Our Research
Commonwealth conducts original qualitative and quantitative research with financially vulnerable people—including Black, Latinx, and women-led households who disproportionately experience financial insecurity. We also interview industry experts and academics. We take what we learn and translate findings into actionable insights and practical solutions designed to change systems to work better for financially vulnerable people. We work with community groups, employers, financial services firms, fintechs, policymakers, and workplace solution providers to design and test real-world, practical solutions that not only work for individuals and families, but are also scalable and address the business needs of our partners.
We share the results of our work to provide you with innovative ideas, practical insights, and the tools you need to act. Explore our publications below.
Ramp It Up: Evaluation of a Gamified College Financial Readiness App
Access to a college education is one of the key drivers of financial security, and financial aid (loans, grants, and scholarships) can make college a viable opportunity for many students. However, understanding how to access such aid requires financial capability…
Product Spotlight: Neighborhood Credit Union’s Prize- Linked Savings Account
For over a decade, Neighborhood Credit Union in Dallas, Texas has offered a unique sweepstakesbased prize-linked savings (PLS) product called Prize Savings. This PLS product provides an example of how individual financial institutions can independently launch and manage innovative savings…
Rise with the Raise: Findings From Early Pilots
Nearly 19MM minimum wage workers across the country will receive annual raises of $61.5 billion by 2022. Commonwealth is partnering with employers to ensure as many of these workers as possible can use these raises to build their financial security.…
Savings Behaviors Among Youth of Color
In the summer of 2015, Commonwealth and the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) piloted a payroll program that used prizes to facilitate positive financial behaviors among 50,000 youth participating in DYCD’s Summer Youth Employment Program…
Rise with the Raise: California
Over the last six months, Commonwealth has sought to understand minimum wage workers’ and employers’ attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs about the minimum wage hikes and building financial security. We surveyed low wage workers, held focus groups, and met with leaders…
Five Years of SaveYourRefund
SaveYourRefund (SYR) completed its fifth successful year in 2017. Learn about how it has grown and the impact it has made on tax filers across the country.
SaveYourRefund 2017 Summary
At the end of its fifth year, SaveYourRefund continues to motivate saving at tax time. Learn more about its impact in 2017, and meet some of the winners who were motivated to save.
Prize-Linked Savings in Credit Unions: 2016
In 2016, Prize-Linked Savings (PLS) products expanded rapidly, doubling the number of states with PLS products from 6 to 12. Two new branded products – Lucky Savers (LS) in New York and WINcentive Savings Accounts (WSA) from the Minnesota Credit…
Financial Entertainment Infographic
Over the last seven years, we’ve developed our Financial Entertainment suite of games to cover a variety of financial topics, making financial education more fun and exciting. They’ve been popular among a wide range of people, and have helped our…
Rules of Thumb Presentation
You’ve probably heard that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but why are there are so few simple, effective messages about your finances? Credit unions can build a better relationship with their members by offering these sorts of…