Communities & Banking

Winter 2017 Winter 2017

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Combining Earnings with Public Supports: Cliff Effects in Massachusetts

Safety-net benefits decrease as recipients’ income increases, but the result can be an overall drop in resources—sometimes so sharp that it feels like falling off a cliff.

by Randy Albelda and Michael Carr

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

How Banks Can Support Workforce Development

When financial institutions partner with workforce development programs, the beneficiaries include job seekers, businesses, and the entire community.

by Edison Reyes

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Income Inequality and the Decision to Drop Out of High School

When inequality is high, does being at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder push students to work harder to climb the rungs, or do some just give up hope?

by Melissa S. Kearney and Phillip P. Levine

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Lessons Learned in the First Year of the Invest in College Success Pilot

A pilot effort offering an incentivized savings program, financial education, and advising on paying for college takes stock of student uptake and retention rates after the first year.

by Sarah Ann Savage

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Cliff Effects and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

The harm to families, children, and society as a whole when SNAP benefits are reduced or eliminated too suddenly is multifaceted and far ranging.

by Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

The Next Chapter of Education Reform: Building a New Human Capital Engine

The Harvard Graduate School of Education and mayors of six U.S. cities are collaborating to build a better system of education for the 21st century.

by Paul Reville

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

by Amy Higgins

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Making the Case for Children’s Savings Accounts (CSAs)

Policymakers are more likely to support CSAs when they understand the political and economic benefits attached to doing so.

by Anthony S Poore

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Revaluing Black America

An undervaluing of people, communities, and assets results in underestimation of Black giving. This undervaluation has roots in racism and contributes to the persistence of the wealth gap between Whites and Blacks.

by Bithiah Carter and Ange-Marie Hancock

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Immigrants: An Important Part of Maine’s Economic Development Strategy

Immigrants represent a small fraction of Maine’s population, but they are vital to the state’s economic future. A cross-sector group is finding ways to attract and integrate newcomers.

by Carla Dickstein, John Dorrer, Elizabeth Love, and Tae Chong

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

Race, Ethnicity, and Jobs in Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s minority workers were hit harder by the Great Recession than their white counterparts and historically have experienced higher rates of unemployment and lower median wages.

by Douglas Hall

Communities & Banking | 2017 Series |Winter 2017

by Francesca Forrest