Partners
Annie E. Casey Foundation
The Center for Working Families® (CWF) is a new approach to help low-income families
reach financial stability and move up the economic ladder. Pioneered by the Casey
Foundation and now supported by other major funders, the CWF offers an innovative
framework for how families can increase their earnings and income (“Earn It”), reduce
their financial transaction costs (“Keep It”), and build wealth for themselves and
their communities (“Grow It”). The United Way of the Bay Area SparkPoint Initiative
is based on the CWF model. SparkPoint at Skyline College is part of the Annie E. Casey’s
Centers for Working Families Community College Network.
California Community Colleges
SparkPoint at Skyline College Career and Technical Education (CTE)services receive
funding from the California Community Colleges. Through the Career Pathways Initiative
(funded by SB70 / SB1133), "the community college system is assisting K-12 in building
and aligning coordinated CTE pathways that lead to postsecondary programs of study
to prepare students for high-skill jobs with high wages." Regional Community Collaboratives
are a central component of the Career Pathways Initiative. SparkPoint at Skyline College
administers the San Mateo County Community Collaborative.
California Employment Development Department
The California Employment Development Department (EDD) offers benefits for unemployed
Californians including unemployment insurance, disability insurance, paid family leave,
and employment seeking services. EDD personnel are co-located full-time within SparkPoint
at Skyline College.
Community Financial Resources
Community Financial Resources (CFR) provides tools for financial empowerment. CFR
works with SparkPoint at Skyline College to:
- Provide a product-based financial education and coaching program
- Combine financial education with behavioral incentives
- Promote money management skills
- Build assets
- Reduce families’ reliance on payday lenders, check-cashers, loan sharks, debt peddlers, and high-cost money transmitters
- Provide a low cost banking and payment tools including a prepaid debit card
- Develop sound money management habits and maintain their upward financial trajectory.
Earn It, Keep It, Save It
SparkPoint at Skyline College partners with United Way of the Bay Area's Earn It Keep It Save It Program to host a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Center.
- Free Tax Help: Paying to have your taxes prepared can cost $200 to $300. Households in the Bay Area earning less than $50,000 cannot afford to pay!
- Awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): Many taxpayers do not know about the EITC and that it is a refundable tax credit that can be up to $5,751 for a family with three qualifying children for Tax Year 2011.
- Types of Returns Processed: 1099 MISC / Schedule C-EZ, Schedule A
- Refund Anticipation Loans: When residents get an "instant refund" from a commercial preparer, they are taking a loan out on their own money usually paying 300% interest. With direct deposit an EKS site can e-file your tax return and have your refund deposited into your bank account in 7 to 10 days.
Franklin Templeton Investments
Franklin Templeton Investments (FTI) is a global investment manager, with headquarters
located just south of San Francisco, in San Mateo, California. FTI is partnering with
United Way of the Bay Area to provide funding for SparkPoint at Skyline College financial
coaching activities. Additionally, the partnership creates volunteer opportunities
for Franklin employees to support SparkPoint Center activities such job interview
practice.
Grove Foundation
Intel co-founder and former CEO Andy Grove and his family started the Grove Foundation.
The Grove family is working through the Grove Foundation to support students who are
pursuing Career and Technical Education. Skyline College students who participate
in financial education workshops and individual financial coaching, career counseling,
and additional services to support academic success and goals may be awarded up to
$2000 a semester. Learn more about applying for a Grove scholarship. SparkPoint at Skyline College features a Hall of Fame Photo collection of all Grove
Scholars. Please visit SparkPoint at Skyline College in Building One, Second Floor,
to see the photos.
Opportunity Fund
“Opportunity Fund (OF) is a not-for-profit social enterprise helping thousands of
California families build financial stability. OF partners with SparkPoint at Skyline
College to provide Individual Development Accounts (IDA). These matched savings accounts
allow clients to invest in their education or small business. Through the IDA savings
program, for every $1 the client saves, they earn $2 in matching funds. The client
can save up to $2,000 and earn up to $4,000 in matching funds, for a total of $6,000
to pay for education or business expenses.”
San Mateo County Human Services Agency (SMC HSA)
San Mateo County Human Services Agency provides programs and resources that support
children and families. To see if you qualify, visit your online benefits resource: MyBenefits CalWIN – San Mateo County or visit SparkPoint for assistance.
- SMC Works: Employment Services
- Child Care
- Children & Family Services
- County Veterans Services
- Food & Financial Assistance
- Family Self Sufficiency Teams
- Health Insurance
- Homelessness
- Other Program
San Mateo County Office of Education - Career Technical Education
Skyline College partners with the San Mateo County Office of Education Career Technical Education to improve Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathways for students in middle schools, high schools and community colleges. The partnership supports curriculum alignment and articulation of CTE coursework to improve students’ transitions from high school to college. Additionally, the partnership creates high quality professional development activities for educators designed to enhance CTE pathways for students in San Mateo County.
San Mateo Credit Union
SparkPoint at Skyline College partners with San Mateo Credit Union (SMCU) to provide
access to quality banking services and resources that include:
- Second chance checking accounts
- Potential access to a SMCU loan to help reconcile banking fines / fees
- Debt counseling service, balance, with potential access to SMCU loans to support a debt restructuring plan
- Credit repair
- $25 reward to open a checking account. $10 membership fee waived
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
Second Harvest Food Bank is the primary source of donated, surplus, and purchased
food for non-profit agencies in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. In fiscal year
2010 (July 2009 - June 2010), we distributed over 45.5 million pounds of nutritious
food to low-income people in need. During the first six months of 2011, the Food Pantry
at SparkPoint Skyline College distributed over 18,000 pounds of food valued at over
$30,000.
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
The Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) partners with the best organizations
in our region to create change. It awards grants to address the most challenging problems
in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, by partnering with innovative nonprofit organizations
in the region. SVCF grant-making strategies are economic security, education, immigrant
integration, regional planning and safety-net services. SVCG supports SparkPoint at
Skyline College through its Economic Security Initiative.
United Way Of The Bay Area
United Way of the Bay Area is a nonprofit organization that creates pathways out of
poverty. Their goal is to cut Bay Area poverty in half by 2020. They focus on helping
working families and individuals, ensuring they can meet all of their basic needs,
while creating opportunities for them to achieve lasting financial stability. Establishing
SparkPoint Centers throughout the region is essential to achieving this goal.