING FINANCIAL INSTABILITY OAKLAND & ALAMEDA COUNTY The concept of asset poverty serves to broaden our definition of financial instability to include not only what a family earns, but also what it saves and owns. Rates of liquid asset and asset poverty are typically far higher than income poverty, demonstrating the pervasiveness of the issue. A family of four in 2016 is... INCOME POOR LIQUID ASSET POOR ASSET POOR Don t earn income above the federal poverty level Don t have 3 months of savings to live above poverty level (money in bank accounts, stocks, mutual funds and retirement accounts) Don t have 3 months of net worth to live above poverty level (total assets total liabilities) IF WHAT THEY EARN IF WHAT THEY SAVE IF WHAT THEY OWN is below $2,021/mo is below $6,063 is below $6,063 AN AGENDA FOR FAMILY FINANCIAL SECURITY IN OAKLAND AND ALAMEDA COUNTY Housing and transportation costs in the Bay Area consume a majority of most families income, making it difficult for them to save and purchase assets. In fact, families in Oakland earning the median household income would need to devote 55% of their income to afford the median rent in Oakland. 2 Multiple news outlets have reported that Oakland has the fourth-highest rents in the nation, with a growth rate in the double digits, surpassing that of San Francisco and New York. 3 We must pursue a combination of structural and programmatic reforms to help families move out of poverty, stay out of poverty and create financial stability. Our economic security agenda should include the following actions: Provide Comprehensive and Integrated Services: Co-locating multiple income- and asset-development services and creating robust client referral networks and wraparound services are proving to be effective approaches to addressing the complex and changing nature of households financial coaching and service needs. Encourage Financial Capability at All Ages: While financial capability is important across all stages of life, ensuring that young people and others entering into the workforce have financial skills, knowledge, and access to fair financial products is particularly critical to supporting a lifetime of financial well-being. Expand Protection and Uptake of Working Family Tax Credits: The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) play an important role in reducing poverty, particularly among families with young children. For now, the EITC and the CTC are protected in the federal budget, but statewide and nationally, turning the tax code right-side up is imperative to addressing wealth inequality. Protect Consumers from Predatory Practices: Undergirding all strategies for economic security must be sound public policy and forceful legal advocacy to both undermine predatory practices and provide consumers with good information and legal representation to protect themselves. Unscrupulous foreclosures, unlawful debt collection practices, and unjust court fines and fees can compound already stressful situations for families. Increase Sustainable Wage Employment: We must ensure that working people in Oakland and Alameda County have access to jobs that pay sustainable wages both by increasing the quality of jobs and by creating pathways that enable residents to prepare for and connect to those jobs. Preserve and Increase Healthy, Affordable Housing: Affordable housing is a cornerstone of financial security. We need to pursue strategies such as inclusionary zoning, expanding protections for renters, strengthening code enforcement to ensure that housing is healthful and permanently removing land from the speculative market through community land trusts. Provide Pathways for Entrepreneurs: As the Oakland economy grows, we must create opportunities for small businesses to start, expand and thrive. We must prepare and support entrepreneurs to create good jobs, find safe loan and credit products, and make sound financial decisions. Much like individual consumers, entrepreneurs also need to build their financial capability, especially in an expanding market like Oakland. 2 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012); Median Rent List Price ($), Multifamily 5+ Units, Zillow, October 2015, data/#rental-data. 3 December 2015 Rent Report (San Francisco, CA: Zumper, 2015). 2 PUBLISHED FEBRUARY For more information and data, visit FamilyAssetsCount.org.