FPWA

The poverty rate alone does not tell us whether Americans are economically secure.

New Census data considers a family of four above the federal poverty line at just $32,649 a year. Yet the True Cost of Economic Security measure shows that same family needs at least $149,600 annually to thrive.

That gap matters.

“A falling poverty rate cannot be treated as evidence of broad economic security when the threshold itself bears so little relationship to what it actually costs families to live,” says FPWA CEO and National True Cost of Living Coalition Co-Chair Jennifer Jones Austin.

For too long, public policy has focused on managing poverty rather than creating the conditions for people to thrive. We need a standard that reflects what families actually need to live with stability, dignity and the ability to plan for the future.

Read our full statement now:

Statement on U.S. Census Bureau’s Latest National Poverty Statistics - FPWA For Immediate Release September 17, 2026   Contact: Rachel Noerdlinger [email protected] Andrew Taranto [email protected]   Statement on U.S. Census Bureau’s Latest National Poverty Statistics; Findings Fail to Show that Millions […]

On the heels of the March on Washington, data points us to the dreams and promises from the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom that have yet to be realized.

In our new analysis, we find:

▪️ The racial wealth gap has worsened since 1963, ballooning to a median White net worth of $296,200 and just a $37,600 median net worth for Black families. Nearly one in four Black people have a net worth that is zero or negative.

▪️Black women with advanced degrees earn about as much as White women with bachelor’s degrees.

▪️2025 was the first time in five years that U.S. states passed more laws restricting voting than protecting it.

In a new op-ed in The Hill, FPWA CEO Jennifer Jones Austin explores the work we must do advance the dreams of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and build economic security for all:

"In a time where federal policies are rolling back the hard-fought advancements of the Civil Rights Movement, now is the moment to confront the structural inequities that continue to deny too many communities the full promise of freedom. Shifting those structures demands that we treat childcare, healthcare, housing and savings not as luxuries but as the building blocks of economic security that every family deserves."

Read the full piece now:

Half of Americans are economically insecure. What are we going to do about it? This isn’t about the margins of society: We are talking about America.

We are proud to announce Bishop G. Mitchell Taylor has been named Chair of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies’ Board.

As Co-Founder & CEO of Urban Upbound and Senior Pastor at Center of Hope International, Bishop Taylor continues to make a powerful impact through service, advocacy, and community leadership. His vision, faith, and experience will help us deepen our work confronting the systems that keep millions of people from getting ahead.

Click the link to read the full press release: https://bit.ly/45Zrld3

Black Women’s Equal Pay Day marks how far into the year a Black woman must work to earn what a white, non-Hispanic man earned the year before.

This wage gap is not simply the result of individual choices. It reflects the enduring impact of occupational segregation: the systematic sorting of workers into industries and roles along lines of race, gender, immigration status, disability and other marginalized identities.

In a new blog post, FPWA Senior Policy Analyst Funmi Akinnawonu examines how these forces continue to shape the experiences of Black women in the care workforce.

Next month, we'll deepen this analysis with a new data brief that examines the impacts of racial and gender-based occupational segregation on the childcare, homecare, and cleaning workforces, and examining the relationship between occupational segregation and the reproduction of wealth inequality across generations. Stay tuned for more!

https://www.fpwa.org/resource-center/blogs/black-womens-equal-pay-day-the-enduring-cost-of-occupational-segregation/

What does freedom truly mean if one unexpected expense or crisis can derail your life?

As our nation marks 250 years of independence, FPWA CEO Jennifer Jones Austin and former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter argue that true freedom requires economic security.

It's time to move beyond managing poverty and begin building policies that ensure every person has the resources to withstand hardship, build essential wealth, and shape their own future.

Read their latest op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

250 years has taught us that freedom comes only with economic security | Opinion Families living paycheck to paycheck face a financial crisis if a car breaks down, a person is laid off, or a child needs medical care.

What do the FY27 City and State budgets mean for New Yorkers' economic security?

Join FPWA on Thursday, July 9 for the first of a two-part Budget Watch webinar series as we examine how fiscal decisions advance — or fall short of — building economic security for New Yorkers.

This comprehensive analysis will equip policymakers, community organizations, and advocates with the insights needed to plan for the year ahead.

Click the link to secure your spot today: https://fpwa-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zL-6xCTtQuehLmtVtCRSEA

This year’s state budget includes meaningful investments that will help ease financial strain for working families and individuals across our state.

But the scale of the crisis facing New Yorkers demands greater urgency and ambition when many households remain one unexpected expense, job disruption, or health emergency away from crisis.

Economic security, not mere survival, must be the governing standard for public policy — and FPWA remains committed to working with state leaders to advance bold, lasting solutions that ensure every New Yorker has the resources not just to get by, but to thrive.

Swipe ➡️ to read the full statement from our CEO & Executive Director, Jennifer Jones Austin.

Join us in congratulating Liza Schwartzwald, our Director of Policy and Advocacy, for being named to City and State NY's Nonprofit Trailblazers list! We celebrate Liza for her dedication to advancing economic security for all.

The 2026 Nonprofit Trailblazers Visionaries and innovators on a mission to serve New Yorkers.