COUNCIL RECEIVES TWO GRANTS
Grant Award: $2000.00
Grant Start Up Date: January 1, 2010
Grant Source: The Real Economic Impact Tour (REIT)
Background
Information: is
a national, public/private initiative assisting low income persons with
disabilities with asset building strategies, free tax preparation and
filing assistance. In the 2009 filing season REI Tour partners prepared
over 181,000 tax returns in 84 cities. Over $176.6 million in refunds
were received by persons with disabilities.
Grant
Activities: Grant dollars will be used by the Council to
develop and publicize informational materials about the Earned
Income Tax Credit (EITC) and to sponsor a Super Saturday
FREE Tax Day in February 2010 in collaboration with the
IRS and community agencies to assist people with disabilities
with tax preparation and information about EITC.
Grant Award: $12,000.00
Grant Start Up Date: January 1, 2010
Grant Source: Rhodes to Independence
Background Information: Rhodes to Independence (RTI) was created through a federal grant award in 2000 for a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) to promote systems changes that reduce barriers to employment. The MIG goal is to support people with disabilities in securing and sustaining competitive employment in an integrated setting. RTI focuses on health care, transportation, housing, youth transitions, and diversity.
Grant Activities: Grant dollars will be used by the Council for the following:
1. Statewide Informational Meetings on Asset Development
The Council will host a series of informational meetings to continue
to educate people with disabilities, family members, community agencies,
advocates and state leaders about successful asset development
initiatives implemented by other states that can potentially be
replicated in RI.
2. Financial Education Curriculum
The 2004 Harris Poll found that 54 percent of persons with
disabilities had no savings accounts and 75 percent do not have loans
with financial institutions. People with disabilities represent about
one third of the 22 percent of "unbanked Americans".
The DD Council will sponsor a pilot project to offer a financial education curriculum with 15-20 individuals with developmental disabilities.
3. Technical Assistance
is leading the development
of sustainable relationships between the asset development and
disability communities.
The DD Council organized a statewide conference on Asset Development in June 2009 bringing together over 120 key stakeholders to provide information and to begin to advance an action-oriented plan that involves policy development, public education, and demonstration activities that provides a roadmap for improved economic independence for individuals with disabilities.
Grant dollars will be utilized to continue to access technical
assistance from NDI to provide training and technical assistance to RI
to increase the involvement of asset building programs with persons with
disabilities and their families through individual development accounts,
self-employment and other competitive employment, and promote improved
economic independence.
4. Earned Income Tax Credit
The RI DD Council began work in the area of Asset Development in
early 2009 with the participation of RI in the National Real Economic
Impact Tour (REIT), a public/private initiative with its sponsors Bank
of America and the IRS in assisting low income persons with disabilities
with asset building strategies, free tax preparation and filing
assistance.
In the 2008 filing season REI Tour partners prepared over 90,000 tax returns in 62 cities. Over $81 million in refunds were received by persons with disabilities.
The Council developed informational materials about the Earned Income Tax Credit and in collaboration with the IRS and community agencies organized a statewide community event at the John Hope Settlement House in March 2009 to provide free tax assistance to people with disabilities and their families.
This year the Council will expand dissemination of information about EITC and host a Super Saturday Tax Day in February 2010 for people with disabilities and their families.
For more information about these grant activities email Sue Babin or call her at the RIDDC Office, 401-737-1238.
