Economic Security Pathways Report 2018
Three Primary Elements in Achieving Economic Security
Understanding the TRUE costs of living in Colorado for diverse family formation is critical to our work. With the support of The Women's Foundation of Colorado, WAGES grantee Colorado Center on Law and Policy (CCLP) released the sixth edition of the Self-Sufficiency Standard and accompanying reports Overlook and Undercounted and Exploring Economic Security Pathways in Colorado, funded by The M&I Charitable Giving Fund, a donor-advised fund held at WFCO.
The Hidden Poor
As the only statewide community foundation focused on women and their families, we have significantly funded the Self-Sufficiency Standard since the first report in 2001. We rely on the Standard to tell us what it costs to make ends meet in every county in Colorado while Overlooked and Undercounted tells us who is struggling, where they live, and the composition of their households. A disproportionate number of Coloradans experiencing economic distress are single moms and people of color. Many of them live above the poverty line but below the Standard, which means they make too much to qualify for most work supports and are among the “hidden poor.”
From Self-Sufficiency to Security
In addition, it’s critical to our grantmaking and public policy work that we understand the best pathways to move women from economic self-sufficiency to security. That’s why The M&I Charitable Giving Fund, a donor-advised fund held at The Women’s Foundation, funded Exploring Economic Security Pathways in Colorado, a new report for our state in 2018, that builds upon the Standard.
What You Need to Know
Here are the key facts we think you should know, whether as a community member, policymaker, media member, or researcher.
Exploring Economic Security Pathways in Colorado
Read and download Exploring Economic Security Pathways
- There are three primary elements in achieving economic security:
- Earn enough pay for the basic expenses of daily life.
- Build an emergency savings account.
- Pursue at least one of the following economic security pathways: post-secondary education, improved housing and home ownership, and savings for retirement.
- All stakeholders – employers, the government, and the community – must play a role in helping to achieve economic security for all.
Join us at an upcoming presentation
The data in these reports represent the lives of real Coloradans trying to make their way out of some way in our community. To discover how members of your community are faring, join us at regional events in the coming months. We will take this data on the road with CCLP, offering localized presentations in Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Northern Colorado, Pueblo, and Vail Valley.