NCT02383303

Brief Summary

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is conducting an experimental evaluation of the Assets for Independence (AFI) Program. This evaluation-the first experimental evaluation of Individual Development Account (IDA) projects operating under the Assets for Independence Act-will contribute importantly to understanding the effects of IDA projects and IDA project features on participants. IDA programs provide matching funds to participants when the savings are withdrawn to spend on qualified asset purchases, most commonly homeownership, business-related expenses, or education. This study will build on the prior quasi-experimental AFI evaluation, as well as studies of other non-AFI funded Individual Development Account (IDA) projects. While some evaluations suggest that IDAs help low-income families save, rigorous experimental research is limited. No experimental evaluation of AFI-funded programs has been conducted to date. Of the quasi- or non-experimental studies, few have focused on AFI-funded IDAs. The evaluation is being conducted in two sites, with the random assignment of 299 AFI-eligible cases in one site and 509 cases in the other, for a total of 808 cases. Each site randomly assigned sample members to one of two groups: a control group and a treatment group receiving conventional AFI services. The primary research questions the study seeks to answer are:

  1. 1.What are the impacts of AFI program participation on the outcomes it is designed to address (e.g., savings and asset purchases)?
  2. 2.What are the impacts of AFI program participation on other outcome domains that the program might influence (e.g., material hardship, alternative financial product use, economic well-being)?
  3. 3.How do the impacts of AFI program participation vary over time and by participant characteristics?

Trial Health

43
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
808

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2013

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
unknown

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 1, 2013

Completed
1.4 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 19, 2014

Completed
10 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

March 9, 2015

Completed
4.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 1, 2019

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

September 1, 2019

Completed
Last Updated

May 11, 2017

Status Verified

May 1, 2017

Enrollment Period

6.7 years

First QC Date

May 19, 2014

Last Update Submit

May 10, 2017

Conditions

Lack of Savings

Keywords

savingsassetsmaterial hardshippovertyIndividual Development Account

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

  • Asset holdings

    12 months

  • Debt

    12 months

  • Material Hardship

    12 months

Secondary Outcomes (4)

  • Educational attainment

    12 months

  • Employment status

    12 months

  • Earnings

    12 months

  • Public benefit receipt

    12 months

Study Arms (2)

Program

EXPERIMENTAL

The program group is eligible to participate in the Individual Development Account savings program.

Behavioral: Individual Development Account and financial education

Comparison

NO INTERVENTION

The comparison group cannot enter the Individual Development Account program.

Interventions

Individual Development Account and financial educationBEHAVIORAL

The Program intervention includes a matched savings account (Individual Development Account) and financial education.

Program

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Must be eligible for participation in selected sites' Assets for Independence-funded Individual Development Account programs.

You may not qualify if:

  • Cannot be enrolled in other Individual Development Account Programs.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

RISE Financial Pathways

Los Angeles, California, 90037, United States

Location

Prosperity Works

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102, United States

Location

Study Officials

  • Gregory Mills, PhD

    Urban Institute

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Senior Fellow

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 19, 2014

First Posted

March 9, 2015

Study Start

January 1, 2013

Primary Completion

September 1, 2019

Study Completion

September 1, 2019

Last Updated

May 11, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-05

Locations

US(2)