Establishing Countywide Outreach Strategies to Alleviate Poverty | FUSE

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The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can be an effective tool to help fight poverty, yet approximately 20 percent of eligible Los Angeles County households are not claiming this credit. To close the participation gap, the L.A. County Department of Business and Consumer Affairs is looking to work with relevant county departments that serve clients in the EITC eligibility range, such as Public Health and Public Social Services, to increase awareness. To move this work forward, FUSE Executive Fellow Nicole Richardson developed a strategy that integrates outreach, provision, and opportunities for do-it-yourself filing into county services across departments. As a result, departments and partner organizations are already making it easier for clients to claim refundable tax credits and benefits.

Initially, Nicole engaged more than 30 organizations — county departments, nonprofits, funders, research entities, and others — to better understand the EITC space. Based on her analysis, she developed a strategy that simultaneously supports opportunities for partner organizations to employ improved solutions while making the credits easier to claim, helping ensure that more eligible residents successfully receive their tax benefits.

NICOLE RICHARDSON has worked to raise awareness, identify solutions, and promote behavior change through nonprofit development organizations and for-profit companies. Addressing such issues as income generation and financial empowerment in farming communities and marine conservation with coastal communities, Nicole has supported financial literacy, small business development, and market access in several countries across the African continent. She holds a B.A. from Georgetown University, MBA from Emory University, and is finalizing an M.A. thesis at Tufts University.

Nicole Richardson

2019-2020 | Los Angeles County - Department of Consumer and Business Affairs

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