Community Coalition
A community coalition of companies, agencies, government, educational, non-profit, and other organizations. We’re focused on increasing the prosperity of our community by increasing the prosperity of each of our citizens.
Our Mission
Our mission is to proactively provide resources to improve the prosperity of our community’s most vulnerable and economically-challenged citizens.
Our History
A group of community funders began the Real$ense Prosperity Campaign in 2003 for the purpose of: revenue maximization in Duval and surrounding counties, bringing federal dollars back into the community in the form of Earned Income Tax Credit to those who have earned it but not claimed it (as much as $10 million in Jacksonville alone), and financial stabilization for people of lower-to-modest income through education and income leveraging opportunities to build long-term assets.
United Way agreed to be the lead partner; the coalition was announced (December 2003) and championed by Mayor John Peyton, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, and Councilwoman Suzanne Jenkins.
Program
One Smart Move: The Real$ense programs provided by strategic allies consist of the following core functions that help our target audience to:
- Hold On To Your Money: Free Financial Education Classes
- Duval County Extension Agency, Jacksonville Urban League, Family Foundations, Northeast Florida Community Action Agency, War on Poverty, Florida Department of Financial Services and other community partners
- File For FREE! Save the FEE!: Free income tax preparation
- 495 VITA and AARP volunteers in 62 locations in 8 counties
- AARP Tax-Aide and IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Sites
- Triple Your Savings: Individual Development Accounts; matched savings at $2 to $1
- Family Foundations
Program Audience
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable federal income tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. When EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit.
| Target Audience – Earned Income Tax Credit: |
|---|
| Family/single w/no child, income < $19,190 – Refund up to $ 475* |
| Family/single w/1 child, income < $42,130 – Refund up to $3,169* |
| Family/single w/2 children, income < $47,162 – Refund up to $5,236* |
| Family/single w/3 children, income < $50,270 – Refund up to $5,891* |
| *Numbers are for married filing jointly; for income limit for single, subtract $5,210 |
Please note: To qualify, taxpayers must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if they do not have a filing requirement.
| Target Audience – Individual Development Accounts | |
|---|---|
| Household Size | Income Limit |
| 1 | $ 22,340 |
| 2 | $ 30,260 |
| 3 | $ 38,180 |
| 4 | $ 46,100 |
| 5 | $ 54,020 |
| 6 | $ 61,940 |
| 7 | $ 69,860 |
| 8 | $ 77,780 |
| *For family units of more than 8 members, call Family Foundation at 904-396-4846 | |
Results
In nine years—$36 million in direct spending power has been returned to lower-to-modest income citizens:
- $36 Million into the community through Earned Income Tax Credit—federal dollars new to our community
- $19 Million saved for our clients on paid tax preparers
- $0.6 Million in matching money to clients through Individual Development Accounts (matched savings)
- 290 enrollees in IDA accounts, 57 graduates (43 new home owners, 6 new business owners, 8 education)
- 94,684 student financial class hours
- 80 bank accounts opened
- 10,000 people receiving financial information
- ROI of $19 returned to the community per grant dollar spent
- 833% increase in number of people helped
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