Financial Opportunity Centers
Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs) are career and personal finance service centers that help low- to moderate-income people build smart money habits and focus on the financial bottom line. They provide employment and career counseling, one-on-one financial coaching and education and low-cost financial products that help build credit, savings and assets. They also connect clients with income supports such as food stamps, utilities assistance and affordable health insurance.
The cornerstone of the FOC model is providing these services in an integrated way—rather than as stand-alone services—and with a long-term commitment to helping clients reach their goals.
We’ve learned that integrated or “bundled” services lead to concrete gains in net income and job retention. Research shows that FOC clients who take advantage of combined services are 50 percent more likely to land a well-paying job than people receiving employment services alone. And long-term job retention—holding a job for a year or more—almost doubles when financial coaching reinforces the work of employment counseling.
We support FOCs at JVS Boston and the Roxbury Center for Working Families, both conveniently located, trusted local organizations known for their history of providing quality services.
An independent study by the Economic Mobility Corporation shows LISC's Financial Opportunity Centers program surpasses other programs.
Research on the efficacy of our Financial Opportunities Center model
