A Focus on Economic Engine

We believe poverty has multiple causes and thus requires mulitiple solutions. While our Work Plan outlines Health Care, Affordable Housing and Economic Engines as the three primary initiatives, we believe each strategy can be examined through the lens of economic impact. For example, access to affordable health care provides economic benefits to communities by lower absenteeism of workers. By promoting new health coverage models to businesses through our support of a regional health collaborative, we contribute to improved health care benefits which attract and retain workers, which results in better productivity and community prosperity.

Both independently and collectively we expect these poverty reduction strategies to result in such benefits as debt reduction, increased job attendance, better wages, and improvements in the quality of life for low income families. We are focused on:

Workforce Development: Workforce Development activities involves creating and/or improving the path to gainful employment and can include training, education and accreditation. Better outcomes for low income people evolve as a result of working with the business community, the non-profit community and the education community in order to identify pathways to increased wages and other workplace benefits.

Program Status: Several program(s) operating winter/spring/summer 2008.

Asset Building: Asset building activities focus on increasing the financial assets of low-income citizens through the development and expansion of two programs:

• Matched Savings Program and/or CD Saver Program: The Partnership is committed to the development of Matched Savings programs, also known as Individual Development Accounts (IDA) or a CD Saver program. Both programs are designed to help our region’s low-income individuals and families create and build wealth while, at the same time, develop a system for saving assets.
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is available to qualifying families and individuals. The average EITC return in Central Oregon is $1700. More people can apply for EITC through free tax aide sites throughout the region now because of a partnership providing a traveling van (Bit Mobile of OSU Extension, 4-H) outfitted with computer and tax computation software and trained tax filers. We are marketing the value of the EITC to  the low income population and will incent people to enroll in a matched savings program. We are marketing the value to the community so that businesses understand how much more disposable income returns to the region through this program.

Program Status: EITC Program operational. IDA operational winter 2008.  

Transportation: Opportunity Cars for Work is a unique program (Portland is the only other Oregon community to provide such a service) that provides used cars to low-income people who rely on dependable transportation to apply for, and/or to hold, a job. Cars are provided at affordable, wholesale prices with low interest loans from our partner, Community First Bank, with The Partnership agreeing to guarantee the loans. In addition to the above-described purchasing and financing services, our program also provides financial fitness classes, safe driving classes, and assistance in procuring insurance and basic auto maintenance training.

Program Status: 14 cars placed; 12 cars repaired.

Enterprise Services Program: The Rural Business Service program is designed to bring entrepreneurial support services to rural communities in a variety of ways including entrepreneurship training, individual counseling to entrepreneurs, micro-enterprise workshops and a “Made at the Kitchen Table” program for emerging entrepreneurs. ESP also promotes the use of the cooperative business model for home care and cottage industries.

Program Status: Program currently operating.