Tell us what you thought!

If you attended any portion of the roundtable, please fill out our brief evaluation and let us know what you thought. We will use your feedback to improve future sessions.

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This Roundtable was designed to assist: Rural asset development programs, rural community development professionals, and rural financial educators working with: community action agencies, state agencies, VITA sites, affordable housing organizations, banks and credit unions, schools and colleges, and other family-asset and wealth building projects.

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Updated:
February 2, 2009

The Rural Roundtable:

Overcoming Barriers to Family Economic Success

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Held December 11 and 12, 2008 in Frederick, Maryland
Hosted by the Rural Maryland Council and the Maryland CASH Campaign

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The purpose of the Roundtable was to discover the specific challenges facing rural families and individuals who are trying to achieve economic stability and what programs, policies and products rural service providers need to address these challenges. The Rural Maryland Council and the Maryland CASH Campaign will use information gathered from the Roundtable to develop and offer training courses, financial products, and policy recommendations geared specifically to assist rural residents and rural providers.

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Read the Results

• A Summary Report on the Roundtable presentations
• A Report on the Recommendations coming out of the roundtable.

The RMC and the CASH Campaign intend to offer further training as a result of the Roundtable discussion. Please check back in May 2009.

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Agenda -- Thursday, December 11, 2008

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9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.: Registration and Breakfast
10:00 a.m.: Introduction and Framing
10:15 a.m.: The Road to Economic Recovery: Impact of the Economy on Agencies, Non-profits, and Clients. Speakers:

• Todd Johnson, Assistant Director, Frederick Community Action Agency
  
• Courtney Thomas, Executive Director, Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission
  
• Mary Reynolds, Programs Assistant, Hope VI Computer Learning Center
  
• Nancy Lewis, Faculty Extension Assistant, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension

11:00 a.m.: Asset Building Framework. (See Asset Building Continuum)
11:15 a.m.: The Road to Economic Recovery: Federal and State Policy Opportunities. Resources:

• National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) Flyer on Week of Action: Road to Economic Recovery
• Cfed State Summary (Maryland)
• CFED State Report Card

11:45 a.m.: Break

Noon: Financial Products
Review a list of appropriately priced financial products.

• Discussion of three products offered through local partners - savings bonds, auto-build CDs, College Savings Plans
• Discussion of local partnerships with financial institutions
• What kinds of products do we need?
• How do we address the large unbanked and under-banked populations?

1:00 p.m.: Lunch

2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Programs

Earn It

• Earned Income Credit. Kristal Lukacs, Maryland CASH Campaign. More on the Maryland EIC campaign.
• Public benefits screening. Kimberley Chin, Food Research and Action Center.
  See a list and description of Federal Food Programs.
  See See Maryland Food Supplement Program County Data
  See Maryland Hunger Solutions's Policy Brief
  For more information.
  

Keep It

• Financial education. Robin McKinney, Director, Maryland CASH Campaign. For information about the Delaware Money School
• Free tax preparation. Courtney Thomas, Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission. Also, see the Maryland CASH Campaign.
• Access to Direct Deposit. Kristal Lukacs, Maryland CASH Campaign.
• Credit/Financial Counseling. Kristal Lukacs, Maryland CASH Campaign.

Grow it

• Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). Pam Nelson, Garrett County Community Action Committee. For more information about the Garrett County program. Also, see www.cfed.org.
• Homebuyer Education. Eileen Barnhard, Department of Planning & Community Development for the City of Frederick. For more information.
• Car Ownership Programs. Robin McKinney, Maryland CASH Campaign. For information, see: Vehicles for Change and Garrett County Wheels to Work.

3:30 p.m.: Additional Opportunities and Challenges (An Open Discussion) A report on this session, with recommendations and next steps, will be posted shortly.

4 p.m.: Adjourn

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Individual Development Accounts and Other Strategies to Encourage Savings

December 12, 2008 -- 9 a.m. to noon
Agenda

The purpose of this session is to discuss the current programs in Maryland and identify opportunities for collaboration around program design, marketing, service delivery, and evaluation. This session, provided by the Maryland CASH Campaign, is open to providers statewide, not just those in rural areas.

8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Registration and Breakfast

9:00 a.m.: Purpose of Session and Overview of IDAs. See presentation (pdf)

9:30 a.m.: History of Matched Savings in Maryland

9:45 a.m.: Current Landscape of IDAs. A Providers Perspectives

10:30 a.m. National Models for Marketing, Service Delivery, and Evaluation

• See Feasibility Assessment Worksheet (pdf)
• IDA Program Design Checklist
• IDA Program Design Handbook

11:15 a.m.: Opportunities to Grow and Expand Savings Programs (Report pending)

Noon: Adjourn

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If you attended any portion of the roundtable, please fill out our brief evaluation and let us know what you thought. We will use your feedback to improve future sessions.

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Rural Maryland Council :: 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway :: Annapolis, MD 21401 :: 410-841-5772