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AFI Calendar of Events
May 30, 2012Go to the AFI Calendar of Events for details about upcoming conference calls, AFI Academies, and other training events.
Equal Treatment for Faith-Based Organizations – Legal Safeguards
May 30, 2012Grantees are subject to the requirements in 45 CFR Part 74 (non-governmental) or 45 CFR Part 92 (governmental). Here is what you need to know about the Equal Treatment Regulations.
AFI Grantee Handbook-AFI Resource Center
July 12, 2012The AFI Resource Center provides training and technical assistance to AFI Projects. The Center is managed by the Office of Community Services, with contract support from leading organizations in the asset-building field and other relevant partners.
Program Evaluation
May 30, 2012AFI is a demonstration program established to investigate new strategies for helping low-income families become economically self-sufficient. To better evaluate effective projects, the Office of Community Services is financing a long-term national process and impact evaluation of the program. Each AFI Project provides annual information for the study, and the program evaluation team conducts intensive data collection and interviews at a small but representative number of projects. The evaluation also includes information about the impact of the program on a group of approximately 600 individual project participants.
AFI Grantee Handbook-Intro to General Policy
July 12, 2012This section includes copies of core program documents that present and explain the major rules and procedures for the Assets for Independence program.
AFI Funding Opportunity Announcement. The funding opportunity announcement, which will be effective until cancelled by the Office of Community Services, provides basic information and guidelines about AFI and detailed guidance on applying for new AFI grants.
Assets for Independence Act. This is the Federal law that authorizes the Office of Community Services to administer the AFI Program. The act provides the framework for the overall program. It includes several program design requirements that apply to all projects, including, for example, design of the Project Reserve Account, participant eligibility, and eligible categories of assets.
Information Memorandums. These documents provide guidance on a number of program topics. Please place additional information memos behind this tab as they are published and distributed by OCS. AFI program staff will notify grantees of new memorandums through the ListServ. All memorandums are available on the AFI Asset-Building Web site .
Financial Education
April 26, 2012Financial education is an important part of every AFI project. Many participants say the financial education classes are among the most helpful aspects of AFI projects and saving money in IDAs. With strong financial education curricula, effective trainers, and steady followup with participants, AFI projects can profoundly affect the individuals and families they serve.
Sample Savings Plan Agreement
May 31, 2012Before a new IDA is opened, the participant and the AFI Project must commit to a set of rules and responsibilities outlined in a Savings Plan Agreement. The following are some elements to include in Savings Plan Agreements between AFI Project organizations and their participants. These are just suggestions. Grantees should tailor agreements to their needs, within the requirements of the AFI statute.
Apply for an AFI Grant
May 30, 2012AFI provides five-year grants to nonprofit organizations and government agencies that empower low-income families to become economically self-sufficient for the long-term. Grantees provide financial education training on money management issues, and they assist participants with saving earned income in special matched savings accounts called Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). Participants use the IDAs to accumulate funds with the goal of acquiring a first home, post-secondary education, or starting up or expanding a small business. The program is administered by the Federal Office of Community Services, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Serving People With Disabilities
April 26, 2012AFI grantees and their partner organizations report that some people with disabilities are having trouble accessing and using IDAs. Because they are disproportionately low-income, people with disabilities account for a large share of the AFI target population, but they are underrepresented among IDA participants.
