Banking, Business, Bridges:
Best Practices for Best Places to Work
1
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Objectives
• Why Banks
• Asking for support (WIFM)
• The Conveners
• Partnerships - HR
• Finding your Charter Champions,
Partners and Community
Supporters
• Bridges Out of Poverty Training
• Hiring Successful Coordinators
• Establishing an emergency, low
interest loan program
• EAP
• Financial Wellness and Education
• Tracking the Progress
• Work United – Award Winning
Program – The Win- Win - Win
• Stories of successes and
Challenges
• Options
• Best Practices
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Why Banks?
• Right thing to do
• Taking a chance on a
population that ordinarily
doesn’t get chances.
• Betterment of the
communities
• Supports financial education
• Supports savings
• Satisfies a requirement for
Community Reinvestment Act
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Challenges for Bank
● Stock Bank vs
Mutual/Community
● Time consuming
● Not a profit maker
● Difficult to get other
businesses on board to
participate in the program
● WIFM - Has to be a tie to
values, mission.
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Convene a group…or several groups
CORPORATE COUNCIL
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Human Resources - State and Local Champions
2008 SHRM PINNACLE AWARD WINNER
SHRM Vermont State Council (Vt.)
“Working Bridges Project”
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Finding your Charter Champions, Partners and
Community Support
• Learn from others
• Social Service Agencies
• Network
• Industries
• Funding
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Finding Start Up Grants
● Charitable FoundationsState
Local
Banks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YoS9dXGoW8
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Staffing with the Best Coordinators
• Empathy
• Good listener
• Familiarity with community, employers
and their benefits
• Knowledge of the community resources
available
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Community Education
Bridges Out of Poverty Training✓ Businesses
✓ Non-Profits
✓ Social Service Agencies
✓ Healthcare facilities
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Why a loan program?
• Emergencies happen for a variety of
reasons
• Establishes a pattern of savings
• Provides for financial education and
opportunity to talk budgeting
• Improves credit rating for future
borrowing
• Financial Well-Being
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Establishing an emergency, low interest loan program
Bank partners are involved in establishing the
program
✓ Establish approval process
✓ Set borrowing rate
✓ Set up savings accounts
✓ Banks are involved and meet regularly
✓ Reviews statistics and defaults
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Companies’ Role in Successful Loan Program
HR managers involved in approval and payroll process✓ Set up procedure for payroll deduction
and tracking✓ Approval process for loan goes through
HR✓ Employees must be in good standing✓ Must sign loan documents✓ HR must notify Bank if employee leaves
so payment continueWellbeingBy Tom Rath
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Financial Education - Required
FREE- Financial education
available from:❑ Banks
❑ FDIC
❑ Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau
❑ Credit Bureaus
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Shared Resources – HR & EAP
Partner with EAP ✓Mental health and other referrals
✓Use their website as a resource – Quizzes,
legal documents
✓ Discounts available
✓ Assist with referrals
Partner with HR
✓Share culture and philosophy
✓Provide benefits and insurance information
✓Provide a list of company perks
✓Share employee handbook
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Analytics Pay Off
❑ Keeps track of usage, loans, referrals, in person
visits
❑ Share with companies and HR – Shows value for
renewal of relationship
❑ Provides concrete data for presentations for new
partners
❑ Ensures proper coverage and training of
coordinators( and EAP) in areas of concern
❑ Provides substantiated information for grant
proposals
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Provide Training
• Partner with local hospitals,
businesses, foundations, and
social services agencies
• Offer two levels of training
• Involve HR associations
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Turning Work United into a differentiator for
Best Places to Work
✓ An unusual, great benefit
✓ Used in the Best Places application process
✓ Statistics that prove usage
✓ Provides assistance to employees while at
work during the work day
✓ Contributes to employee engagement
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3eq38si8-I
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Local - Annual Hero AwardPresented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Successes and Challenges
✓ Housing
✓ Transportation/Cars
✓ Daycare
✓ Social Services
✓ Loans for emergencies
✓ Committing to doing
financial education
✓ Communicating with
outlying locations
✓ Getting people to use
the benefit
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
A Mascoma StoryPresented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Resources
Internet ~ You Tube ~ Networking• AHA Process
• Working Bridges programs in various communities
• United Way (Chittenden County Vermont)
• Local social service agencies and healthcare
organization. Homeless shelters.
• Local Banks
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Communication – Very importantPresented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
HR – A great partner and resourcePresented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Prudence PeaseGranite United WayDirector of Work United(603) 298-8499 x [email protected]
Beverly WidgerMascoma Bank (Retired as if 9/30)HRXperienced LLCFounder and [email protected]
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
Presented at aha! Process 2019 Addressing the Challenges of Poverty Conference
www.ahaprocess.com
