Tag: CFED

Nearly half of Oklahoma households are one misstep away from financial insecurity

Despite an improving national economy and a (deceptively) low statewide average unemployment rate, nearly half (49.1 percent) of Oklahoma households are in a persistent state of financial insecurity, according to a report released today by the Corporation for Enterprise Development… Read more [More...]

Extending the Ladder: How microcredit expands economic opportunity

This post was written by OK Policy intern John Davis. John recently graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelors in political science and a minor in history. He enjoys researching and writing on a diversity of topics and looks… Read more [More...]

Closing the Opportunity Gap: Building equity in Oklahoma

Click here for a copy of a presentation of this research to the OKDHS Practice and Policy Lecture Series on 4/25/2013 Oklahoma’s prosperity depends on the financial success and economic achievement of the people who call it home.  For a… Read more [More...]

Interview with Bob Friedman: Our asset policies 'reward the rich, miss the middle, penalize the poor'

Last week, I attended CFED’s 2012 Assets Learning Conference, a biannual national gathering of practitioners, researchers, and advocates working to promote economic opportunity and fight poverty for low- and moderate-income Americans through savings, investment and ownership. Following the conference, I… Read more [More...]

A Rock and a Hard Place: 'Asset-tests' and Oklahoma's poor

The federal ‘Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations‘ (FDPIR) program provides food assistance to low-income Native American households living in Indian Country.  Many households participate in FDPIR as an alternative to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly the food stamp… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk – February 3rd, 2012

What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk is dedicated to this week’s events, publications, and blog posts. This week OK Policy and the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) co-released the 2012 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, which… Read more [More...]

Up a Creek: Scorecard shows over a quarter of Oklahomans unprepared to weather financial crisis

In Oklahoma, more than one in four households are “asset poor,” meaning they have little or no financial cushion to rely on if unemployment or another emergency leads to a loss of income, according to a report released today by… Read more [More...]

Upcoming Event: Benchmarking Asset Development in Fighting Poverty, January 12th

Assets mean economic security.  Yet impoverished families frequently lack the means to build assets.  Some are even sanctioned by public assistance programs from accumulating the wealth they need to escape poverty.  Oklahoma earned a “C” grade from the Corporation for… Read more [More...]

Quick Cash and Debt Traps: Predatory payday lending in Oklahoma

Access to credit has become a necessity for modern American living, touching virtually every aspect of our lives. You need credit to buy a house or a car, pay for medical expenses, even rent an apartment.  Obstacles to affordable credit… Read more [More...]

Promoting financial security: Matched savings account programs

This post is adapted from an upcoming issue brief on savings from Oklahoma Assets, a statewide coalition committed to promoting financial security. Click here for other OK Policy blog posts on assets and financial security. Most Americans recognize the value… Read more [More...]