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You are here: Home / Newsroom / Newsletters / Family Economics News - June 2007

Family Economics News - June 2007

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) works with land-grant university partners and others to advance knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities through national program leadership and Federal assistance. Among the Agency’s goals is to support increased economic opportunities and quality of life in rural areas. Family economics aligns with this goal by focusing on how individuals and families obtain and use resources such as money, time, human capital, material resources, and community services; by exploring the relationship between individuals and families and the larger economy; and by studying the impact of public issues, policies, and programs on family economic well-being.

Research/Program Evaluation

  • Food Insecurity, Stress, and Childhood Obesity
  • FDIC Money Financial Education Survey

Education/Extension

  • American Indian Probate Reform Act   
  • Financial Literacy on White House and Congressional Agendas  

Resources

  • Choose to Save Video 
  • National Standards in K-12 Financial Education Revised    
  • Wi$e Up - Financial Planning for Generations X and Y

Opportunities

  • Call for Papers:
    • Journal of Personal Finance
    • Journal of Youth Development
    • Financial Counseling and Planning
    • The Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association Conference
  • Funding:
    • Grants.gov
    • NASD Investor Education Foundation
    • National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®) 
    • MMI Education Foundation
    • Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
    • U.S. Department of Education
    • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    • Foundation for Financial Literacy

Calendar

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Obesity and food insecurity in children are serious public health concerns in the United States.  Research on this problem is underway through 2009, with funding from the CSREES National Research Initiative. Paradoxically, a large share of low-income children suffering from food insecurity is obese. A potential reason for these high rates of obesity is that low-income children experience high levels of stress. Using data from three large-scale data sets - the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES); a Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID); and Welfare, Children, & Families: A Three-City Study (Three-City Study) - the respective roles of food insecurity and stress on obesity among children are considered. In particular, three questions are addressed. What is the relationship between food insecurity and obesity in children? The use of three datasets and advanced statistical techniques will provide a more rigorous test of this relationship than previous studies. How does stress affect child obesity? Until now, only small-scale epidemiological studies addressed this question. To build on these studies, large-sample surveys with rich arrays of stress indicators are utilized.

Using data collected from a pre-training survey, a post-training survey, and a telephone follow-up survey, this study analyzes the impact of the Money Smart financial education curriculum upon the financial opinions and behaviors of course participants. The data indicate that Money Smart financial education training positively affected consumer behaviors and that behavior changes were demonstrated many months after completing the training. Among the significant findings were that participants were more likely to open deposit accounts, save money in a mainstream deposit product, and use and adhere to a budget. They also displayed increased confidence in their financial abilities when contacted 6 to 12 months after completing the Money Smart course. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Web site contains the Financial Education Program Improves Consumers' Money-Management Practices press release and information about the entire study.

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The goal of the American Indian Probate Reform Act (AIPRA), which took effect on June 20, 2006, is to reduce the serious problem of land fractionation that has occurred on many reservations. AIPRA created a uniform probate code that applies to all individual-owned trust property (lands and Individual Indian Money Accounts) except in Alaska, the Five Civilized Tribes, and Osage, and unless a tribe has its own probate code. Marsha A. Goetting, extension family economics specialist, and Kristin Ruppel, Department of Native American Studies at Montana State University, developed a series of 14 fact sheets and PowerPoint presentations with funding from the Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program of USDA's Risk Management Agency. The fact sheets explain the new law and illustrate the need for estate planning by Native Americans. To learn more go to the Montana State University Web site. Download the PowerPoint presentations by clicking on PowerPoint on the left hand box.

During Financial Literacy Month in April, President Bush convened in a meeting on financial literacy and charged the Secretary of Treasury with building on the work of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission. The White House Web site contains the President's address on the importance of financial literacy. Also in April, the U.S. Senate Committee Subcommittee on Oversite of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia held a hearing regarding the federal government's role in empowering Americans to make informed financial decisions. Subcommittee members examined the status and effectiveness of federal financial literacy programs and assessed the activities of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission. Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, applauded Cooperative Extension for its leadership with financial education.   

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The U.S. Treasury Office of Financial Education and the Financial Literacy and Education Commission have a new "Choose to Save" public service announcement developed in partnership with the American Savings Education Council. The video promotes free government resources for financial decision-making. To view the video, and to learn more, visit www.MyMoney.gov. The National Association of Broadcasters is nationally distributing the public service announcement created by WJLA-TV in Washington, DC.

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy has revised the national standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education. Reviewers of the new standards included representatives of the academic community, financial services industry, educational organizations, and classroom teachers. Visit the Jump$tart Web site to view the press release and new national standards.

Wi$e Up is a financial education program that targets women aged 22-35. The program is available to individuals as an online course and to local organizations that offer the program as a workshop series. Wi$e Up also features national, interactive teleconference calls with financial experts. Wi$e Up was developed by Texas Cooperative Extension through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor- Women's Bureau, with additional funding from State Farm Insurance Companies.

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  • Grants.gov is your source to find and apply for federal government grants. There are over 1,000 grant programs offered by all Federal grant making agencies.

  • NASD Investor Education Foundation Grant Programs - The 2007 NASD Investor Education Foundation grant programs are now posted online. For announcements, subscribe to the e-mail newsletter for periodic updates and announcements of new grant deadlines.

  • National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE®) - The NEFE® Grants program has two grant cycles in April and October. The next deadline for grant proposals is June 5, 2007, for the October grant cycle. To learn more about the NEFE® Grants program visit the NEFE® Web site, and click on the Grantsmaking section.

  • MMI Education Foundation - The foundation uses its resources to serve the public interest and strengthen the communities. Periodic announcements and grant guidelines are available online.

  • Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant programs for 2007. The submission dates for grant applications are August 5 and December 5, 2007.

  • U.S. Department of Education - Excellence in Economic Education . This program promotes economic and financial literacy for students in K-12.

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Grantees provide financial literacy training to enable low-income individuals and families to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

  • Foundation for Financial Literacy - The Foundation for Personal Literacy supports educational, charitable, and other organizations that use financial education to teach individuals how to convert earned income into passive and portfolio income.

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  • Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association (EFERMA) Conference, February 28-March 1, 2008, Savannah, GA. Details pending.

  • Galaxy III, Indianapolis, IN, September 14-18.

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  • CSREES Contact: Jane Schuchardt, National Program Leader, CSREES-USDA
  • National Initiative “Financial Security in Later Life” Contact: Nancy M. Porter, Family Resource Management Specialist, Clemson University
  • Financial Literacy for Youth Contact: Erica Tobe, Program Leader for Financial Literacy & Housing, Michigan State University
  • Financial Security for All eXtension ( (pronounced ee-eXtension) Contact: Debra Pankow, Family Economics Specialist, North Dakota State University, or go to www.eXtension.org and click on Personal Finance.

Back issues of Family Economics News are available.

To submit items for consideration for this newsletter, contact Jim Terry, Program Analyst, CSREES-USDA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.

Last Updated: 07/30/2007