ADVANCING FINANCIAL SECURITY FOR ALL
United Way NCA connects people to education, tools, and job training so they have financial freedom, peace of mind, and can build a stronger future.
OUR COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL SECURITY
Financial security should feel possible, not out of reach. United Way NCA works to remove barriers and help community members build the financial confidence they need to thrive.
Creating opportunities to build financial security is the foundation of a healthy family, community, and society. Financial health has deep, long-term implications for future generations. We believe it is our fundamental responsibility to provide access to the resources and opportunities our community needs, guided by three key impact areas: Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, and Financial Security.
Through free personal financial counseling, job coaching, tax filing, housing preparation services, and more, United Way NCA is committed to helping individuals and families build stability, reduce stress, and move forward with confidence.
What is Financial Empowerment?
Financial empowerment is feeling in control of one’s finances and resources, usually through financial literacy education. Those who feel financially empowered are enabled to achieve greater financial stability for themselves and their households and gain greater control over their personal finances.
Why is Financial Empowerment Important?
Financial empowerment is important for all community members, especially those who have struggled to find solutions with traditional banks and financial resources because of its economic and emotional benefits. Learning the tools of budgeting, taxes, paying down debt, etc. not only enables people to gain control of their finances but also gives them a heightened sense of being in control, leading to greater happiness and lower stress levels.
What We’re Doing to Promote Financial Empowerment
By investing in programs and partnering with community organizations, United Way NCA is removing financial barriers and helping our neighbors build financial security through resources that provide foundational knowledge leading to lasting stability.
Financial Empowerment Centers
Over the past ten years, United Way NCA opened five powerful Financial Empowerment Centers (FEC’s) across the National Capital Area. These centers help lift up individuals and families and put them on a path toward economic opportunity. They receive free money management counseling, credit and housing counseling, job coaching, small-business support, and asset-building resources. And, they receive the most valuable thing of all: respect. Financial Empowerment Centers guide clients throughout various stages of life for a variety of financial needs
By providing a convenient pathway to these solutions, the Financial Empowerment Centers are helping to realize one of United Way NCA’s most critical objectives: enabling members of the community to achieve greater economic opportunity for themselves and their households. Our Financial Empowerment Centers are located in Prince George’s County through a partnership with Prince George’s Community College, the South County Government Center in Alexandria, Prince William County, Washington, DC, and Montgomery County.
Tax Preparation
Through collaboration with our community partners and VITA sites, United Way NCA VITA partners are providing free tax preparation for low-income residents. This helps community members maximize available credits and receive tax refunds. Through this partnership, we helped local families receive over $116 million back in tax refunds from 2016 to 2025. In the current economic climate, every dollar matters.
Black Fatherhood Blueprint
Launched in September 2025, the Black Fatherhood Blueprint project provides holistic tools and support to Black fathers to increase their engagement with their children, strengthen their families, and improve their individual well-being. A partnership between United Way NCA and the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL), this project aims not only to empower Black fathers but to change the harmful and false narratives surrounding the “absent father.”
Uniquely designed to address the specific systematic experiences that are harmful to Black fathers and families, each cohort goes through an intensive curriculum, engages in United Way NCA’s DC Financial Empowerment Center (run by GWUL), and has access to other supportive services such as therapy, group sessions for community and individual healing, free legal services, and financial support.
How You Can Help Advance Financial Empowerment in Our Community
Volunteers play a critical role in United Way NCA’s mission to expand financial security across the National Capital Area. Whether it’s mentoring job seekers, supporting financial literacy workshops, or helping individuals access workforce development resources, volunteers are helping to build pathways to financial stability. By contributing their time, expertise, and commitment, volunteers empower individuals and families to overcome barriers and create a more equitable economic future.
