Community
Promising Practices: Community
Once you’ve identified key areas for action in your state or community, use the promising practices below to help inform your action-planning process. Click a promising practice below to learn more.
Note: The promising practices linked below have been suggested by our Research Advisory Committee members and ALICE stakeholders. United For ALICE does not endorse any specific strategy or organization linked below; local stakeholders are best positioned to select and implement strategies that fit their community’s strengths and needs.
Description: Baby bonds are low-risk investment opportunities issued by federally-funded financial institutions as a way to address the racial wealth gap. Proposed yearly deposits for each child born accrue over time until the age of 18 and are intended to be used for future expenses and wealth-building assets.
Learn More: https://www.urban.org/research/publication/state-baby-bonds
Description: Bike and pedestrian master plans are community development strategies focused on improving pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure elements, using a data-driven approach to track and address safety concerns.
Learn More: https://altago.com/sample-bicycle-pedestrian-master-plans/
Description: Broadband expansion plans improve access and affordability for low-income households by bridging the digital divide, ensuring that community members have equal access to digital employment, education, and community engagement programs.
https://economicdevelopment.extension.wisc.edu/files/2022/01/Policy-Brief.pdf
Description: Shared mobility services and strategies in low-income communities expand transportation options by maximizing the sharing potential of vehicles and mobility systems. Policy recommendations emphasize overcoming mobility obstacles to improve access to jobs and essential services.
Description: Child Development Accounts/Children's Savings Accounts are tools focused on wealth- and asset-building for young people in financially unstable households. These savings accounts are acquired at birth, with accruing deposits made over time to maximize financial growth in households with limited income.
Learn More: https://csd.wustl.edu/child-development-accounts/
Description: The Child Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit are federally-funded and, in some states, state-funded credits designed to alleviate the financial strain of raising children and the expenses incurred in caregiving for dependents. They reduce tax liability, making it more affordable for parents and caregivers to balance family finances.
Learn More: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/guide-to-cdctc
Description: Community centers serve as vital resources and support networks for communities, offering a range of services that provide immediate and long-term benefits, with programs that promote social support, low-cost recreational activities, emergency assistance, and employment and child care services.
Description: Community Development Block Grants are federally-funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These grants provide financial assistance to state and local governments. They are allocated to support community development needs and improve quality of life in low-income households, through affordable housing initiatives, public services, economic development, and revitalization.
Learn More: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg/
Description: Community schools are public schools that provide an integrated approach to education and child care, offering services beyond traditional academics and emphasizing learning, inclusivity, community partnerships, and support services. By addressing the comprehensive needs of families, these schools help improve educational outcomes for economically disadvantaged families.
Learn More: https://www.nea.org/student-success/great-public-schools/community-schools/what-are-they
Description: Complete Streets is an approach to urban planning that emphasizes the need for safe and accessible transportation for all users and modes of transportation - walking, biking, driving, and transit. This approach focuses on unique street design, particularly in underinvested communities where the transportation needs of low-income residents, seniors, people with disabilities, and residents of color often have not been met.
Learn More: https://smartgrowthamerica.org/what-are-complete-streets/
Description: The Earned Income Tax Credit is federally-funded and state-funded (in some states) and provides financial assistance to low-income households through a refundable benefit (based on tax liability and income). This extra income can help families reduce financial stress, serve as an incentive to seek employment, and improve quality of life for children by improving educational outcomes.
Description: As an asset-building strategy, Individual Development Accounts assist low-income households in achieving long-term financial goals by matching financial contributions with additional funds. These funds promote economic mobility and financial stability by allowing participants to invest in wealth-building assets.
Learn More: https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-individual-development.htm
Description: Payday loans financially burden low-income households and underserved areas. Policymakers can reform lending laws by placing caps on interest rates and fees, expanding access to alternative financial products, and strengthening consumer protections.
Learn More: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/06/08/how-to-reform-state-payday-loan-laws
Description: Quality Rating and Improvement Systems are designed to assess and improve the quality of early childhood education services through the use of established criteria and standards. This transparency helps parents make informed decisions about providers.
Learn More: https://www.childcareaware.org/families/child-care-quality-ratings
Description: Safe Routes to School strategies promote active transportation methods, such as walking and biking, to and from school. These strategies prioritize safety during commutes and reducing vehicle congestion.
Learn More: https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/Safe-Routes-to-School-Programs
Description: School-based health centers provide health care services to school-aged children by offering accessible health services within the school setting. This improved access can ensure that low-income students can receive adequate, timely, and affordable care, leading to better health outcomes.
Learn More: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/sdoh/2/healthcare-settings/school-based-health-centers
Description: Child care is closely tied to income, with many ALICE families having to spend less on other areas of their household budget due to high child care costs, or choose less desirable or lower quality care. Child care subsidy programs assist families in paying for high-quality care and support programs that can identify potential resources for care.
Learn More: https://www.unitedwaynnj.org/united-in-care
Description: Traffic calming is an urban planning management strategy aimed at reducing vehicular traffic and enhancing walkability in an effort to create safer, pedestrian-friendly, inclusive environments.
Learn More: https://www.pps.org/article/livememtraffic
Description: As guaranteed, stable income, Universal Basic Income as a social policy can be implemented as part of a strategy to address systemic issues and economic instability affecting ALICE communities, such as affordable housing, access to health care, education, and employment.
Learn More: https://basicincome.stanford.edu/about/what-is-ubi/
Description: Barriers to voter registration disproportionately affect marginalized groups. Voter registration efforts ensure that all eligible residents, including those from disadvantaged communities, have access to their fundamental right to vote.
Learn More: https://independentsector.org/blog/inclusive-strategies-for-nonprofit-voter-engagement/
https://www.rockthevote.org/get-involved/help-register-voters/