The YWCA is a place where every women can find the support services, career development and advancement opportunities, and health and wellness information that can enable them to move forward toward a successful life.

Wealth Development

The YWCA's strategy for empowering women to build wealth is to provide the training, education, and resources in order to increase income and purchase assets, focusing on the power of home ownership, post-secondary education, and business ownership to break free from the cycle of poverty. We help individuals reach these goals through the provision of financial literacy training, matched savings accounts, microenterprise training, and micro-lending.

Financial Empowerment Workshops
Choose to strengthen your financial future

A series of four interactive financial literacy workshops on topics such as budgeting, banking, avoiding predatory lending practices, credit and credit repair, and investing. Presenters include experienced Staff and Community Leaders. Workshops are held several times per year at convenient locations and times. Find upcoming Financial Empowerment workshops on the YWCA Event Calendar.

Workshop 1

MAKING THE COMMITMENT TO YOUR FUTURE
Danette B.Battle, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh

Set achievable wealth building goals
Make better spending choices
Practice a variety of budgeting techniques
Learn tips for finding money to save

Workshop 2

MONEY TALK: USING BANKS AND CREDIT UNIONS
Debbie Tawney, Sky Bank

Determine which financial products and services are best for you
Learn to recognize and avoid predatory financial services
Find out how to start, re-start, or maintain a good bank or credit union relationship

Workshop 3

UNDERSTANDING CREDIT AND CREDIT REPAIR
Judith Mason, Dollar Bank

Examine the content of your credit report
Recognize and correct errors
Understand what affects your credit score
Learn strategies for restoring good credit

Workshop 4

SAVING AND INVESTING
Laura Lea Burke, PNC Investment

Understand how savings accounts and other types of investments work
Identify your saving and investing goals
Determine action steps you can take to start meeting your goals

TO REGISTER: Please call the Asset Development Initiative at 412-255-6749 to reserve your space.

Family Savings Account Program

The family savings account (FSA) program is a matched savings account program. For every $1 you save toward an approved savings goal, the FSA program will match you $1, up to a maximum of $2,000. If you saved $2,000 toward your savings goal, with the match you will have $4,000 to use toward your savings goal.
The Family Savings Account has four approved savings goals. They include the purchase of a home, the start of a business, repairs or improvements to a home and education for the participant or the participant's child(ren).
To participate in the FSA program, you must meet the following requirements:

Be at least 16 years old,
Reside in the Greater Pittsburgh area,
Have a family net worth (assets minus debts) of less than $10,000, and
Meet the following income eligibility guidelines:

Maximum Household Income

Household Size

Less Than

1

$ 32,150

2

$ 36,700

3

$ 41,300

4

$ 45,900

5

$ 49,550

6

$ 53,250

7

$ 56,900

8

$ 60,600

NOTE: Welfare benefits, SSI, SSDI and state or federal training program stipends are EXCLUDED as income when determining eligibility.

Along with the eligibility criteria that must be met, you must also agree to the following:

Make regular deposits of at least $40 per month for the length of your contract
Attend a series of financial education classes within six (6) months of program enrollment that will help you budget and make good financial decisions
Stay in contact with the YWCA and follow your savings contract
Attend an asset specific education session

Those concentrated efforts support women as they become empowered through career and wage advancement. For more information please call: 412-255-6749 or email: assetdevelopment@ywcapgh.org