Narrow by:  Asset Building | Financial Capability | Financial Behaviors


Cultivating financial resilience to combat labor trafficking in Africa

In southern Africa and elsewhere, high vulnerability to poverty and false promises of employment lure many youth from their homes into the hands of traffickers who exploit them through forced labor. A new project from the Center for Social Development (CSD) initiative on Financial Capability and Asset Building in Africa (FCAB Africa) focuses on reducing […]

Financial Capability and Asset Building: Innovations in Social Protection and Development

Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Huang, J., Sun, S., Huseynli, A., Koomson, I., Chowa, G., Ssewamala, F., Sherraden, M. S., & Sherraden, M. (2023). Financial capability and asset building: innovations in social protection and development. In L. Patel, S. Plagerson, & I Chinyoka (Eds.), Handbook on social protection and social development in the global South (pp. 308–330). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800378421.00033

The Effectiveness of Financial Capability and Asset Building Interventions in Improving Youth’s Educational Well-Being: A Systematic Review

Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Nyon, T., Appiah Kubi, J., Amoako, E. O., Koomson, I., Conklin, J. (2023). The effectiveness of financial capability and asset building interventions in improving youth’s educational well-being: A systematic review. Adolescent Research Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-023-00223-x

Policy, Practice, and Institutional Barriers to Financial Capability and Asset Building Related to Race (Racism) in the United States

Jones, J. L., Birkenmaier, J., Johnson, L., McClendon, G. G., Nam, Y., Huang, J., & Onifade, E. (2023). Policy, practice, and institutional barriers to financial capability and asset building related to race (racism) in the United States. In M. L. Teasley, M. S. Spencer, & M. Bartholomew (Eds.), Social work and the Grand Challenge of Ending Racism: Concepts, theory, and evidence based approaches (Chap. 21). Oxford University Press.

Special issue proposes a path to economic progress in Africa

Bringing together evidence from a diverse network of researchers and practitioners in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the March special issue of Global Social Welfare highlights the Center for Social Development’s focus on improving economic well-being for marginalized populations on the continent. The issue, “Financial Capability and Assets for Socioeconomic Development,” was developed through the Financial Capability […]

Private Supplementary Tutoring Expenditures and Children’s Learning Outcomes: Gender and Locational Evidence from Ghana

Ansong, D., Koomson, I., Okumu, M., Alhassan, M., Makubuya, T., & Abreh, M. K. (2023). Private supplementary tutoring expenditures and children’s learning outcomes: Gender and locational evidence from Ghana. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 76, Article 101232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2022.101232

Transforming 529 College Savings Plans: Grow Assets for Everyone, Grow the Country

Sherraden, M., & Clancy, M. M. (2021). Transforming 529 college savings plans: grow assets for everyone, grow the country. In R. Boshara & I. Rademacher (Eds.), The future of building wealth: Brief essays on the best ideas to build wealth—for everyone (pp. 251–257). Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis & Aspen Institute. https://futureofwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sec-5.pdf

We Have Clean Water and Clean Air: Why Not Clean Finance, Too? A Vision for Inclusion and Equity

Huang, J., Sherraden, M., & Sherraden, M. S. (2021). We have clean water and clean air: Why not clean finance, too? A vision for inclusion and equity. In R. Boshara & I. Rademacher (Eds.), The future of building wealth: Brief essays on the best ideas to build wealth—for everyone (pp. 83–89). Federal Reserve Bank and Aspen Institute. https://futureofwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sec-2.pdf

Human Service Professionals: A Ready Workforce for Financial Capability

Sherraden, M. S., Huang, J., & Jones, J. L. (2021). Human service professionals: A ready workforce for financial capability. In R. Boshara & I. Rademacher (Eds.), The future of building wealth: Brief essays on the best ideas to build wealth—for everyone (pp. 193–199). Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis & Aspen Institute. https://futureofwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sec-3.pdf

Asset Building: Toward Inclusive Policy

Sherraden, M., Johnson, L., Clancy, M. M., Beverly, S. G., Sherraden, M. S., Schreiner, M., Elliott, W., III, Williams Shanks, T. R., Adams, D., Curley, J., Huang, J., Grinstein-Weiss, M., Nam, Y., Zhan, M., & Han, C. K. (2021, September 29). Asset building: Toward inclusive policy. In C. Franklin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of social work. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.25

The Case for a Nationwide Child Development Account Policy: A Policy Brief Developed by CDA Experts and Researchers

Cisneros, J., Clancy, M. M., Elliott, W., III, Feinstein, A., Kanter, M., Karcher-Ramos, M., Kugler, C., Peachey, J., Quint, C., Shapiro, T. M., & Sherraden, M. (2021, August). The case for a nationwide Child Development Account policy: A policy brief developed by CDA experts and researchers (CSD Policy Brief No. 21-20). Washington University, Center for Social Development.

Redesigning College Savings (529) Plans to Achieve Inclusive Child Development Accounts: A Policy Brief Developed by CDA Experts and Researchers

Cisneros, J., Clancy, M. M., Elliott, W., III, Feinstein, A., Kanter, M., Karcher-Ramos, M., Kugler, C., Peachey, J., Quint, C., Shapiro, T. M., & Sherraden, M. (2021, August). Redesigning college savings (529) plans to achieve inclusive Child Development Accounts: A policy brief developed by CDA experts and researchers (CSD Policy Brief No. 21-21). Washington University, Center for Social Development.

CSD and Partners Launch New Multinational Collaboration in Africa

Mobile phones have become commonplace in sub-Saharan Africa. There, as in other parts of the world, financial technology has proliferated with the expansion of digital access, opening new doors to financial products and services. But this emerging landscape requires financial acumen, and sound guidance can be hard to find. On July 15, a multinational group of partners gathered virtually to mark the launch of Financial Capability and Asset Building in Africa (FCAB Africa), a new collaboration aimed at meeting these needs.

Lessons on Policies That Strengthen Household Financial Resilience to Overcome Shocks: A Keynote Address by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana

Bawumia, M. (2021, July). Lessons on policies that strengthen household financial resilience to overcome shocks: A keynote address by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana (CSD Perspective No. 21-17). Washington University, Center for Social Development.

Financial Outcomes in a Child Development Account Experiment: Full Inclusion, Success Regardless of Race or Income, and Investment Growth for All

Clancy, M. M., Beverly, S. G., Schreiner, M., Huang, J., & Sherraden, M. (2021). Financial outcomes in a Child Development Account experiment: Full inclusion, success regardless of race or income, investment growth for all (CSD Research Summary 21-06). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/fnjg-n539

Addressing the Burden of Education Financing in Low and Lower-Middle-Income Countries: The Role of Savings Accounts, Cash Transfers, and Other Income Sources

Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Otchere, F., Koomson, I., & Sherraden, M. (2021). Addressing the burden of education financing in low and lower middle income countries: The role of savings accounts, cash transfers, and other income sources. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 42(4), 745–756. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-021-09757-5

MI-SEED Investment Funds and Account Growth: Implications for Achieving Higher Rates of Return in CDA Programs

Shanks, T. R., & Meehan, P. (2021, February). MI-SEED investment funds and account growth: Implications for achieving higher rates of return in CDA programs (Research Brief No. 21-05). Washington University, Center for Social Development, and University of Michigan, Center for Equitable Family and Community Well-Being. https://doi.org/10.7936/50MK-H281

Financial Capability and Asset Building in Social and Economic Development: Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals

Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Huang, J., Sherraden, M. S., Johnson, L., & Zou, L. (2020, November). Financial capability and asset building in social and economic development: Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (CSD Perspective No. 20-27). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/vh44-x812

Asset-Building Policy in Korea: Innovation for Social Development

This Perspective is adapted from Michael Sherraden’s keynote address given during the “Ceremony Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Self Sufficiency & Welfare Policy and 10th Anniversary of Asset Building Policy” in Korea. The Perspective is presented through a partnership between the Center for Social Development, the Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare, and the Korea […]

Enrollment and Participation in a Universal Child Savings Program: Evidence from the Rollout of Israel’s National Program

Grinstein-Weiss, M., Pinto, O., Kondratjeva, O., Roll, S. P., Bufe, S., Barkali, N., & Gottlieb, D. (2019). Enrollment and participation in a universal child savings program: Evidence from the rollout of Israel’s national program. Children and Youth Services Review, 101, 225–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.03.048

Assessing the Impact of an Asset-Based Intervention on Educational Outcomes of Orphaned Children and Adolescents: Findings from a Randomised Experiment in Uganda

Nabunya, P., Namatovu, P., Damulira, C., Kivumbi, A., Byansi, W., Mukasa, M., Nattabi, J., & Ssewamala, F. M. (2019). Assessing the impact of an asset-based intervention on educational outcomes of orphaned children and adolescents: Findings from a randomised experiment in Uganda. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 29(1), 59–69. doi:10.1080/02185385.2019.1575271