Benefits for Working Families Tools and Resources

Maximizing the Earned Income Tax Credit in Your Community: A Toolkit for Municipal Leaders

This Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) toolkit was created to help municipal leaders maximize the potential impact of the EITC by ensuring that eligible families have the information and assistance they need to claim these tax credits.

Based on the latest research and best practices from across the nation, this toolkit includes concrete ideas for action, city examples, roles for local elected officials, a sample timeline for activities, sample outreach campaign materials, and other national resources.
View the EITC Toolkit »

Action Kit on Helping Working Families

This action kit for municipal leaders focuses on outreach steps to assist low-income working families in accessing benefits such as the Child Health Insurance Program, food stamps, and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

This action kit describes steps that local elected officials can take to help working families by developing city-led outreach campaigns, including how to get started, proven outreach strategies, and background information and suggestions on places you can turn for help to start you on your way.
Download the Action Kit »

Combating Poverty: Emerging Strategies from the Nation's Cities (2008)

This report highlights local poverty reduction strategies from 13 cities across the nation. The survey responses compiled in the report demonstrate how municipal leaders are well-positioned to lead citywide initiatives to reduce poverty.

Common themes highlighted in the report include municipal efforts to: create a coordinating entity to sustain progress over time; select specific targets for action; target vulnerable populations or neighborhoods; and push beyond traditional boundaries.
View the Combating Poverty Report »

---

State and Local Support for Earned Income Tax Credit Outreach Campaigns (2006)

This report describes how state and local governments have strategically funded EITC outreach campaigns to help low-income families become more financially secure and bring additional federal dollars into local communities.
Download the Report »

Screening Tools to Help Families Access Public Benefits (2005)

One of the most important – and least expensive – ways municipal officials can help low-income working families is through outreach and enrollment campaigns to ensure that they have access to the public benefits for which they are eligible.

This report provides municipal officials with approaches and specific technology options for using screening tools to connect eligible residents to key state and federal benefits. Highlighted in the report are several local, state, and nationally franchised electronic screening tools utilized by city governments.
Download the Report »

Project Homeless Connect Web Seminar

This web seminar, sponsored by the YEF Institute on Sept. 21, 2006, features Mary Ellen Hombs, deputy director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness; Judith Klain, director of Project Homeless Connect for the City of San Francisco; and Mike Dunthorn, project manager for the City of Knoxville, Tenn. (Note: Windows Media Player required to view this web seminar.)
View the Web Seminar »

| YEF Institute Home | About Us | Events and Audioconferences | Publications and Resources |
| Peer Networks | Technical Assistance | Summit on Your City's Families | YEF Council |

| Early Childhood Success | Education and Afterschool | Youth Development |
| Family Economic Success | Safety of Children and Youth |