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Administration for Children and Families US Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Community Services -- Asset Building Strengthening Families..Building Communities
Report Contents

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IDAs and CAAs: A Natural Partnership

A Technical Assistance Document for Community Action Agencies Operating Individual Development Account Programs

4.

Program Operations

    Recruitment
    Orientation
    Application
    Assessment
    Financial Education
    The IDAs
    Case Management
    Retention
    Asset-Sepcific Training/Savings Clubs
    Asset Purchase
    The Lending Process
    Program Policies
    Post-Purchase Follow-Up And Support
    Data Collection
    Evaluation — ROMA

In this Chapter we will list each of the IDA Program components, describe them, show survey results illustrating how CAAs are carrying each out, and share some best practices. Most IDA Programs contain the following basic components:

  • Recruitment
  • Orientation
  • Application
  • Assessment
  • Savings Plan Agreement
  • Financial Education
  • The IDAs
  • Case Management
  • Asset-Specific Training/Savings Clubs
  • Asset Purchase
  • Post-Purchase Follow-Up and Support
  • Data Collection
  • Evaluation — ROMA

In the Appendix you will find a flow chart that shows the progression of these various program components.

Recruitment

CAAs have years of experience and a wealth of existing clients to draw upon for their IDA Program. The IDA Program requires trust and a large commitment on the part of the Participant. The trust that you have already established with existing clients is a solid foundation.

One thing to keep in mind is that it is not always as easy to recruit for an IDA Program as you might expect. We are asking individuals and families to commit to changing behavior and to participate in a multi-year Program. Not everyone is ready to make this commitment...and not everyone is ready now. The most successful IDA Participants are usually those who are not currently in a crisis situation, who have achieved some stability in their lives and are ready to take that next step towards financial independence. Also, just because someone is not ready to become an IDA Participant right now, doesn't mean that they won't be ready in a year or two. CAAs have the ability to continue to work with individuals and families to help them address the issues that they need to, so that in the not-too-distant future they can be good candidates for the IDA program.

Marketing and recruiting through your existing programs is an especially effective way to recruit for your IDA program. Another good way is through income tax preparation sessions and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) outreach programs that your agency offers. All agencies operating IDA Programs should consider offering a tax preparation program to assist low-income individuals in filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). These programs complement an IDA Program and are very useful in recruiting for the program. Also, most programs allow Participants to put part of their EITC into their IDA.

How to Recruit for Your IDA Program

We asked the following question in our survey: "What creative ways have you used to successfully recruit Account Holders for your IDA Program?" The Table below lists the answers we received.

Table 28 - Ways to Recruit for Your IDA Program
  • Recruit Head Start parents/put article in Head Start newsletter.
  • Recruit through Housing Authorities/through Family Self-Sufficiency Program.
  • Put flyers in bills of Section 8 housing clients.
  • Be sure that your recruitment materials are in the appropriate languages for communicating with your target populations.
  • Make presentations at/to:
    • Educational institutions
    • Churches
    • Libraries
    • Financial institutions
    • Other social service agencies
    • Mortgage brokers
    • Real estate agents
    • Civic Organizations
    • Parents Meetings
    • Family Nights
    • Town Meetings
    • Homebuyer classes
    • Micro Enterprise Programs
    • Financial Ed Classes
    • EITC/tax preparation programs
    • Department of Social Services
    • CDCs
    • Local Work First agency
  • " Put/distribute flyers in:
    • Laundromats
    • On factory bulletin boards
    • Street Fairs
    • Food Stamp Office
    • Homebuyer Fairs
    • Places of employment
    • Local businesses
    • General stores
    • Parades
    • Festivals
    • Day Care
    • Local DSS office
    • Day care
    • WIC
    • Family Resource Centers
    • One Stop Career Centers
  • Network with:
    • Local immigrant groups
    • Transitional living centers
  • Collaborate with any appropriate local agency including:
    • Urban League
    • Housing Authorities
  • Hold:
    • Ice cream socials
    • Open Orientations after media release or mass mailings
  • Use:
    • Mailings
    • Billboards
    • Monthly e-mails to other social service agencies
    • Radio/TV
    • Public Access TV/Public Service Announcements
    • Press Releases
    • Brochures
    • Newspaper articles/Interviews
    • Your agency's newsletter
    • Other agencies' newsletters
    • Community Outreach
    • Door-to-Door Outreach

"The best recruitment is word of mouth from successful IDA Participants."


The Broward County Community Action Agency in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, recruits by showing potential Participants how they can save money by not using check cashing stores. They explain to applicants that when they open an IDA they will be able to cash their checks for free at the bank. Then they can put the former check cashing fee into their IDA.

Referrals

Referrals from within your agency and from other agencies can provide many potential IDA Participants for your program. Some agencies find it helpful to hold informational sessions for case managers at their agencies and at other agencies where there is a potential for referrals.

We asked our survey respondents the following question: "Do you receive referrals for your program?" 106 responded "Yes," and 10 responded "No." We then asked: "If you receive referrals, please select the three types of organizations that give you the most referrals."

The main referral sources for CAA IDA Programs are from within the CAA itself. Survey respondents named virtually all programs operated by CAAs as referral sources for their IDA Programs. The CAA programs that most often refer potential IDA Participants are:

  • Head Start
  • Affordable Housing Program
  • Employment and Training Program
  • Energy Assistance

The following Table lists other types of organizations that refer applicants to IDA Programs. The organizations are listed in descending order of frequency.

Table 29 - Referral Sources for IDA Programs
  • Non-profit social service agencies
  • Public Housing Authorities
  • State/County/City Human Services offices
  • Other CAAs
  • Faith-based non-profit social service agencies
  • Affordable Housing agencies
  • Educational Institutions
  • Banks or Thrifts
  • Community Development Corporations
  • United Way Agencies
  • Micro Enterprise Development Agencies
  • Refugee Resettlement Agencies
  • State/County/City Workforce Development agencies
  • Credit Unions
  • Community Development Financial Institutions
  • Youth Development Agencies
  • State/County/City Economic Development Offices
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Office of Family and Children
  • Realtors

The United Way of Connecticut, through its 211 system, keeps an updated listing of all IDA Programs in the state, including each Program's eligibility requirements, geographic area served, and number of available slots. 211 Case Workers have been trained to identify callers who would be appropriate for IDA Programs.

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Orientation

IDA Programs offer an exceptional opportunity for program Participants. They also require a great deal of commitment by Participants: regular attendance at Financial Education classes; continued attendance at Asset-Specific training and case management sessions; a commitment to a Savings Plan; and, often, a willingness to change behaviors. The Orientation Session is an opportunity for the IDA Program staff to make all these things clear to potential program Participants. The Orientation Session should cover the basic principles of the IDA Program and the application process to become part of the program. It should also spell out in detail the responsibilities and commitment that the Participant will have to undertake.

Orientation sessions should be held at times that are convenient for the individuals targeted for recruitment. Agencies have found it helpful to provide childcare services to make it easier for parents to attend the Orientation Sessions.

In addition to holding Orientation Sessions at the agency's facilities, some Program Operators have offered Orientation Sessions at other sites in the community.

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Application

Program staff will usually ask those interested in joining the IDA program to fill out an application from. The application form should be a vehicle to gather the information needed to determine financial eligibility for the program and to collect demographic data. All applications should be kept on file. That way, individuals who have applied for acceptance into the program can, if the program is currently full, be considered for acceptance in the future if slots become available.

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Assessment

IDA Program staff often hold an individual interview with applicants to determine their financial eligibility and appropriateness for the program.
Not everyone who is financially eligible is right for an IDA Program. For instance, a family might be financially eligible but currently in a crisis mode. It might be better to work with the family to resolve the immediate crisis issues, after which they will be better equipped and more likely to succeed in the IDA Program.

Here are some suggested guidelines for assessing Applicants' suitability for the Program:

Table 30 - Assessing Applicants' Suitability
for the Program
  • Individuals who demonstrate high levels of interest and motivation as well as an ability to participate in Financial Education Training and Savings Clubs should receive priority.
  • Self-selection is an important criterion. If an Applicant is interested in the Program and enthusiastic about the concept of asset building and IDAs, chances are she/he will make a good Participant.
  • Be careful of making assumptions based on income levels. Sometimes Participants with lower incomes are the best savers.
  • It can be advantageous to choose individuals that you have worked with previously. You already have a track record with them and are better able to judge their appropriateness for the Program.
  • If the entire family is enthusiastic about the Program, it will increase the likelihood of success. The determination of one member of the family to change behavior around saving and spending can be undermined if their spouse/partner or children constantly sabotage the process.
  • One thing to remember - IDAs are not for everyone, and not for everyone at this time. Some families might not be ready this year to enter the IDA Program, but they may be ready next year. It is important that you convey this to Applicants who are not chosen for entry into the Program at this time.

Some questions you might want to consider to determine if an applicant is ready for entry into the IDA Program are:

  1. Does the applicant have a savings and/or checking account?
  2. Does the applicant save regularly?
  3. Does the applicant have long-term goals?
  4. Does the applicant's family share her/his goals?
  5. Has the applicant ever been in a long-term program (one year or more)?
  6. How successful were they in this program?
  7. What difficulties will there be for the applicant to adhere to the terms of the Savings Plan Agreement (making regular savings deposits, attending financial classes, attending Asset-Specific training)?
  8. How will she/he overcome these difficulties?
  9. How would you rate the applicant's motivation (high, medium, or low)?
  10. Is the entire family knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the IDA Program?
  11. Has the applicant been in any other agency program?
  12. What was their experience in that program?

The Northwest Michigan Human Services Agency (NMHSA) has developed a tool to help screen potential IDA Participants at their program site. NMHSA is a Regional Coordinating Organization and IDA program site in the Michigan IDA Partnership (MIDAP).

According to Susan Lindson, Program Coordinator of MIDAP, NMHSA's assessment process is as follows: After a potential Participant completes and returns an application, IDA program staff and the IDA Advisory Committee review the application and use the IDA Application Evaluation Form to score the application. Each application is read by two people and forms are filled out independently. A good application usually scores a total of 7 - 8. The applicants who score high are invited in to interview with two members of the IDA Advisory Committee and staff. The Personal Interview provides the interviewers a chance to meet the applicant and learn more about them. The IDA program is also explained in more detail at this time. A Personal Interview questionnaire is used when interviewing candidates. In the Appendix you will find a reproduced copy of the IDA Application Evaluation Form and the Personal Interview questionnaire. We thank Karen Emerson, who developed these tools and this process, for giving permission to share them.


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Financial Education

The Northwest Michigan Human Services Agency (NMHSA) has developed a tool to help screen potential IDA Participants at their program site. NMHSA is a Regional Coordinating Organization and IDA program site in the Michigan IDA Partnership (MIDAP).

According to Susan Lindson, Program Coordinator of MIDAP, NMHSA's assessment process is as follows: After a potential Participant completes and returns an application, IDA program staff and the IDA Advisory Committee review the application and use the IDA Application Evaluation Form to score the application. Each application is read by two people and forms are filled out independently. A good application usually scores a total of 7 - 8. The applicants who score high are invited in to interview with two members of the IDA Advisory Committee and staff. The Personal Interview provides the interviewers a chance to meet the applicant and learn more about them. The IDA program is also explained in more detail at this time. A Personal Interview questionnaire is used when interviewing candidates. In the Appendix you will find a reproduced copy of the IDA Application Evaluation Form and the Personal Interview questionnaire. We thank Karen Emerson, who developed these tools and this process, for giving permission to share them.

The Olympic Community Action Program in Port Townsend, Washington has a representative from Equifax, the credit reporting company, come and present a workshop to the class. Individual credit reports are then made available to the IDA Participants.

Be sure that the Financial Education classes are accessible to the Participants and responsive to their needs. Since most of your Participants
will be working during the day, it will be necessary to schedule the Financial Education classes in the evening or on Saturdays to accommodate Participants' schedules. Of course, offer the classes in the language the Participants are most comfortable with.

Also, if possible, offer childcare and transportation to Participants to make it easier for them to attend the classes. What works well is to provide a light supper for Participants and their children, and then have the children go to another room for activities while the parents are having their class. You might want to work with the children on financial education and asset building. You can talk to them about what their parents are learning and what the IDA Program is about, geared to the child's level of under-standing. Asset-building activities with children should focus on identifying and building upon their personal, educational and community assets, as well as financial assets. There are Financial Education curricula available for children too. The IDA Program is a family Program, and the more the children understand and support their parents in their saving patterns, the greater the likelihood of the family's success.

People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon, VA uses a home study course called Managing Your Money. They provide the study-at-home option along with classroom training and newsletters. The agency is in a rural area that lacks public transportation and adequate childcare, making the home study course a good option.

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The IDAs

There has been much discussion in the field about whether it is better to have the Participants' IDAs as custodial accounts, held in the name of the agency with no access by the Participant, or Participant-owner accounts. There are pros and cons to both sides of the issue.

Account Structure
Participant-Owned Accounts

Those agencies that offer Participant-owned accounts often mention the issue of empowerment as why they think it is important to allow Participants to have unfettered access to their accounts. They feel that if we are trying to teach people to be responsible for their finances, we should give them the responsibility of control over their IDA. (Note that when we talk about the IDA we are only talking about the account that holds the Participant's savings, not the matching funds, which are usually held in a Reserve Fund.)

Custodial Accounts

Custodial Accounts are those in which the agency is the custodian for the Participant. The Participant can deposit funds into the account, but cannot withdraw funds without the signature of the authorized agency staff member. Those agencies that use custodial accounts for their IDAs feel that it is important to remove the temptation that a Participant might have to withdraw money from their IDA. They stress the fact that the IDA Program is, in itself, empowering, so control over their account is inconsequential. Also, Participants often like the added barrier to removing their money. Participants can always get their money if they want to, but it requires them to come and talk to their Case Manager if an emergency arises. This gives the Case Manager an opportunity to help the Participant pursue other options and resources rather than removing funds from their IDA.

As you can see from the results of the survey below, the IDA field is almost evenly divided on this question.

Table 31 - Types of Accounts
Type of Account # of CAAs
Participant-owned Accounts
57
Custodial Accounts
50
Both Participant-owned and
Custodial Accounts offered
14
Joint Accounts
7
Restricted/Subsidiary
2

Participants usually open their IDAs during the time they are taking the Financial Education classes. It is important that the branch where the accounts will be opened is accessible to Participants. The geographic location should be convenient, and the staff should be knowledgeable about IDAs.

Some agencies have a bank representative come to a Financial Education class before Participants go to the bank to open their IDAs. This way, Participants can meet the representative and have a contact when they go to the bank. Many times, this is the first encounter that a Participant has with a financial institution. By arranging for Participants to meet the bank representative first, we can help reduce the anxiety level for them and make it a positive experience.

If Participants can save more than the maximum amount that is subject to matching funds, they should be encouraged to do it. This will give them even higher savings to be used towards purchasing their asset. Any amount above the allowable goal can be deposited into a separate account opened by the Participant in their own name.

As is true for most of us, IDA Participants save best when deposits to their IDAs are made by direct deposit. If Participants' employers provide for this option, it is an excellent way to encourage consistent savings.

Communicating with Participants

Information about their IDAs is communicated to program Participants in one of several ways. Sometimes Participants receive a monthly (or quarterly) statement directly from the financial institution that holds their IDA. (In this case, it is advantageous if the bank will also send a duplicate statement to the Program Operator.) Sometimes the bank will send the statements to the Program Operator, who might then copy the statements and share them with the Participants. A statement showing both Participant savings and match is a helpful motivational tool.

In Missouri the State CAA Association produces monthly account statements reflecting the Participants' IDA savings and the matching funds.

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Case Management

One-on-one Case Management is a critical component of any IDA Program. It is an ongoing process that lasts for the length of the program, and can continue for three to six months after a Participant has purchased their asset. The Case Manager provides encouragement and support to help the Participant adhere to their Savings Plan, as well as ongoing counseling and crisis intervention.

The importance of a well-trained Case Manager to Participants' success in the program cannot be overstated. The Case Manager's role is especially important to support Participants and ensure that they remain in the program when an emergency situation arises in their lives. During a crisis, a Participant might think that their only option is to close their IDA and withdraw from the program. The Case Manager will help find other options. The Case Manager also provides whatever support the Account Holder needs to help maintain and enhance their employment so that they can adhere to their savings goal.

In the following Table are listed some typical functions performed by IDA Program Case Managers.

Table 32 - Roles of the IDA Case Manager
  • Assist with Orientation Sessions and assessment of Participants.
  • Assist Participants in the development of Savings Plan Agreements, and other plans related to their asset-building goals.
  • Counsel Participants on issues of budgeting, credit, and the importance of saving to reinforce what was learned in the Financial Education classes.
  • Provide crisis intervention and assistance to prevent emergency withdrawals from Participants' IDAs.
  • Provide information and referral services if and when necessary to ensure Participant support and success.
  • Work to ensure that Participants retain their jobs, and increase their earnings and/or move into better paying jobs, so that they can continue saving.
  • Review monthly account statements with Participants. During these monthly sessions, the Case Manager provides ongoing counseling on questions concerning deposits, withdrawals, budgeting and permissible uses.
  • Recommend action on emergency withdrawals and asset purchases.

Savings Plan Agreement

Most programs require some kind of a "contract" or Savings Plan Agreement to be signed before each Participant opens their account. The Savings Plan Agreement reflects a commitment between the agency and the IDA Program Participant. Often the Case Manager works with each Participant to develop their Agreement. Following is a list of items that are typically covered in the Savings Plan Agreement.

Table 33 - Topics Covered in the Savings Plan Agreement
  • Savings Goals, including a proposed schedule of savings deposits (individual savings goals will be based on the asset the Participant is saving for, the cost of the asset, the amount of time in the Program, and the Participant's ability to save). The Plan will usually specify a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly amount that must be deposited in the IDA in order to reach the Participant's goal. It is important that we help Participants set challenging yet realistic goals for their IDA deposits. We want to foster and encourage success, not set them up for failure.
  • The rate at which the Participant's savings will be matched
  • The asset for which the Participant is saving
  • An agreement by the agency to provide Financial Education classes, and an agreement by the Participant to attend the classes
  • An agreement by the agency to provide Asset-Specific and/or other training related to the asset being saved for, and an agreement by the Participant to attend
  • Contingency plans in case the Account Holder exceeds or fails to meet projected savings goals or schedules
  • Any agreement as to investment of assets
  • An explanation of withdrawal procedures and limitations, including any emergency withdrawal policy and the consequences of unauthorized withdrawal
  • Provision for the disposition of the funds in the event of the Account Holder's death and the name of the beneficiary
  • Provision for the amendment of the Savings Plan Agreement with the concurrence of the Agency and the Participant
  • The Program Operator's obligation to establish in a timely manner an Individual Development Account on behalf of the Account Holder
  • A statement indicating when the Program ends
  • An explanation of the means by which deposits may be made to an IDA

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Retention

Retention of Participants is one of the most critical issues facing IDA Program operators: how to keep people engaged and motivated over the 3 to 5 year period that most IDA Programs last.

Ways to Retain Participants

We asked our survey respondents: "What creative things have you done to successfully retain Account Holders in your IDA Program?" Here are their answers.

Table 34 - Creative Ways to Retain IDA Participants
  • Have supportive, available staff.
  • Maintain frequent personal connections, contacts and follow-up with Participants:
    • By phone
    • Mail reminders of workshops, monthly deposits, savings goals
  • Provide positive support to Participants.
  • Have a first-rate case management program. Bring together the resources from within and outside your agency to prevent withdrawal from the program.
  • Make your IDA Program offerings interesting, relevant and accessible.
  • Gear the workshops to families.
  • Provide translation/interpretation services, as needed.
  • Hold classes and workshops at convenient days and times.
  • Keep workshops interesting, short and to the point.
  • Be flexible when scheduling classes; consider what will work for your Participants.
  • Provide transportation.
  • Provide childcare at classes and workshops.
  • Provide food.
  • Let Participants/families choose some workshop topics.
  • Gear classes to Participants' goals.
  • Provide one-on-one financial counseling.
  • Once a year have a program where Participants go out with realtors to look at houses in their price range.
  • Sometimes Participants need to take a Leave of Absence or an Emergency Withdrawal; allow these, as appropriate.
  • Provide regular statements showing the Participant's saving plus the match; this is a good motivational tool.
  • Run support groups—this provides encouragement and bonding for Participants.
  • Provide in depth financial planning sessions.
  • One of the best "retention" tools is adequate pre-screening before accepting someone into the program.
  • Provide mentors—these can be people from outside the program or more experienced IDA Participants or graduates.
  • For Participants who are saving for a home, provide hands on home repair workshops.
  • Provide Parenting Workshops, Family Conflict Management Workshops—ask Participants what information they need.
  • Provide asset building workshops for children while their parents are at their workshops.
  • Have successful Program graduates speak at workshops.
  • Celebrate success—distribute newsletters, send congratulatory letters; showcase success stories.
  • Hold a graduation ceremony.
  • Have occasional potluck suppers.
  • Hold mini-workshops with refreshments.
  • Have an emergency revolving loan fund.
  • Make home visits, if necessary.
  • Provide incentives: gift certificates, rewards, monthly door prizes, a Holiday Party, summer picnic.
  • Create an IDA coupon book and IDA calendar.
  • Share information and down-to-earth "how to's" among peers.

Western Carolina Community Action in Hendersonville, NC uses special events as part of their retention strategy. They hold an annual picnic, offer a free oil change in collaboration with a local merchant, and hold evening hours at My Sister's Closet, an organization that offers free work attire.

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Asset-Specific Training/Savings Clubs

Most programs provide on-going asset-specific training for the duration of the time that Participants are in the IDA Program. The purpose of Asset-Specific Training (or Savings Clubs as they are sometimes called) is to ensure that Participants receive training in the skills and resources needed to purchase specific assets and on how to maintain their assets after purchase (e.g., the need for continual home repairs and maintenance).

Asset-Specific Training is usually provided through monthly workshops. Use your collaborative partners as guest speakers at workshops, where appropriate. The Savings Clubs can also be forums for Account Holders to discuss their concerns and issues of importance to them, and to share their successes, report on raises and promotions, and receive peer encouragement. They are also an opportunity to discuss work-related issues and other topics. Savings Clubs provide a supportive atmosphere to help Participants cope with issues that might arise on their job.

Additional training and educational opportunities as well as resources available to help Participants increase their employment marketability and earning potential may be topics for Savings Club meetings. Job retention and advancement also may be a focus of the meetings.

Participants usually begin attending the Savings Clubs after they have graduated from the Financial Education course. Some suggested topics for a few of the most common assets are:

  • Home purchase - preparation for first home purchase, pre-qualification requirements, credit issues and the availability of free credit history reports, mortgage product types, the availability of first time homebuyer programs in the community and expertise from legal and real estate sources.
  • Post-secondary education - choosing a college, the application process, financial aid, scholarships, job-training opportunities in the community.
  • Business Capitalization - arrange for small business/entrepreneurial training to be provided to Account Holders by qualified individuals or entities. Make group classes available for general entrepreneurial training, followed by individualized training with professionals to assist Account Holders who wish to start their own business. Account Holders work with these professionals to develop qualified business plans.
  • Vehicle - What can you afford? Evaluate your credit, Financing, A new car or a used car? Buy or lease? Getting a good deal, Auto insurance, Maintaining your car.

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Asset Purchase

Purchase of the asset is the culmination of the IDA process. Programs have many different procedures to ensure adequate financial safeguards are maintained during the asset purchase process. Most programs require that the check (particularly the matching funds check from the Reserve Fund, but usually the check from the Participant's IDA as well) is made out to the vendor (the mortgage company, college bursar, etc.) rather than to the IDA Participant.

In addition to requiring Participants to adhere to the Program requirements (including completing Financial Education classes, attending Asset Specific training and reaching savings goals), most Programs also require Participants to develop a written Plan for the ownership of a major asset - a Homeownership Plan, Education Plan or Business Plan - before they are permitted to purchase the asset. Documentation that provides a paper trail for the purchase of the asset is essential.

CTE, Inc., the Community Action Agency serving the Stamford, Connecticut area, is located in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. Participants' IDA savings plus match alone would not be enough for a down payment in this area. Betty McCree, CTE's IDA Program Manager, has forged linkages with other first time homebuyer programs that provide additional support for IDA Participants. Together with the IDA funds, these added resources make it possible for Participants to buy a home. Partners include the City of Stamford CDBG Program, the Housing Development Fund, Adopt-a-House, and the Greenwich CDBG Program.

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The Lending Process

IDA Programs are partnerships between non-profit agencies and financial institutions. One goal of the Programs is to familiarize Participants with mainstream financial institutions and to help Participants develop a relationship with a bank or credit union. Ideally, this relationship has positive results for the IDA Participant.

In our survey, we asked the question: "Are IDA Account Holders treated differently in the lending process by either your agency or by your partner financial institutions when they make their asset purchase? (e.g., reduced fees, automatic qualification for loan, reduced interest rate, reduced experience requirements, reduced collateral requirements, or reduced equity requirements.)" 41 respondents said, "Yes," and 70 said, "No." The Table below lists the responses of those agencies that said, "Yes."

Table 35 - Treatment of IDA Participants in the Lending Process
  • Our Participants receive lower interest rates with our participating bank if they have completed HUD home ownership training.
  • Our Participants receive a reduced interest rate by participating in a Business Planning Course.
  • Our partnering banks agree to offer individual mortgage and small business loan reviews for those interested in becoming a homeowner or small business owner when their savings goal is reached.
  • Clients qualify for low-income programs that have lower rates, reduced experience requirements and reduced fees.
  • The relationship we and our Participants build over time with our partner banks helps facilitate mortgages.

The Greater Erie Community Action Committee reports that as a result of their financial literacy classes and case management, their partner banks will take a second look at clients that ordinarily would be rejected for a loan due to poor credit history.


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Program Policies

Sometimes, despite our best efforts and the hard work of our Participants, circumstances arise that require Participants to deviate from their Savings Plan. Described below are two policies—the Emergency Withdrawal and the Leave of Absence—that many IDA Programs use to help Participants stay in the Program while they weather a temporary financial storm.

Emergency Withdrawal Policy

Programs usually discourage Participants from taking emergency withdrawals from their IDAs and make every effort to devise an alternative strategy to address the emergency. However, sometimes emergencies occur that make it necessary for a Participant to withdraw some funds from their IDA savings (not matching funds). Of the respondents to our survey, 104 indicated that they have an Emergency Withdrawal policy in place, and 10 said that they do not have such a policy. Programs have various requirements for their Emergency Withdrawal Policy, as indicated in the Table below. Some agencies indicated several requirements.

We asked the following question: "What are the specifics of your Emergency Withdrawal Policy?"

Table 36 - Emergency Withdrawal Policy Requirements
Requirement # of CAAs
Only for specific emergency (loss of job,
eviction, medical, major problem)
50
With case manager/program staff
approval (on case-by-case basis)
25
Must be in the program 6 months
15
Revise Savings Plan - get back on
track to achieve goals
13
Can't use match
11
Participant must try to solve problem
first themselves
8
Must replenish within one year
6
Must replenish within 90 days
3
Must replenish within 60 days
2
Must be in program 3 months
2
Can only take a certain percentage
out for Emergency
12
Can remove entire balance
5
Limit to number of Emergency
withdrawals per Participant
17

67% of the programs that responded to our survey said that one or more Participants in their IDA Program had taken an emergency withdrawal. Most indicated that the Participants were able to replace the money in their accounts within the required amount of time.

Leave of Absence Policy

IDA Program Participants may, from time to time, be faced with circum- stances that make regular IDA savings impossible for a limited period of time. Some Programs allow Leaves of Absence that are designed to give Participants the opportunity to weather short-term financial crises, regain their financial equilibrium and ability to save, and remain a part of the IDA Program. As part of the Leave process, IDA Program staff work with Participants to develop a strategy to respond to the financial crisis that precipitated the Leave request.

Leaves of Absence are not appropriate for Participants who are experiencing chronic rather than temporary financial crises and who are not able or willing to work on a strategy for being able to make regular IDA savings deposits in the foreseeable future.

In our survey we asked: "Does your IDA Program have a Leave of Absence Policy?" 49 said, "Yes" and 68 said, "No." Of those who indicated specifics of their Leave of Absence Policy, the most common character-istics of the Leave of Absence Policy were the following. (Some agencies indicated multiple characteristics.)

Table 37 - Leave of Absence Policy Requirements
Requirement # of CAAs
Only for extenuating circumstances/hardship
18
6 months maximum Leave
17
3 months maximum Leave
11
Participant on Leave must continue to
attend Program meetings, case management
9
Leave allowed if Participant falls behind
2 months or more in their savings
6
Can be extended to 1 year
5
No match accumulates while on Leave
5
Must bring savings current to return to Program
5
Must be enrolled in program for 6 mo.
before can take Leave
3

A total of 32 agencies indicated that they had IDA Participants take a Leave of Absence. Usually a very small percentage of Participants took advantage of the Leave policy. 31 respondents said that the Leave of Absence policy has been helpful in retaining Account Holders in the Program; 19 said it has not been helpful.

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Post-Purchase Follow-Up And Support

In some agencies Case Managers provide three to six months of support to Participants after they have purchased their asset. Case Managers contact Participants at least once a month during this time to ensure that any issues related to the purchase or maintenance of their asset are addressed.

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Data Collection

Data collection for IDA programs is challenging. Demographic information, as well as information on deposits made, classes attended, and assets purchased, must be collected and compiled. Following is a list of the most commonly collected information for IDA programs.

Table 38 - Data Collected for IDA Programs
  • Participant demographic information (gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, education level, employment status, total monthly family income, number in household)
  • Number of Savings Plan Agreements signed
  • Number of active Account Holders
  • Total number of IDAs opened
  • When and in which financial institution the IDAs were opened
  • Amount of deposits per month by individual Participant
  • Average monthly deposits
  • Total amount saved by all Participants
  • Match funds earned
  • Number and type of assets purchased
  • Number of emergency withdrawals
  • Replenishment of emergency withdrawals
  • Number of Account Holders at various program stages/elements (orientation, financial education classes, asset-specific training, meetings with Case Managers, etc.)
  • Other data needed for evaluation purposes

Use of Data Collection Software

137 agencies responded to our survey question: "What data-tracking software does your organization use for its IDA program(s)?" Some agencies mentioned several software systems being used. More than half of the Programs use MIS IDA. (MIS IDA was developed by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis. See the list of resources in the Appendix for more information.) Of those using MIS IDA, some send their information to a central collection site (another agency, state association, etc.). Several have developed their own software and several mentioned that they use the system that their entire agency uses for tracking all of its clients. The results are listed in the following Table.

Table 39 - Data Tracking/Collection Software Used
Type of Software # of CAAs
MIS IDA
78
Excel Spreadsheet
50
Access Database
16
Both MIS IDA and Excel
13
Other
10
SPSS
0
Use no data collection software
14

The Missouri Association for Community Action (MACA) has a data base that contains information from all of the Community Action Agencies within the state of Missouri. The Agencies send information to MACA as well as track it themselves on Excel spreadsheets.

In Maine, Connecticut and other states, CAAs are part of a consortium that report to one agency with MIS IDA capacity.

In Michigan, agencies forward data monthly to a regional coordinator that inputs the data and forwards them to the State.

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Evaluation — ROMA

As responsible program operators, we all want to know how our programs are performing, if we are achieving our program outcomes, how our program is impacting our clients' lives, and where there might be room for improvement. ROMA, the Results-Oriented Management and Accountability system, mandated by the Federal Government for Community Action Agencies nationwide, is being used by the vast majority of CAAs in our survey. Of the 108 agencies that responded to the question: "Does your agency adhere to ROMA system?" 97 indicated that they do.

ROMA Goals

93 agencies responded to our survey question: "Under which ROMA goal(s) do you measure your IDA Program." Many agencies gave multiple responses. The Table lists the ROMA goals and the number of CAAs that use that particular goal to measure their IDA Program.

Table 40 - Using ROMA Goals to Measure IDA Programs
ROMA Goal # of CAAs
#1. Low-income people become more self-sufficient.
83
#2. The conditions in which low-income people live are improved.
48
#3. Low-income people own a stake in their community.
49
#4. Partnerships among supporters and providers of services to low-income people are achieved.
33
#5. Agencies increase their capacity to achieve results.
6
#6. Low-income people, especially vulnerable populations, achieve their potential by strengthening families and other supportive systems.
16

ROMA Outcome Measures and Indicators

We asked the survey question: "What ROMA outcome measures and indicators do you use to measure your IDA Program." The answers are in the following Table.

Table 41 - ROMA Outcome Measures and Indicators
  • Adherence to Savings Plan
  • Meeting savings goal
  • Increase in movement toward self-sufficiency (based on scale)
  • Maintenance/increase in income
  • Credit Repair/reduction of debt
  • Income management
  • Accumulation of assets
  • Ability to manage and use assets
  • Maintain employment
  • Obtain better employment
  • Safe affordable housing
  • No longer on public assistance
  • Obtain health benefits
  • Increase in access to community services and resources
  • Number of families enrolled in program
    • Meet program requirements
    • Attend Orientation
    • % completing Financial Education (measured by
      pre- and post-tests)
    • Opening an IDA
    • Attending asset-specific training
    • Participating regularly in case management
    • Meeting their savings goal
    • Purchasing an asset

Frequency of Monitoring

We asked the question, "How often are your ROMA outcomes monitored?"

Table 42 - Frequency of Monitoring of
ROMA Outcome Measures
Frequency # of CAAs
Weekly
1
Monthly
24
Quarterly
58
Semi-Annually
6
Yearly
4

ROMA Outcome Measures Met

We asked the question: "How often do you meet your ROMA outcome measures?"

Table 43 - Frequency of Meeting
ROMA Outcome Measures
Frequency # of CAAs
All the time
20
Usually
62
Sometimes
10
Almost never
0
Never
1

Impact of ROMA

We asked the question: "What impact has ROMA had for your CAA?"

Table 44 - Impact of ROMA
Impact of ROMA # of CAAs
Very positive
36
Somewhat positive
38
No real impact
18
Somewhat negative
1
Negative
0

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Last Updated: August 17, 2004