Category: Public Policy Blog
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Strengthening the Case for Removing Asset Limits on SNAP & TANF: Results of DHS Asset Limits Study
In support of Southern’s mission to create economic opportunity and promote financial security, our policy team worked to pass legislation (Act 535 of 2013) during Arkansas’s 89th General…
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New Poverty Measure Paints Different Picture of Poverty Rates in Arkansas and Mississippi
In October, the Census Bureau released the poverty rate based on the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). This snapshot of poverty in America, which varies somewhat from the standard official measure released in September,…
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New Unbanked and Underbanked Rates Underscore Need for Affordable and Accessible Financial Services in Arkansas and Mississippi
As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) seeking to provide affordable and accessible financial services to Arkansans and Mississippians, a recently released FDIC survey on unbanked and underbanked…
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Bringing CSAs to the Legislative Forefront in Arkansas
Promoting savings as a way of building assets has long been a focus of Southern Bancorp’s work, which is why we were so excited to read CFED President…
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Recognizing National Save for Retirement Week
This is National Save for Retirement Week, a national effort to increase personal financial literacy and raise public awareness about the importance of saving for retirement.[1] This week provides…
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Building a Housing Trust Fund for Mississippi & Sustaining One in Arkansas
As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Southern seeks to support efforts focused on housing availability and accessibility for low- and moderate-income families in both Arkansas and Mississippi.…
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Money Well-Spent: Requiring a Personal Finance Course for High School Graduation
In a national survey, only 33 percent of adults over the age of 50 could correctly answer three questions testing basic knowledge of interest rates, inflation and financial…
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Tackling our Imagination Challenge: Takeaways from the CFED Assets Learning Conference
Every two years, our partners at CFED (the Corporation for Enterprise Development) host a conference in Washington, D.C. for those who are passionate about expanding economic opportunity in…
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Evaluating College Savings Plans
A Case Study on Arkansas and Mississippi Read Policy Points 41 here.
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Expanding the EITC to “Childless” Workers Would Boost Financial Security for many Arkansans and Mississippians
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal tax credit for low- and moderate-income working people, recognized for its success in promoting work and alleviating poverty as…