Prosperity Campaign of Hillsborough

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Prosperity Campaign of Hillsborough Pinellas
Counties

• EITC Awareness
• Free Tax Prep
• Financial Literacy

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How is the EITC like hitting the jackpot in
Vegas?

• Everyone makes out like a bandit !

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The EITC.

• Helps some low-income families cover immediate
  bills and other needs that directly affect their
  ability to keep working.
• Helps other low-income working families achieve
  some level of economic success and their maintain
  self-sufficiency in todays economy.
• Offers still other low-income families the
  opportunity to save money, acquire assets, and
  achieve economic stability now and for the
  future.

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The EITC.

• Is something that all organizations in the
  community are willing to work together on.
• It is the first step in creating a true working
  partnership around the issue of self-sufficiency.
  
• The EITC is tangible, measurable, and something
  that helps- RIGHT NOW!

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Prosperity Campaign

• An organization of partners providing a
  regional umbrella for Hillsborough and Pinellas
  counties to promote self-sufficiency through
  strategies and activities determined most
  appropriate for each locale/county.

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Background

• Launched after unsuccessful living wage
  campaign
• Initiated by Hillsborough County Government
• Established with United Way support in mid-2004
  as a two-county effort

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Founding Partners

• ARP Tax-Aide Foundation
• Childrens Board of Hillsborough County
• Hillsborough County Government
• Internal Revenue Service
• Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County
• United Way of Tampa Bay

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Mission

• To promote and expand economic opportunities and
  financial knowledge for low- and moderate-income
  working families in Hillsborough and Pinellas
  counties.

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Structure

• Governing Board
• Chairs/Co-Chairs
• Operations Team
• Staff Support
• Charter

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Focus

• Education and outreach to increase the number of
  families who know about and claim the EITC and
  CTC.
• Free tax preparation to increase participation
  and reduce fees related to commercial filing.
• Programs and services to help families gain
  economic self-sufficiency by making wise and
  informed financial decisions.

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Education and Outreach

• 150 outreach partners
• 640,00 flyers and payroll inserts
• 500 Ask Me About Free Tax Prep buttons
• 4,000 tax assistance calls logged to 2-1-1
• Free Tax Preparation Here signs
• Presentations, newsletters, press releases, radio
  and television interviews

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Lessons Learned

• Location, location, location!
• English may be a second language.
• Slick is not always good.
• Its the message, stupid.
• With a little help from my friends
• Twinkle, twinkle little star.

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Free Tax Preparation

• 63 Tax Preparation Sites in 2006
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (9)
• AARP Tax-Aide Foundation (45)
• The Benefit Bank (9)

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The Benefit Bank

• Online counselor-assisted tax program.
• Promotes empowerment and self-sufficiency.
• Nine sites including two closed to the public.
• Train-the-Trainer sessions to provide local
  trainers.
• TBB Affiliate for Hillsborough County.

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Tax Site Results

• 2004 Tax Year
• 15,043 tax returns
• 2.9 million EITC
• 1.5 million CDC
• 10.8 million TOTAL
• 2005 Tax Year
• 16,434 tax returns
• 3.98 million EITC
• 1.6 million CDC
• 14.8 million TOTAL

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2005 Tax SeasonReturn on Investment

• Dollars Returned 14,800,000
• Value of Services 2,500.000
• Cost of Campaign 279,000
• R.O.I. was 62.00 for every 1.00 spent.

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Lessons Learned

• The IRS is your friend.
• AARP is not just for old folks.
• Volunteers are hard to find.
• Let 2-1-1 work 4 you!

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Programs and Services to Help Families Gain
Economic Self-Sufficiency
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Efforts to Date

• Financial Literacy Classes
• Quick Guides
• Get Checking!
• Tampa Bay Saves

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Get Checking !

• Karin M. Klaassen
• Community Relations Manager
• Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc.
• 1-800-741-7040, Ext. 293

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• Lisa Leslie
• Extension Agent
• University of Florida/Hillsborough County
  Cooperative Extension
• [phone], Ext. 143
• lmleslie_at_ufl.edu

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What is Cooperative Extension?

• Partnership between the University of Florida
  County Governments.
• Extends the education research from the
  University of Florida into the local community.
• Long tradition in helping the agricultural
  industry.
• Every county in Florida has an Extension Office.

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Extensions Educational Program Areas

• Family Consumer Sciences
• Financial Management
• Parenting
• Nutrition
• 4-H
• Horticulture
• Agriculture
• Natural Resources

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• The SAVES Program
• A National Initiative
• A Social Marketing Campaign -- Encourage the
  simple message Build wealth, not debt
• Sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America
  Local campaigns stretch coast to coast

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America Saves

• National campaign coordinated by the Consumer
  Federation Of America (CFA)
• National advisory committee
• Includes guidance from major governmental,
  non-profit, and business organizations

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Social Marketing

• Build Awareness
• Examples
• Remove barriers to behavior change

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America Saves

• Social Marketing
• Build Wealth
• Decrease Debt
• Enroll Savers
• Savers make a goal
• Develop a plan to save

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Local Campaigns

• Encouraged by America Saves
• All over the country
• Florida
• Okaloosa Saves coordinated by Okaloosa County
  Extension
• Miami Saves just getting started
• Jacksonville Saves

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America Saves

• Provides some support for local campaigns
• Guidance
• Localized brochures to enroll Savers
• Quarterly newsletter for Savers
• Database to track Savers
• Local Website
• Mini-grants

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Campaign

• Promotion is very important
• Enroll Savers
• Motivational classes
• Coordinate events to promote savings
• Roll Your Change Week
• Build Wealth Week Contests
• EITC sites and split refunds
• Saves Week

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Essential for a local campaign

• Financial Institutions -Banks and Credit Unions
• Provide no fee/low minimum balance savings
  accounts
• Help promote the campaign
• Provide other support when possible- incentives
  for savers
• Employers and organizations
• Host motivational/educational events
• Promote the campaign to employees, clients,
  members
• Community Support Collaboration
• Prosperity Campaign

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• Campaign Coordinators Hillsborough and Pinellas
  County Extension
• Financial Institutions
• Employers
• Government Organizations

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• Financial Institutions
• Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union
• Fifth Third Bank
• Florida West Coast Credit Union
• Pinellas Credit Union
• Washington Mutual

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• Employers
• Cox Target Media
• JPMorgan Chase
• Tech Data Corporation
• Pinellas County
• Hillsborough County

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• Prosperity Campaign of Hillsborough Pinellas
  Counties
• Florida Department of Financial Services
• Internal Revenue Service
• Adding members

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What is Saves Week?

• The focus of Saves week is on financial action
• The goal is to motivate individuals to save,
  reduce debt, and build wealth.
• Jumpstart new campaigns
• Revitalize existing campaigns

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• Pilot
• January June 2006
• Motivational classes
• Enroll savers
• Financial education classes
• Saves Week Events
• Follow-up with Savers

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Future Directions

• Increased linkage with existing programs in the
  community, bringing them on-site whenever
  possible, and creating new opportunities as
  needed.
• Budget and credit counseling and mentoring
• Debt management and consolidation
• Financial education workshops and classes
  including first-time home buyers classes
• Employment, training, and job counseling
• Assistance accessing low interest home loans
  Individual Development Accounts to assist with
  down payments.

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Contact For More Information

• Hillsborough County Health Social Services
• 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.
• Tampa, FL 33602
• [phone]