This IMPAQ study for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy identifies trends in entrepreneurship programs in low-income communities by comparing the characteristics of self-employed workers and of small businesses (such as industry and payroll), as well as income levels of self-employed persons in low-income areas with the rest of the country.

This Brookings Institution study looks at youth financial literacy as a public policy issue. The comprehensive report presents a conceptual definition of financial literacy as well as state policies that incorporate financial education in the overall curriculum and course offerings to ensure that competency in basic financial literacy is attained upon graduation from high school. The report offers effective model programs and initiatives that have influenced the inclusion of financial education to K-12 students.

This Administration for Children and Families brief provides guidance on how financial capability services are integrated into existing programs that are delivered to TANF participants. The brief is divided into four sections: centering the client voice, securing buy-in from line staff for delivering financial capability services, identifying areas for integration of services, and using data for service delivery evaluation. Lessons from the field highlight TANF agencies’ experiences in Delaware, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington State.

This annual Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection report to Congress identifies programs and activities that the Bureau conducted to address its FY 2018 mandate. Mandated by Congress, the report covers three elements: providing financial education to the public through self-help resources and community channels, such as libraries and social service organizations; sharing research and resource guides on financial literacy to K-12 teachers and adult educators; and delivering information and technical assistance on financial security to servicemembers, older Americans, underserved consumers, and students.

Founded in 1972, the National Endowment for Financial Education offers financial education and guides, training tools, and survey results to consumers of all ages. Offerings include High School Financial Planning (for teachers and educators), CashCourse, Financial Workshop Kits, Retirement Paycheck, Smart About Money, Evaluation Toolkit, and On Your Own (for young adults).

This Prosperity Now report provides lessons learned for enhancing credit building activities for youth leaving foster care. Beyond explaining the need for financial independence and credit’s role among this population, the report highlights five organizations that successfully integrate programs for youth and asset building: the Children’s Home Society of Florida, DePelchin Children’s Center, First Place for Youth, the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, and the RightWay Foundation.

The Food Research and Action Center has developed an interactive data set to analyze the extent of hunger and the use of nutrition programs to stem food insecurity on a state-by-state level. Data in these interactive tables include demographic patterns, participation in state food security programs (including school breakfast and lunch, summer nutrition, SNAP, and Emergency Food Assistance programs and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), and state economic security policies (including TANF and EITC).

This discussion paper from the University of Kentucky’s Center for Poverty Research analyzes longitudinal administrative tax data to determine the correlation between Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) expansions in Washington, D.C. and income and wage inequality. This analysis, covering expansions of EITC between 2001 and 2009, are associated with pre-tax earnings growth between 3 and 4 percent. The authors conclude that this association complements other research that demonstrates EITC has a positive effect on labor market outcomes and household well-being.

This report from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund presents findings of a two-city (Nashville and Philadelphia) pilot that looked at how Financial Empowerment Centers inform their clients’ knowledge about financial literacy. It also reviews the ways that financial counseling expands low-income individuals’ saving outcomes and discusses how financial counselors work with these clients to meet financial goals.