HOPE Initiative Newsletter

The HOPE Initiative recently published a new Community Outreach newsletter.  Topics include the Dark Side of Debt, Financial Football, Church Bulletin and Volunteers.

Read the HOPE newsletter....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 11:22 AM - Categories: Press Releases | Coalition Partners

EITC Resources

Two resources were presented yesterday during the Assets for Independence conference call on EITC. 

• EITC Resource Listing
• EITC Resource Manual (available from the AFI website)

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 11:27 AM - Categories: Conferences/Webinars | Funding Opportunities | VITA

Special AFI Conference Call: Planning for Tax Season

The AFI Resource Center is pleased to announce a special two-part conference call series on Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) outreach.

• Part I – EITC Overview (Wednesday, September 19) — listeners will learn about EITC and other tax credits available for low-income individuals and families. Listeners will also learn about resources available for agencies interested in becoming involved in local/regional EITC asset building campaigns.
• Part II – Planning Your Local EITC Participation? (Wednesday, September 26) — listeners will learn about the impact of EITC on Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and will be provided information on best practices, resources, and a network of agencies working to couple programs to promote a move out of poverty, savings, and wealth building.

Expert speakers will provide insight on strategies for joining local EITC campaigns and incorporating EITC as a resource for AFI program participants and other clients ¿ to enable them to increase their IDA savings. The calls will also feature grantees who are leading local campaigns to ensure all eligible individuals and families access their EITC and use their refunds wisely.

Please join us for this special series on Wednesday, September 19th, and Wednesday, September 26th. Both calls will run from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 3:05 PM - Categories: Conferences/Webinars

2007 EITC Seminar

Did you miss the 2007 VACAP EITC Seminar? The Crowne Plaza Downtown Richmond was the place to be on Tuesday, September 11th to learn more about EITC and the Virginia CASH Campaign. 65 coalition partners gathered for a day of learning and sharing and spent time chatting with others involved in free tax preparation in Virginia.  Commissioner Conyers from the Virginia Department of Social Services sent an electronic welcome greeting. It was a great day to be involved with EITC!

Download the agenda....

The following presentations from the VACAP 2007 EITC Seminar are available for viewing online:

• Make Tax Time Pay- John Wancheck from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities presented EITC basics and expect changes.
• Unclaimed Property- Brooke Bredel from the Virginia Department of Treasury-Division of Unclaimed Property brought some partners good news about unclaimed property.

The following speakers also gave presentations at the seminar:

• Hollie Cammarasana from the Department of Housing and Community Development and Marianne McGhee & Melissa Perdue from the Virginia Department of Social Services, our distinguished Public Relations panel, gave us valuable ideas and tools to use when working with the media.
• Denise Hellend, Tim Pickney and John Trevillian from the IRS SPEC Office Richmond shared new items of interest and introduced the new acting Territory Manager, Felecia Walls.
• Peter Thompson from ACF brought greetings from Washington and set the tone nicely with a warm welcome.
• Sabrina Blackett from the Department of Housing and Community Development brought us up to date on the VIDA program. Be sure to mark your calendars for the joint conference call between EITC and VIDA participants on October 11th.
• Carolyn Spohrer from the Virginia Community Action Partnership shared the VACAP EITC Grant Program.

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 2:49 PM - Categories: Conferences/Webinars