FII SF 2009 2-year Report
This two-year report, released in June of 1009, summarizes the results and lessons from FII’s San Francisco pilot project. In mid-2007 the Family Independence Initiative (FII) enrolled 16 very low-income families in San Francisco, CA. The first families made tremendous gains in income, debt reduction, and children’s grades, among other things. Eighteen months later the success of these first 36 adults and 50 children/teens inspired almost 200 additional families to ask to join FII so they could follow the success of the first families.
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A Catalyst for Self-Determination
This paper explains FII’s approach to catalyzing self-determination in families and communities experiencing generational poverty.
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Two-year Report
Two-year Report “Pathways out of Poverty”, a report summarizing findings and lessons learned from the first two years of operation, was released in May 2004. It includes a wealth of data, noteworthy results, compelling case studies and personal stories.
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New “Theory of Change”–Assistance Based On Initiative, Not Needs
Most approaches to impact poverty ask the families to highlight their problems and needs. The greatest resources and help are then made available to those that exhibit the most need. The focus on need is crucial for families in crisis so they can stabilize. But once a family has stabilized from a crisis, they find themselves trapped because help is taken away as the family begins to re-build the assets they need for independence. A focus on needs also hides the strengths of low income families and can perpetuate stereotypes that the families are not capable of helping themselves.
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Think Differently–Trusting Those We Seek to Help!
Using examples, this paper will briefly go over some of the assumptions that are used to develop policies and programs to help low-income families…and why these efforts too often fail or fall short. While some good charitable efforts have made life in poverty more tolerable, the lack of impact in decreasing poverty is often blamed on the families, not the programs. The low-income are characterized as being incompetent, lacking initiative, direction and will. Yet there is growing evidence that efforts that shift responsibility for solutions to the target families, trusting them to control resources, can lead to significant increases in income, savings, business creation, homeownership and education, without the creation of a lot of programs.
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Policy Implications, December, 2006
This briefing paper will be an update on the broader lessons learned over the last four years of the Family Independence Initiative, FII. An ultimate solution does seem to be emerging that mirrors how our society stimulates asset building for upper income families. Future briefing papers will include details and recommendations.
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“One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” Policy Incentives and Deterrents in the Lives of Low Income Families – 3 Point Study Hawaii Study
“One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” Policy Incentives and Deterrents in the Lives of Low Income Families – 3 Point Study Hawaii Study Through this work, FII and its partners have found that low-income families have tremendous capacity to take initiative and solve their own problem. What has been disappointing is that some of the very programs that may initially help stabilize families in crisis later become barriers to leaving government and charitable support. It appears while benefits for middle- and upper-income families encourage initiative, those targeting low-income families send a message that discourages initiative and independence.
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Balance Point Independent Study Summary
Balance Point Summary Balance Point Strategic Services (BPSS) was retained by Family Independence Initiative (FII) to conduct a preliminary independent study in the Fall of 2006. Our research goal was to investigate the key factors in underlying the success of a sample of families who participated in FII’s original Oakland pilot project between 2002 and 2004. In 2007, BPSS verified its initial findings through additional research with families participating in the FII San Francisco project.
In these initial evaluations, BPSS identified four key findings leading to FII family success:
- FII focuses on “working poor” families.
- FII creates an environment that supports family self-sufficiency.
- FII emphasizes fundamental change.
- FII mirrors sound business practices for bottom line success.
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Get the full-length study here: [Download PDF]
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