Native American Family Economic Security

Native American Family Economic Security: Linking Asset-Building Programs in Indian Country is a two-year project made possible by generous grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Foundation. The grants target two Native communities in Washington and one in Montana.  The purpose is to develop, strengthen and expand programs/services that build the family economic security of Native communities through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. 

 

Two existing VITA sites – Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC) in Montana and Northwest Native Development Fund (NNDF) in Washington – received grants from First Nations for two years of funding, and one new VITA site – Chehalis Tribal Loan Fund in Washington – recently received funding from First Nations to launch its project.  During the first year of the grant, NNDF doubled the number of returns it filed from the previous tax season to total 84 tax returns.  They secured more than $100,000 in refunds, brought back nearly $35,000 to their community through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and saved their clients an estimated $21,000 in fees.  Similarly, CDKC filed 439 tax returns, returned more than $1 million back to their community, and secured $431,388 in EITC back to the people of the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.  Both existing sites have successfully linked VITA clients to social services using an online social service portal (Bridge to Benefits and Washington Connection), and have also linked clients to asset-building programs such as IDAs, financial education and/or credit repair services.
 

In August 2012, First Nations held a convening for CDKC, NNDF and Chehalis.  In a collaborative small-group discussion, participants exchanged best practices and strategies that would enable them to expand the services offered and the number of individuals served.  The two existing sites assumed a mentoring role for the newly established site and imparted sound advice to assist Chehalis in achieving success in its first year.  All participants said they greatly valued the open conversation and felt revitalized and ready to have a successful tax season.   All grantees are currently preparing for the upcoming tax season.