A nascent asset-building movement is taking shape. This movement, broad in scope and bipartisan in nature, seeks the best means of bringing assets -- cash savings, stocks, bonds, home equity, business equity -- within reach of working families. Governors, state legislators, and community and business leaders are leading this effort. States are serving as the testing-ground for innovations that offer more families more opportunity to become owners. Growing momentum now supports the idea that this state-level action is critical to the expansion of economic opportunity for the nation's working families.

This report examines six states that are defining this emerging movement: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Each state's approach is unique. But they share common goals -- enabling lower-income families to accumulate and preserve assets -- and they employ common strategies.

This report aims to serve as a resource for policymakers and other state leaders who are exploring statewide initiatives that promote asset building among working families. It aims to illuminate the consensus-building process and provide an overview of state-level activity that is advancing the asset-building movement.

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied, distributed or publicly displayed.