National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders
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| National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Focus | Community development, asset building |
National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders is a nonprofit network focused on building financial resilience and community assets among Latino populations across the United States. The organization engages in capacity building, policy advocacy, and program implementation in collaboration with community development financial institutions, philanthropic foundations, and federal agencies. It operates at the intersection of community development, civil rights, and financial inclusion, working with a wide array of stakeholders in the nonprofit and public sectors.
History
Founded in 1999, the organization emerged during a period of national attention on community development and affordable housing initiatives linked to federal initiatives such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and legislative debates involving the Community Reinvestment Act and Workforce Investment Act. Early collaborators included regional community development corporations and finance entities like Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Enterprise Community Partners, and Habitat for Humanity International. Its founding coincided with policy discussions in the United States Congress and program design efforts at agencies such as the Department of the Treasury (United States) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Over time, the group developed affiliations with national civil rights organizations including League of United Latin American Citizens, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and advocacy coalitions such as National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
Mission and Programs
The association’s mission centers on asset building, financial capability, and equitable development in Latino communities, aligning programmatic work with models used by entities like NeighborWorks America and Federal Home Loan Bank programs. Core programs have included homeownership counseling modeled after standards from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and financial coaching patterned on initiatives by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau partners and Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. Workforce and small business development efforts draw on resources similar to those promoted by Small Business Administration and philanthropic partners such as the Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Surdna Foundation. The organization has promoted Individual Development Accounts and matched savings strategies comparable to pilot projects by Annie E. Casey Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Advocacy and Policy Initiatives
Advocacy efforts have targeted federal and state policy arenas, engaging with legislators from the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, and participating in rulemaking processes at agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (United States) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Policy priorities have intersected with immigration-related debates involving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals era, tax policy discussions tied to the Earned Income Tax Credit, and housing finance reforms connected to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The organization has filed comments and joined coalitions alongside groups such as Center for Responsible Lending, Prosperity Now, and National League of Cities to influence regulatory outcomes affecting community development financial institutions and fair lending enforcement under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Partnerships and Membership
The association’s membership includes community development corporations, credit unions, and nonprofit service providers similar to Self-Help Credit Union, ACCION International, and regional intermediaries like Enterprise Community Partners affiliates. Strategic partnerships have been formed with philanthropic intermediaries including United Way Worldwide, academic centers at institutions such as Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University, and national networks like National Low Income Housing Coalition and Housing Partnership Network. The group has collaborated with municipal and state governments—e.g., offices akin to the City of Los Angeles housing departments and the State of California community development offices—plus international exchanges with entities similar to Inter-American Development Bank.
Impact and Evaluation
Program evaluations have used methodologies consistent with those promoted by the Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and RAND Corporation to measure outcomes in homeownership retention, small business survival, and household financial stability. Reported impacts include increased access to mortgage counseling comparable to outcomes documented by National Council of La Raza affiliates and improved credit outcomes paralleling studies by the Pew Charitable Trusts. The organization has contributed to research collaborations with university partners like University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan, and New York University to assess interventions’ effects on asset accumulation and wealth gaps highlighted in reports from Federal Reserve Board researchers.
Funding and Governance
Funding streams historically have included grants and contracts from foundations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and program support from federal sources including the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and discretionary programs administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Governance has been overseen by a board of directors drawing professionals with experience at institutions like Capital One Financial Corporation, Goldman Sachs, Piper Jaffray, and leaders from community development organizations. Financial oversight and audit practices align with nonprofit standards advocated by organizations such as Independent Sector and Council on Foundations.