The Issue

Asset building occurs at every stage of our lives and affects health, education, housing, and more. Incorporating asset building into grantmaking promotes economic well-being for all.

What is Asset Building

Explore the Topics

There are many different approaches to improving lives through asset building. AFN advances effective ways philanthropy can help develop tools and engage low and middle income people, especially women and communities of color, to build assets. This includes our capacity to care for health, build job skills, obtain a degree, buy a home, build a business, save for unexpected needs and retirement, and transfer wealth to our children. Learn how your investment in asset building can make a difference.

Education

Kids

Children with a savings account are far more likely to attend college than children without an account.

Employment and Income

95%

Microenterprise development programs with non-white businesses have a 95% survival rate and employ nearly 3 workers each.

Financial Health

Stability & Opportunity

Financial systems and tools that foster financial health

Health

More

Individuals with more wealth have more health, reflected in lower death rates and lower rates of chronic diseases.

Housing

Home

Housing is the single largest vehicle for building wealth in the United States, especially for people of color.

Small Business, Co-op & Microenterprise Ownership

Business Ownership

Business equity is the second largest source of family non-financial assets, after home equity.

Realizing Economic Justice

Anti-Racist

Racial Equity

The Wealth Gap

$1.5 Trillion

The ethnic and racial wealth gap could cost the US economy between $1 trillion and $1.5 trillion between 2019 and 2028—4 to 6 percent of the projected GDP in 2028

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