Glossary

Benefits Enrollment: Assistance with and enrollment in income support programs such as food stamps, MediCAL, and the self-sufficiency calculator.
Banking Product Training: Assistance and support in the use of banking products such as pre-paid debit cards, checking accounts, savings accounts, and credit products.
Basic Budgeting: Creating individual and family budgets to help maximize income, meet payment obligations, and save money.
Child Support and Other Payments: Assistance in planning for child support payments and collections, liaison with Department of Child Support Services.
Childcare Enrollment: Identification of and enrollment in quality, affordable, and accessible childcare that meets family needs.
Community Economic Education: Education on the relationship between residents, business, development, and government; how people can invest back into their communities and participate in processes that affect their families and neighbors.
Credit Repair Counseling: Guidance in improving credit scores and paying down debt.
Debt and Bankruptcy Counseling: Guidance in paying down debt and decision-making regarding filing for bankruptcy.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): The EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families.
Employment Readiness and Training: Career and job specific training, resume building, job search assistance, interview preparation or other assistance in employment readiness.
Financial Counseling and Planning: Review of financial situation and any employment, immigration, legal, or family matters affecting such situation and requiring assistance. One-on-one or small group counseling, problem-solving and planning to help meet client’s financial goals.
Financial Education and Management: Group or one-on-one education on financial best-practices and money management techniques.
Foreclosure Legal Assistance: Legal assistance and advocacy for individuals and families in danger of being foreclosed upon.
Foreclosure Prevention and Counseling: Counseling and planning for payments and loan terms in order to help prevent foreclosure.
Home-Ownership Assistance: Planning and saving, determining affordability, acquiring financial assistance (e.g. first-time homebuyer grants), loan application and negotiation for fair loan terms, and other pre-purchase counseling for home-ownership.
Home-Rental Assistance: Determining affordability and eligibility for subsidies; locating available units, rental application assistance.
IDAs (Individual Development Accounts): IDAs are matched saving accounts most often for the purpose of home ownership, higher education, or small business start-up. Most IDAs are matched at a rate of $2 for every $1 a client saves with varying requirements for the savings goal.
Immigration Assistance: Legal and advocacy assistance in all matters pertaining to immigrant rights, status, and applications
Investments: Identifying opportunities for financial savings in retirement accounts or other ventures to build assets.
Job Placement: Connection with employers and support in pre- and post- employment process. Assistance in obtaining jobs with sustainable wages and good benefits.
Predatory Lending Education and Advocacy: Information about predatory financial products and services (e.g. payday loans, check cashing, sub-prime loans) including non-predatory alternatives. Advocacy for victims of predatory financial practices.
Retirement Planning: Budgeting, financial planning, and investing to save for retirement.
Social Services: May include domestic violence services and counseling, prisoner re-entry programs, child protection, homeless services, and other family support programs.
Tax Preparation and EITC: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites perform free tax preparation for low-income people and assistance in determining eligibility for tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.
Tenant Rights: Legal and advocacy services to tenants.
Transportation: Assistance in addressing transportation needs including enrollment in reduced fare programs for public transit, and budgeting for automobile purchase and upkeep.
Utility Subsidies: Assistance in application for utility subsidies such as PG&E;, telephone, and car insurance discounts for low-income families.
Workplace Rights: Advocacy in employee-employer disputes, education about worker rights, worker safety trainings, assistance in filing grievances, facilitate connection to labor unions or other worker-rights organizations.