Appalachian Savings Project: Year 1 Outcomes

This report and brief summarize outcomes from the first year of the Appalachian Savings Project, which concluded in December 2013. The Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) developed the Project to improve the financial security of childcare workers in the mid-Appalachian regions of Ohio and West Virginia. The Project builds participants’ financial security by encouraging them to save through two components:

• A 50% match for the purchase of Series I U.S. Savings Bonds (up to a $500 match). Participants use automatic debits to purchase savings bonds through TreasuryDirect.gov.
• Quarterly financial education workshops, which cover topics around savings, retirement, and other issues relevant to participants. Participants could receive credit towards their childcare licensing continuing education requirements for attending the workshops.

Read the full report.

Read the summary brief.

A copy of the participant follow-up survey is available here.