MEF Associates conducted an evaluation of the Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) initiative, funded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund). In 2012, the CFE Fund launched a national replication of the FEC model first developed in New York City in 2008. Through the FEC model, the CFE Fund works with local government administrations to integrate one-on-one financial counseling into antipoverty service delivery. The project evaluated the evolution and value of the FEC model in complex service delivery systems that require collaboration between public partners and community-based organizations. MEF’s work included a detailed qualitative analysis of the FEC model in five cities that informed CFE Fund’s final evaluation report. MEF also conducted a detailed cost study in one city and developed a cost study toolkit for other cities to use. To support ongoing program improvement, MEF presented its qualitative findings and cost toolkit for FEC practitioners in both webinar and in-person training formats.
