LIFT-LA: Empowering Families Toward Financial Freedom

Income inequality

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Poverty, like wealth, is passed down from generation to generation. Decades of racial inequality and underinvestment in communities have created a widening racial wealth gap. The number of children living in poverty in the US more than doubled in 2022, and in California the poverty rate for children under age 18 rose from 7.5% to nearly 17%.

LIFT-LA serves families across LA County, however, we operate in and predominantly serve the Pico-Union community where one in three families live below the Federal Poverty Line. Our approach focuses on disrupting intergenerational poverty at the point of transmission by partnering with parents to increase financial stability. Research shows that a modest $3,000 increase in parents’ income results in a 17% increase in their children’s future earnings. By taking a holistic, two-generation approach, LIFT enables low-income parents to build critical foundations that will set their families on a path of self-sufficiency for generations to come.

This grant will support LIFT-LA’s two-generation economic mobility program, which empowers parents of young children (ages 0–8) to break the cycle of poverty. LIFT’s holistic program combines personalized financial coaching, direct cash support, and opportunities to build personal well-being and social connections addressing the systemic barriers that prevent families from achieving economic mobility.

Each participating parent is paired with a trained coach for up to two years of monthly one-on-one sessions, virtual or in-person, to set and pursue personalized goals related to finances, employment, education, and overall well-being. Members also receive $150 in quarterly cash transfers through our Family Goal Fund, which helps them meet urgent needs while applying the financial management tools and skills acquired through coaching.

This grant will support LIFT-LA's trauma-informed, strengths-based model, which meets parents where they are while offering hybrid support options to fit into their families’ busy schedules. Programming is delivered out of Magnolia Place, a hub co-located with partner organizations that offer wraparound services, which allows us to maximize our impact through coordination and referral.

We envision a future in which the landscape of possibility has shifted for families living in poverty, a future in which all children grow up with greater access to opportunity. Put simply, we aim to transform the systems that shape families’ lives. If LIFT-LA is successful, LA County will be home to a more equitable economy where all families can achieve lasting financial stability and mobility. 

To achieve this vision, LIFT-LA is scaling its impact by equipping partner organizations, including pediatric health clinics, government agencies, early childhood centers, and community colleges, to deliver our proven economic mobility model. Through technical assistance and advocacy, we aim to embed a more holistic and humane approach to financial empowerment across systems that already serve low-income parents. Our vision is a shift in how institutions support families driven by parents’ voices, cross-sector collaboration, and a shared commitment to improving economic mobility for all.