About the Individual Development Account (IDA) Project
United Way’s IDA Project is a matched savings account program helping low-income individuals purchase long-term assets.
The project was launched with support from United Way Worldwide, Entergy Corporation, Women United, and Capital One in 2006 and has helped make homeownership a reality for more than 200 families.
Download the full brochure here.
United Way’s IDA Project is designed to help low-income individuals and families save money through a matched savings program. United Way’s IDA Program is designed to meet the needs of a community that has long-standing high percentages of intergenerational poverty. We are addressing these needs by allowing participants to use their IDAs for the purchase of a new home, vehicle, start a new or expand an existing small business or pay for post-secondary education.
Participants make regular deposits to a special “Individual Development Account” [IDA], held at a local financial institution. When the savings goal is reached, United Way sends a check for the asset purchase to the closing agency, dealership, college or vendor.
Participants receive a 4:1 match on their savings:
- Those saving up to $1,500 will be matched with $6,000 for a maximum total of $7,500 for home or small business, and
- Those saving up to $1,000 will be matched with $4,000 for a maximum total of $5,000 for post-secondary education or a vehicle purchase.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
- Commit to staying in the IDA Project until reaching savings goal.
- Deposit at least $25 each month into account while participating in the program
- Be enrolled in the IDA Project for at least six (6) months before withdrawing from IDA
- Attend financial education and asset-specific trainings
PROGRAM COMPONENTS
- Credit Counseling Services
- Case Management Services
- Financial Education Trainings
- Asset-Specific Training regarding homeownership, entrepreneurship/business, vehicle purchase training, or post-secondary education
- One (1) year follow-up
HOW TO APPLY
→ If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a participant, please call [504] 827-6862.
Partners
- ASI
- Capital One Bank
- City of New Orleans
- Delgado Community College
- East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity
- Family Resources of New Orleans
- Fidelity Bank
- First NBC Bank
- Good Work Network
- Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West
- Hancock Whitney Bank
- Hope Federal Credit Union
- Housing Authority of New Orleans
- IBERIABANK
- Jefferson Community Action Programs
- Lower 9th Ward NENA
- Metairie Bank & Trust
- Metropolitan Center for Women & Children
- Neighborhood Development Foundation
- Neighborhood Housing Services
- New Day Homeowner Services
- New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity
- New Orleans Family Justice Alliance
- Northshore Technical College
- Providence Community Housing
- Safe Harbor
- SCORE New Orleans Regional Chapter
- Small Business Administration
- St. Bernard Battered Women’s Program, Inc.
Supported By
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