The Peer TA Network provided technical assistance to Georgians for Prosperity (G4P), a committee dedicated to advancing awareness and participation in the EITC. G4P was created in October 2009. Subsequently, the Peer TA Network helped G4P bring together representatives from community-based organizations, foundations, local businesses, faith-based organizations, financial institutions, schools, and Community Action Agencies, as well as representatives from the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Georgia Department of Human Services, for an EITC/Asset-Building Statewide Coalition Meeting that took place in Savannah on June 28-30, 2010. The meeting served as a way for participants to share information about the EITC and other asset-building programs; foster peer-to-peer learning; highlight promising practices on EITC outreach and free tax preparation from around the country; provide helpful tools for launching an EITC/asset-building campaign; develop a Statewide marketing campaign to promote such services; and facilitate the development of local and regional action plans for immediate implementation. Through this meeting, GA4P hopes to bolster efforts at establishing community partnerships, enhancing outreach, and, ultimately, improving access to the EITC and free tax filing assistance for low-income residents.

This report is from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and provides key information on how state income taxes influenced low-income families. In some states, state taxes further push low-income working families into poverty; however, in other states, low-income working families can receive significant tax refunds through programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Specifically, 21 states have been able to reduce poverty for low-income families with children through the tax code.

From the Institute for Research on Poverty and researchers at Columbia University, this article provides information on the status of low-income men. Since the mid-1970s, wages and labor force participation has been decreasing for young, lesser educated men. In this piece, authors examine how key income-security policy areas, including unemployment insurance, payroll taxes and the Earned Income Tax Credit, and child support enforcement, affect this population.

This report includes data on 831 homebuyers in 17 states who purchased homes using Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) between 1999 and 2007. Data show that low-income homeowners who participated in programs that used IDAs to purchase homes were two to three times less likely to lose their homes to foreclosure. Additionally, IDA homebuyers were able to obtain significantly preferable mortgage loan terms.

This report is from MDRC and includes an evaluation of the Family Rewards cash transfer program in New York City, which began in 2007. The program offers cash rewards to specific family activities and outcomes to help families address immediate barriers but also to build human capital. Among the preliminary findings, researchers found that the program reduced current poverty and hardship, including hunger and some housing and health care hardships.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a Federal tax credit incentive that the Congress provides to private-sector businesses for hiring individuals from twelve target groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment. The main objective of this program is to enable the targeted employees to gradually move from economic dependency into self-sufficiency as they earn a steady income and become contributing taxpayers, while the participating employers are compensated by being able to reduce their federal income tax liability.

From the National Center for Children in Poverty, this report analyzes the effectiveness of America's work supports, such as earned income tax credits, public health insurance, child care assistance, and food stamps. For families, work supports can close the gap between low earnings and basic expenses, as working more does not always pay as families lose eligibility for critical supports.

Tax filing season is right around the corner. Outreach campaigns are underway, and some Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites across the nation will open their doors later this month. Attached is a sample article about EITC and free tax preparation for you to use in your next Grantee newsletter or weekly update.

The second Webinar in our EITC Series, this Webinar provided information on innovative EITC marketing and outreach strategies. Speakers from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided a comprehensive overview of marketing materials available through the IRS’s Stakeholder, Partnerships, Education and Communication Office. Additionally, speakers from Oregon offered information on how to successfully market an EITC campaign through strategic messaging for employees and consumers and how to conduct direct outreach through community events.

This documentary is from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and tells the stories of people who have struggled to overcome the effects of having a poor credit score or no credit history. Poor credit scores can affect the ability to obtain credit cards, loans, rent or lease a house or apartment, and obtain student loans. Around 70 million people have poor credit scores or no credit history, and experts estimate that a good credit rating will save the average borrower $250,000 in interest over a lifetime. The purpose of this documentary is to raise awareness on credit reports and scores to help policymakers and stakeholders support individuals who find themselves in such situations.