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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02132007 - C.77 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS '� "s ... Contra FROM: Joe Valentine, Director .. Employment and Human Services Department , ... 1 �► ;; Costa ~' DATE: February 13, 2007 c°STA-cbiiCounty't � SUBJECT: NACO Award Application from Employment and Human Services Department for Family Economic Security Partnership Program C , SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDED ACTION Request authorization for the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to execute the National Association of Counties (NACO) 2007 Achievement Award application submitted by the Employment and Human Services Department for its Family Economic Security Partnership (FESP) program. FISCAL IMPACT Submitting the application requires a $50 application fee. BACKGROUND Each year, NACO invites applications from county governments (and state associations of counties) with innovative programs. There is a variety of criteria for submitting an application, and FESP best fits the category of"Enhancing the level of citizen participation in, or the understanding of, government programs." FESP is a public, private and non-profit collaboration. It launched the Earn /t! Keep /t! Save /t! campaign to provide low-income individuals and families in Contra Costa County with free tax preparation assistance in order to increase their income and build their assets. Since its inception in 2003 through the 2006 tax season, over 150 volunteers were recruited donating over 1,800 hours of their time, and 1,987 returns were prepared providing families with $2.3 million on total federal refunds, which includes $1.1 million from the Earned Income Tax Credit. A copy of the entire application is attached. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: 2,, 4-RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER r SIGNATURE(S): 45 ACTION OF B ON /�P� / .� r (✓7J/ APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED LI-,-YZ Z-g oZ ;, JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPER ISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Contact: Lloyd Madden,EHSD 3-1736 County Administrator Auditor-Controller BY .,DEPUTY Employment & Human Services Department Contra Costa County, California January 18, 2007 NACO AWARD APPLICATION 1. Abstract of the Program The Family Economic Security Partnership (FESP) is a public, private, and non-profit collaboration designed to. increase the income and build the assets of low-income families and individuals in Contra Costa County, California. The Partnership was formed in response to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reports that County residents grossly under-claimed available tax credits. In 2002, IRS estimated that Contra Costa County had $ 15 million in-unclaimed Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The Partnership was launched in September 2003 and has been managed by a small Coordinating Council consisting of members from Contra Costa County Employment & Human Services, Contra Costa County Health Services, United Way, IRS, and First 5 Contra Costa. These organizations have donated time and resources to oversee the work of FESP. FESP is part of a national movement to assist people who are working but still unable to make ends meet. The assistance being offered is providing free tax preparation services with an emphasis on increasing the claiming of the EITC and other federal and state tax credits created to increase incomes of low-income workers. Contra Costa County is unique in its collaborative approach to meeting the needs of low- income families through the Family Economic Security Partnership. By coming together in this fashion, FESP was able to take advantage of County leadership and in-kind resources while adding the financial support and grassroots connection to the community that is provided by partner organizations. 2. The Problem/Need for the Program While the majority of Contra Costa families have the incomes to meet basic needs and more, an estimated 13,000 Contra Costa families (including nearly 24,000 children under the age of 18) have incomes below the federal poverty level ($18,000 for a family of 4). In addition, 30,800 Contra Costa families are struggling to meet their children's needs with incomes below 185% of the poverty level (under $34,040). Many of these families are "working poor," which means a family with one or more working adults who, despite being employed, are not earning sufficient income to adequately provide for the family's needs. 3. Description of the Program In September 2003, the Partnership launched a countywide campaign called, Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Contra Costa to provide low-income individuals and families with free tax preparation assistance. The 2003 campaign was designed and did achieve the following specific objectives: • Recruit and train 100 volunteers to provide free tax preparation services • Support the operation of 12 Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) sites across the County • Prepare 700 returns, resulting in approximately $1 million in total tax refunds 2 of 5 Employment & Human Services Department Contra Costa County, California January 18, 2007 In addition to FESP Coordinating Council members, the members of the Partnership included public agencies and community organizations such as AARP Tax Aide, the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa, Greater Richmond VITA Initiative, and Opportunities for Technology Information Careers, Community Housing Development Corporation of North Richmond, Catholic Charities of the East Bay, and more. Along with crucial funding from the United Way, the East Bay Community Foundation, and the San Francisco Foundation, the Partnership organizations contributed the expertise, staff, and in-kind resources to roll out the Partnership's EITC campaign. Under the leadership of the Coordinating Council, two work groups have planned and carried out the campaigns in 2003 — 2006: A VITA Site Coordinator support group, including volunteer recruitment and training, and a Marketing and Outreach/Asset Building group responsible for disseminating information about the EITC campaigns. The work groups met throughout the fall to prepare for the opening of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites at the end of January. 4. Use of Technology The program utilizes the following: • Microsoft Outlook — used for correspondence with volunteers, coordinators, and participating agencies • Microsoft Publisher — a desktop publishing tool used to create marketing flyers for the program • Microsoft Excel - used to create spreadsheets of volunteers' information, site placement, site coordinator information, marketing flyer distribution, etc. • Microsoft PowerPoint — Tax Law Instructors utilize Microsoft PowerPoint to present slides to volunteers during tax law training • Microsoft Word — word processing program used to create memos, letters, reports,.and other forms of correspondence to partner agencies and to the public • Internet o www.irs.gov web site provides tax information and tax forms o Link & Learn Taxes for returning volunteers links volunteers to quality e- learning. After completing the course, volunteers may take the online test and become certified. • Computer labs in the tax training facilities utilize LAN to link the various computers and run the TaxWise software simultaneously • TaxWise software — New volunteers are trained on the use of the tax software in a classroom setting. The TaxWise Instructor utilizes an in-focus projector to instruct the volunteers and walk them through entering tax information in TaxWise. IRS certified volunteer tax preparers enter the tax return information on this software and transmitters send the returns to the IRS. 3 of 5 Employment & Human Services Department Contra Costa County, California January 18, 2007 5. The Cost of the Program Local funders contributed $90,000 and expended $104,500 during the 2006 campaign. The sponsors and participating agencies contributed an estimated $119,000 via the in- kind value of staff time and other direct costs. These figures only include the investment made by local government agencies and funds contributed by the United Way of the Bay Area and provided by Wells Fargo Bank and First 5 Contra Costa. The figures do not include the value of the time contributed by Coordinating Council members, tax assistance volunteers, IRS staff, FDIC, and the community organizations and churches that participated. Approximately 28 County staff contributed time in kind to performing administrative duties such as meeting facilitation and volunteer coordination and management. 6. The Results/Success of the Program By the close of the 2006 tax season, the following results were achieved: • Over 150 volunteers worked in the VITA sites, donating over 1,800 hours of their time • 12 VITA sites were operational throughout the tax season • 1,987 returns were prepared providing families with $2.3 million in total federal refunds including $1.1 million from the Earned Income Tax Credit Additionally, the following asset development strategies were used depending on site logistics and client flow: • Scripts and talking points on tips for financial success for volunteer tax prepares to use when talking with tax filers • Asset building newsletter, Money Trap Video and other materials at the sites • A bank coupon good for $5 check cashing fee at a local bank or free check cashing if the client opened an account • Resource folders that include Medical and Food Stamp instructions and applications, information on Individual Development Accounts, Direct Deposit, Financial Education and Money Management, Healthy Families, List of Banking Institutions and Services and CRC information on Rapid Anticipation Loans In addition to the establishment of VITA sites, the Coordinating Council launched a campaign to expand its members and to explore the development of year-round asset development strategies. Currently, twenty-two members are involved in the oversight of the EITC campaign, as well as in planning for the development of a strategic plan that will guide year round asset development work for the next several years. Members include representatives from all of the County departments, United Way, First 5 Contra Costa, IRS, business, FDIC, community organizations, community colleges, as well as a representative from the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and Congressman 4 of 5 Employment & Human Services Department Contra Costa County, California January 18, 2007 George Miller's office. 7. Worthiness of an Award FESP should be awarded a 2007 Achievement Award because of its impact on the lives of low-income working families and individuals in assisting them to obtain earned income tax credit and child tax credit to help augment their family income. These working families and individuals would not otherwise tap into these resources without FESP's marketing outreach campaign to raise awareness and providing the means of obtaining these refunds through free tax preparation services at the VITA sites. Since its inception, 5,718 returns have been prepared, and working families received $6.7 million in total federal refunds, including $3.03 million in EITC. There are seven Bay Area counties participating in Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Projects sponsored by the United Way. However, Contra Costa County is unique in its collaborative approach to meeting the needs of low-income families through the Family Economic Security Partnership which oversees and directs all current FESP activities and is exploring asset development expansion options. By coming together in this fashion, FESP was able to take advantage of County leadership and in-kind resources while adding the financial support and grassroots connection to the community that is provided by partner organizations. We, in Contra Costa County, are very pleased with the success of the FESP as a collaborative effort to make a positive difference in our community. The FESP along with its partners have overcome the difficulties of implementing such a compelling project. The VITA program with its strong support from the IRS and United Way has a long history with many successes. In Contra Costa County, we have found a way to enhance this successful program through the efforts of our Family Economic Security Partnership enabling us to benefit more families and individuals than would otherwise not have been possible. 5 of 5