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The rules of the economy
Jobs, wages, and the decisions that shape who gets ahead.
The economy is shaped by decisions made at every level of government. Most of which residents never hear about.
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The Journey
Your Journey in Money
126 resources across 5 levels of engagement
ArticleHow GiveWell Shares Its Mistakes to Help Others LearnGiveWell is a charity research organization that helps donors find the most effective places to give money for global health and development. They publish a detailed list of all their mistakes from 2006 to now, including research errors, hiring problems, communication failures, and organizational issues. Major mistakes include not publishing all their research, diversity problems in hiring, tone issues in early communications, and confusing charity rating systems. Smaller mistakes include spreadsheet errors, poor planning, and privacy mishaps. They share these mistakes publicly so other organizations can learn from their experiences and so donors can better evaluate whether to trust them. The organization believes in transparency and expects the same openness from charities they recommend. This mistake log shows how they've grown and improved over nearly 20 years of operation, learning to be more diverse, communicate better, and conduct more rigorous research.
ArticleHow to Give Different Types of Gifts to Help Houston CharitiesThe Greater Houston Community Foundation helps people donate money and other valuable things to help their community. You can give cash, stocks, real estate, business shares, art, jewelry, life insurance, or retirement money. Each type of gift has different tax benefits. Some gifts help right away, while others help after you pass away. The Foundation works with donors to pick the best way to give based on their money situation and what causes they care about. They accept many different types of donations so people can give in the way that works best for them. You need to follow IRS rules to get tax deductions for charitable gifts. The Foundation has advisors who help people understand their options and make the biggest impact with their giving.
ArticleHouston Business Tax Breaks & Incentives for CompaniesHouston offers many advantages for businesses looking to save money on taxes and get help growing. Texas has no corporate or personal income tax, which means companies keep more of their money. Businesses can also get tax breaks on property, sales, and franchise taxes. The city and state offer special programs to help companies that create jobs or invest in the community. These include cash grants through the Texas Enterprise Fund, job training money through the Skills Development Fund, and federal programs like Opportunity Zones. Companies can get $5,000-$10,000 per new job created, and training grants average $1,800 per employee. Houston has over 40 designated Opportunity Zones where businesses can get federal tax credits. The state also offers programs for small businesses with under 100 employees, infrastructure funding for rural areas, and tuition waivers for employee families. These tax advantages and incentive programs help businesses lower their costs and compete better in the global market.
ArticleHarvard Business School Annual Reports ArchiveThis is not Houston civic content. This webpage provides access to Harvard Business School's annual reports from 2006 to 2025. These reports show the school's activities, finances, and achievements each year. The page is a simple directory with links to download PDF reports and access newer online versions. While these reports might contain information about business education and leadership development, they are specific to Harvard University in Massachusetts, not Houston. This content would only be relevant to Houston if someone was researching business education models or comparing educational institutions. The reports are primarily for Harvard stakeholders, alumni, and researchers studying business education.
ArticleCareer Help for People Who Want to Make a DifferenceIdealist.org is a website that helps people find jobs and volunteer work where they can make a positive impact. The site has many resources for people who want careers in nonprofit organizations and social causes. You can find job listings, internship opportunities, and volunteer positions. There's also a salary explorer that shows how much different nonprofit jobs pay, which helps job seekers know what to expect. The career advice section gives practical tips for building a career in social impact work. Whether you're looking for your first job helping others or want to change careers to make a difference, this site has tools and information to guide you. You can search by your interests, skills, or the type of work you want to do. The site also helps organizations post job openings and find volunteers.
ArticleStudent Debt Crisis Affects Young Adults More Than EverYoung adults today face much more student debt than their parents did. In 1989, only 15% of young households had student debt. By 2019, that number jumped to 41%. The amount of debt is also much higher - from $13,074 in 1989 to $47,608 in 2019, which is nearly four times more money. More young people are going to college now, which is good. But with debt levels rising and wages staying mostly the same, many young adults worry they won't do as well financially as their parents. This website explains how student debt affects the whole economy and encourages young people to get involved in civic activities to help solve this problem. The Up to Us organization wants students to learn about fiscal policy and take action through pledges, competitions, and leadership programs.
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Organizations Doing This Work
Bay Area Financial Education Foundation
This organization teaches people how to manage money better through classes and workshops. They help families learn about saving, budgeting, and making smart choices with money so they can build a stronger financial future.
Berkeley Community Fund
Berkeley Community Fund gives money to groups that help people in their community. They support projects that make neighborhoods better and help people learn new skills to improve their lives.
Ford Foundation
Works to reduce poverty, injustice, and inequality with active grantmaking in Texas.
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Invests in 941 cities globally including Houston What Works Cities.
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Houston's preferred philanthropic partner with economic mobility as its strategic priority.
Hillcrest Foundation
Supports Texas organizations in education, healthcare, social services, and community development.
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Research Associate Job - Ireland
More in Common is hiring a Research Associate to help with a project about helping refugees fit into their new communities. This is a consultant job working on research in Ireland. You would help design research studies, talk with community groups, and write reports. The job is part of a 3-year project funded by the European Commission that looks at how communities can help refugees in Ireland, Italy, and Germany. You need research experience and skills in talking with people and writing reports.
Virtual
Education Finance Analyst Training Program
A 2-year program that trains young professionals to work in school finance. Students learn about helping charter schools with money and buildings. Applications for 2024 are closed but 2025 applications open in December. The program is free and helps people start careers in mission-driven finance jobs.
Virtual
HearMe Volunteer Listener Training
Members can join volunteer training to become peer listeners who help others on the HearMe platform. Training covers active listening, holding space for others, body awareness, and understanding different cultures. Volunteers learn online and join a community of other listeners.
Virtual
Jobs at Open Society Foundations
Work for Open Society Foundations, a group that fights for fairness and freedom around the world. They have offices in many countries and offer jobs helping with grants, advocacy, research, and programs. Staff get training, help paying for classes, and chances to grow their careers. The organization values diversity and treats all workers fairly. You can find open jobs on their website.
Virtual
Student Researcher Jobs at UC Berkeley Institute
The Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley hires student researchers during the school year. These are paid jobs for students to help with research on topics like civil rights, democracy, and social justice. Students work on projects about reducing racism and creating more inclusive communities. The Institute posts new job openings at the start of each semester. Right now they have an open position for Director of Communications. Students should check back regularly for new opportunities. If you see a job listed, you can still apply. They will only contact you if you get an interview.
Virtual
Tax Prep Volunteer
Help families file their taxes for free
Jan 15Virtual
Available Services
Workplace Dialogue Training Programs
This organization helps companies build better workplaces where employees f...
BakerRipley Community Centers
BakerRipley has community centers all over Houston that help families get j...
Campus Free Speech Resources and Training
PEN America helps college students, teachers, and school leaders protect fr...
Houston 211 Helpline
Call or text 211 to get free help finding food, housing, jobs, healthcare, ...
Policies & Legislation
Active
Complete Communities: Building Better Neighborhoods
Houston is investing in neighborhoods to make them great places to live. Th...
HR 1181Pending3w ago
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
This federal bill protects your financial privacy by limiting how companies can track and share information about what you buy.
HR 1319Pending4w ago
Empowering Modern Workers
This federal bill would update work rules to better support people who work...
HR 1320Pending4w ago
Security for Modern Workers
This federal bill would help gig workers and freelancers get benefits like ...
HR 2007Introduced
Salary Transparency Act
The Salary Transparency Act is a federal bill that would require employers ...
HR 2067Introduced
PARSA
PARSA is a federal bill focused on protecting workers' retirement savings. ...
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