The Economic Mobility Catalog is a product of Results for America and comprises a growing repository of evidence-based practices, along with case studies that exemplify successful implementations of these practices. Many of the case studies in the Catalog align with the practices captured in the WWC Standard..
After the financial crisis in 2008, Lansing (MI) saw significant increases in unemployment, foreclosures, and property tax delinquency. Many low-income families were struggling to pay for essentials, and few families could afford postsecondary education for their children. To address these challenges, civic and government leaders in Lansing launched the Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) in 2013. The FEC provided clients with free, one-on-one financial counseling. After the FEC demonstrated success, the City’s Office of Financial Empowerment began launching a broader network of public and non-profit programs that aimed to support families’ financial empowerment. These programs included Lansing SAVE, which created children’s savings accounts for each public school student, among others.
The Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) in Lansing, MI, addresses economic challenges by providing free, one-on-one financial counseling. This program has successfully utilized analyzed quantitative and qualitative data to inform budget and financial decisions. Key examples include:
1. New Budget Decisions: The FEC demonstrated the use of data in budget decisions by securing public funding from the City of Lansing General Fund based on measurable outcomes, such as debt reduction and savings increases. Additionally, the FEC secured matching funds from private donations, indicating sustained financial support.
2. Documented Process: The FEC has a documented process informed by data analysis to make budget and financial decisions. It carefully measures client outcome data, tracks the impact of COVID-19 on clients, and conducts surveys to refine its strategies. This demonstrates a regular and systematic approach to using data for decision-making.
Overall, the FEC's comprehensive utilization of analyzed quantitative and qualitative data informs budget and financial decisions and ensures a sustained and regular process of refinement and improvement, aligning effectively with the specified criteria. This a a clear and strong example of a city implementing the WWC Criterion BF2: “Your local government has a sustained, regular process of using analyzed quantitative and qualitative data to inform budget and financial decisions about practices, programs, or policies.”
For more information about Lansing’s Financial Education and Counseling, please visit Results For America’s Economic Mobility Catalog for the full case study. There are six members from Lansing, MI, in our Community: @Zachary Etzin, @Christopher Greene-Szmadzinski, @Sowjanya Guntupalli, @Sam Quon, @Sean seaver, and @Andy Skelton.
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