We create a framework for understanding the role of hope and aspirations in economic development and give preliminary experimental results from a field project in Oaxaca, Mexico carried out in this framework. We review the literature on hope from philosophy, theology, psychology, and its...

This book is the first major study of financial education at the international level. It highlights the economic, demographic and policy changes that make financial education increasingly important, identifies and analyses financial literacy surveys in OECD countries, describes the different types...

Research shows that many people make poor economic decisions because they are financially illiterate. As we show here, financial ignorance can be expensive and even ruinous, for many. Our goal in this article is to provide an overview of existing work in this important field. We also provide new...

Behavioural economics is the study of how people make decisions in a complex and textured world where details matter. It draws from the fields of economics and psychology, but brings a unique perspective that departs from each of these fields in important ways. behavioural economics differs from...

Tools for Development draws together a range of techniques designed to help DFID officers and others undertake development activities and interventions of any size and kind. Tools for Development aims to help you deliver successful development activities and interventions by giving you access to...

A better understanding of human behaviour can lead to better policies. If you are looking for a more data-driven and nuanced approach to policy making, then you should consider what actually drives the decisions and behaviours of citizens rather than relying on assumptions of how they should...

This is a 2005 brief from the OECD Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, on recommended principles of financial education. It offers a definition of financial educaiton, financial capacity building, and recommendations for financial education program content....

Asset Building for low–income people through matched savings challenges the focus of traditional poverty-alleviation strategies on income support to enable the poor to escape from poverty and improve their economic and social status. It does not deny the necessity nor the benefits of such support...

This report presents findings from a behavioural intervention designed to increase the number of incarcerated noncustodial parents in Texas who apply for modifications to reduce the amount of their child support orders. Incarcerated noncustodial parents have a limited ability to pay their...

In June 2012, a group of service providers, trainers and funders in Boston launched a one-year pilot to integrate financial stability content and methods into workforce development services and settings. This pilot effort came at a time of renewed interest in integrating workforce and financial...

Developmental evaluation is a work-in-progress; an evolving methodology. This guide builds on the contribution of an earlier booklet by Jamie Gamble entitled A Developmental Evaluation Primer, published by the Foundation in 2008. It contains the lessons and insights of a group of practitioners who...

This article describes development of the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale, designed to measure a latent construct representing responses to one’s financial state on a continuum ranging from overwhelming financial distress/lowest level of financial well-being to no financial...

Given the importance of financial security to a wide range of customers and issues and the cost of delivering those services, we at The Financial Clinic asked ourselves: can financial development services be embedded into established social service delivery models to create scale? And, can...

While the progress of the IDA field to date has surprised even its most ardent supporters, its potential in the coming years is greater. We think this progress stems from two fundamental strengths: first, asset equity is an idea whose time has come; and second, individuals and institutions from all...

In order to monitor the financial and economic status of American consumers, the Federal Reserve Board conducted the third annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking in October and November 2015. This survey provides insights into the well-being of households and consumers, and...

The link between economic equity and financial and economic inclusion has long been the focus of community development financial institutions (CDFI). In this brief, we first examine what scale means for CDFIs and note participants’ focus on scaling impact and their concerns about conflating size...

Ensuring the economic well-being of Canada’s growing population of seniors is an important and complex public policy challenge that the new federal government must grapple with. Few disagree with the goal of providing all citizens with the means for a dignified and economically secure retirement....

To better understand the financial state of U.S. households, the Federal Reserve Board conducted a new consumer survey, the results of which are described in this report. The Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making (SHED) was conducted by the Board’s Division of Consumer and Community...

The effects of different types of debt can vary widely: some debt is considered productive by advancing young adult households' financial health while other debt can be unproductive, pushing their financial health out of reach. A savings account may help young adult households reduce their reliance...

What is the difference between those who move up from the bottom and those who don’t? Pew researchers investigated this question and found that a host of factors—including demographics such as education, race, and family employment—play a role in upward mobility. Additionally, Pew’s...

This is a presentation from Behavioural Economics in Action at Rotman, on financial behaviour and financial literacy. It discusses the RESP / Canada Learning Bond enrolment as an applicaiton for behavioural economics research to improve...

This is a submission paper by SEDI to the Ontario Ministry of Child and Youth Services. Social and Enterprise Development Innovations (SEDI) is a national charity dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for Canadians living in poverty through program and policy innovation. We are pleased to...

This report describes the rationale and design of a project that will carefully implement and evaluate an innovative program — called Learn$ave — that aims to help low-income Canadians build savings for use in enhancing their labour market skills through adult education and micro-enterprise...

The federal Head Start program provides quality early childhood education and other supports to children in low-income families living at or below the federal poverty line. Head Start prepares young children for school by enhancing their social and cognitive development, and delivers educational,...

This is an infographic on the Adaptive Prosperity framework developed by the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development. This is a collaborative vision of empowerment and assets focused on all parts of a...