In partnership with others, the Institute co-sponsors large conferences to share new information and advance engagement, organizes medium sized events on specially focused issues or population interests, and convenes leadership working meetings to advance insight and action.
Asset-Building Coalitions in States: Innovative Coalition Development and Policy Advocacy Strategies 
Working Together to Build Wealth in Lower-Income Communities
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Across the country, state and local collaborative initiatives are being formed to offer a multi-facet approach to asset building and generate support for a comprehensive asset policy agenda. These initiatives are building an infrastructure of understanding, commitment and support back by research and practical experience. Coalitions are forming unifying diverse stakeholders such as elected officials, public agency staff, policy advocates, provider agencies, foundations, business and financial institutions, and community leaders behind a message with bi-partisan appeal.
The Massachusetts Asset Policy Initiative (MAPI) is a three-year undertaking of the Institute on Assets and Social Policy to build the infrastructure needed to generate a long-term, collaborative initiative to move a comprehensive asset policy agenda in the state. Through MAPI, organizations identify and support policy solutions that build opportunities for social mobility, and economic stability and independence among the state's asset-poor populations.
MAPI operates on the premise that the work required for building public support for new asset policies and resources requires not only research and information, but also the building of an infrastructure of understanding, commitment and support. The Institute on Assets and Social Policy is facilitating dialogue and providing expertise to build capacity among policy and issue-driven organizations, and constituencies and community-based groups, to realize shared policy interests within the broad umbrella of asset building.
Legislation recently created an Asset Development Commission in Massachusetts with leadership to be provided by the Department of Housing and Community Development. The Institute, with a seat on the Commission, works closely with key organizations, and constituencies to shape the Commission's scope and inform its agenda. The Commission will make recommendations to the Governor and the legislature for program and policy change.
The network of organizations involved in MAPI will work with state and national public officials to help transform the recommendations of the Commission into reality and to continue to promote asset building opportunities for low and moderate income families in Massachusetts.
Efforts in Massachusetts are drawing on the Institute's prior experience helping to launch an asset initiative in Illinois and on lessons learned from other states. Research documents developed by the Institute summarize the activities of state level asset building initiatives in other states and analyze the asset formation role of over 40 policies in Massachusetts.
For more information about this project please contact Sandra Venner or phone 781-736-8688.
State and City Asset Building Initiatives, February 2008
Asset Development Strategies in Five States, December 2007
Asset Building Policies in Massachusetts, November 2006
© 2008, Institute on Assets and Social Policy, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. All rights are reserved.
