Articles and analysis on today's issues

Federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could cause some DC-area families to lose an average of $187 in monthly benefits.
The Problem with Federal Child Care Support Isn’t a Lack of Choice, but a Lack of Funding To address the child care affordability crisis, policymakers should adequately invest in the federal programs that help families access and afford the child care they need.Six Ways Colleges Can Collect Better Data on Student Parents Identifying student parents is challenging for many institutions. Here’s how parenting students say institutions can improve their data collection efforts and better support parents on campus.To Prevent Racial Wealth and Homeownership Gaps from Widening, Break Down Barriers to Estate Planning A new analysis shows that Black and Hispanic homeowners are less likely than white homeowners to have wills and estate plans. Why is this, and how can policymakers help?Zero–Down Payment FHA Mortgages Would Be a Cost-Effective Way to Expand First-Time Homeownership To address the down payment savings deficit, federal policymakers can build on bipartisan legislation from 2004 and advance no–down payment FHA mortgages.Civic Engagement Is Higher among Americans Who Are Financially Secure According to a new analysis, Americans who are financially secure are more likely to vote, volunteer for a political organization, and trust the 2024 election results.A New Tool Helps Communities Understand How to Increase Upward Mobility for Residents Explore data on income, education, and housing in the five largest US cities to learn more about the Upward Mobility Data Dashboard and other tools for understanding and addressing mobility and equity challenges.