What We Do

The Financial Empowerment Network is uniquely positioned to provide training, resources and support to professionals across sectors.

  • Nonprofit and social services programs – individuals and community-based organizations working in a variety of contexts, such as housing, shelter, domestic violence, trafficking, workforce, small business, education, & basic needs, and working with people who are veterans, youth, immigrants and refugees, low-income, or otherwise marginalized
  • Financial institutions – banks and credit unions
  • Financial education, financial coaching, and financial counseling professionals building their capacity to provide high-quality financial empowerment programs, products and services.

Financial capability services look different to folks in different situations. We help professionals understand when, how, and why to integrate these critical services into existing programs and services.

Reach out if you’re interested in learning more about support for your organization!
 

Virtual Financial Empowerment Workshops: FEN provides monthly workshops for professionals in the field whom we define as case managers, advocates, and financial counselors/coaches, to guide and contextualize the needs of their clients. These workshops are FREE and offered virtually on a variety of topics. 

See our upcoming workshops plus check out workshops you may have missed!

Thank you to our Trainer’s Task Force members who identify community training needs and plan the content of our workshops throughout the year!  View the list of task force members and contact us if you're interested in participating!

Workshops for Your Organization: Are you interested in bringing training to your team? Reach out! We're happy to discuss possibilities and how we can tailor content to meet the specific training needs of your staff. 

Who should participate:  Anyone in Washington State providing financial coaching, counseling, mentoring, or education who would like to meet other financial coaches, discuss topics of mutual interest, and learn more about our plans for future gatherings.

Date:  4th Wednesday of each month
Time:  2:00-3:30pm
Location:  Zoom 

Sign up here! By entering your information, you will be added to the calendar invite that will have the zoom link through the end of the year.

Plus, if you opt in, we will make your contact information available to the other financial coaches who are on the list on our shared google drive spreadsheet. Access is only provided to those who opt in to share their information. 

Sign up to be connected to this growing professional network!

The Initiative: The financial coaching community group is an initiative of the Financial Empowerment Network (FEN). The initiative was formed to connect the financial coaching community in Washington State and provide opportunities for coaches to gather on a regular basis to network with one another, share best practices, learn from, and support each other.

Who are we?  Financial coaches from across the state who engage in 1:1 & group coaching, mentoring, financial education, and financial counseling. All are welcome, coaches who are brand new to the field and coaches with decades of experience. Many people may not consider themselves to be coaches, but if you are providing support with a coaching mindset, this group is for you.

Volunteer Opportunities! Please reach out if you're interested in helping to build this community and keep it going strong:

  • Outreach & Communications: Help us get connected to more financial coaches from across the state! Please contact Barbara to get engaged.
  • Financial Wellness Resources: The Financial Empowerment Network website is full of financial wellness resources. We need your help to sort, organize, and confirm the content is accurate and complete.  
  • Trainers task force: FEN offers virtual financial empowerment workshops nearly every month. If you’re interested in helping to plan training workshops throughout the year, please join us!

Questions? This initiative is co-chaired by Donna O’Connor with Hopelink and Barbara Maxwell of the Blue Mountain Action Council with the support of Jennifer Quiroz. Get in touch with any of us if you have questions! 

Thank you to our steering committee who help keep this program running!  View the list of current steering committee members and contact us if you're interested in participating!

The Washington Asset Building Coalition is a statewide association working to promote policies and programs in Washington that assist low-and-moderate income residents build, maintain & preserve assets through investments in education, homeownership, personal savings, and entrepreneurship.

We partner with policy-makers, financial institutions & service providers on the regional, state and federal levels to create, innovative, systemic solutions to addressing poverty so that all Washingtonians have an opportunity to achieve a secure economic future & live with dignity.

Together in partnership with banks, credit unions, government, and community organizations, local Asset Building Coalitions work together to build access to financial wellbeing resources to our Washington communities.

Learn more about local Asset Building work happening in your community!

Join the conversation!

  • Sign up to receive email updates from FEN on the WABC

 

Bank On Washington is a cross-sector coalition dedicated to increasing access to safe, affordable financial products and services to all Washingtonians. Our focus is on those who are un- or under-banked, low- to moderate-income, BIPOC individuals, and other communities who have been excluded from mainstream financial services.

 

Want to learn more about the national Bank On movement? Check out About Bank On here!

 

The CFE Fund provides resources plus research on Bank On efforts. They also support local Bank On coalitions through best practices found in the Bank On Coalition Playbook – updated July of 2022!

 

The Bank On National Data Hub includes key takeaways from the 2018 - 2020 data collections, including results from analyzing national Bank On account activity across three categories of metrics: Account Opening, Account Usage and Consistency, and Online Access.

 

Learn more about the working happening here in Washington State

 

Foreclosure Prevention Team Meeting

Date:  3rd Wednesday of every month
Time:  Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Location:  Zoom

Foreclosure Prevention Co-chairs: Linda Taylor, The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle & Tom McKay, Northwest Justice Project 

Review resources and past meeting information. 

Find resources for homeownership and foreclosure prevention, including the Washington State Foreclosure Prevention Guide in our Financial Wellness Resources.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a key financial support for low-income families. FEN works to ensure that low- and moderate-income tax-payers receive their full refund each year. In partnership with the United Way of King County, FEN provides outreach support for the VITA Program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). 

  • Learn more about the United Way Free Tax Assistance program.
  • Find a VITA site near you.

In 2023, Washington State will begin offering the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC). This is a new tax credit for Washington workers, and individuals and families may receive up to $1,200 back if they meet certain eligibility requirements. 

Check out the Working Families Tax Credit Coalition, led by the Washington Budget and Policy Center. The coalition will be offering train-the-trainer workshops on the WFTC over the next few months – follow them for updates and announcements!