FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 14, 2022 | Read full release
City of Pittsburgh Named Winner of 2022 DollarWise Innovation Grant from The U.S. Conference of Mayors
City and Neighborhood Allies to launch ‘Money Talks’ program for Black women
PITTSBURGH – The City of Pittsburgh announced today that it has been awarded a 2022 $10,000 DollarWise Innovation Grant from The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM). As part of the grant the city will partner with Neighborhood Allies, an organization dedicated to engaging Pittsburgh area residents with innovative tools that expand opportunity for transformative community change. Funds will be used to create a local incubator for Black women in Pittsburgh to learn best practices about saving, investing, and financial planning.
‘Money Talks’ will launch in March with workshop sessions led by experts including Tamika Barrett, Realtor and Accredited Financial Counselor, Jessica Perrone, Founder of Her Financial IQ, and Veronique Scullion, Financial Advisor. Smaller peer sessions will also be held and will allow participants to share their experiences with saving, reducing debt, and more. Additional topics covered will include money attitudes and values, prioritizing an emergency fund, debt management, financial planning, and simple ways to start investing.
“We want to support Black women in Pittsburgh and ensure they have everything they need to set, reach, and exceed their own personal financial goals,” said Mayor Gainey. “This program is a great way to empower Black women and prepare them to make great financial decisions for years to come. I am thankful to Neighborhood Allies and everyone in the City of Pittsburgh who worked to secure this funding and create a new pathway for Black women to thrive.”
“Our goal for this program is for participants to gain the support, confidence, and knowledge needed to take the next step for their financial futures, whether it’s saving for an emergency fund, paying down debt or investing in the stock market,” said Sarah Dieleman Perry, Director of Economic Opportunity at Neighborhood Allies. “Our Economic Opportunity programs address the inequities in opportunity that Black women experience.”
The DollarWise Economic Mobility Campaign is dedicated to eliminating poverty, promoting opportunity, and building intergenerational wealth within underserved and underrepresented communities.
The DollarWise Innovation Grant Program identifies and supports substantive and impactful economic mobility initiatives that can be scaled and implemented in additional cities nationwide. The DollarWise Campaign is an initiative within the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Council on Metro Economies and the New American City. The DollarWise Innovation Grants are made possible through the generous support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, DollarWise’s founding sponsor.
Black women in the City of Pittsburgh who are interested in participating should fill out this brief survey. Participation is limited. Submitting a survey is not a guarantee of involvement. Additional questions about ‘Money Talks’ can be sent to Sarah Dieleman Perry, Director of Economic Opportunity at Neighborhood Allies (sarah@neighborhoodallies.org).
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