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.
The Mind of Low- to Moderate-Income Savers
Commonwealth explored receptivity by financially vulnerable families to savings product marketing using a cutting-edge marketing research tool, the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET). ZMET is an innovative research methodology that elicits insights about human decision making through metaphors and storytelling. Using…
SummerQuest: A Gamification Pilot in Birmingham
SummerQuest is a four-week summer gamified experience that challenges high school students during the early part of their summer break to complete educational quests in one of three objective areas: college readiness, test preparation (SAT/ACT), and financial literacy. In partnership…
Emergency Savings Products and Alternatives
In December 2013, Doorways to Dreams (D2D) Fund hosted a Ford Foundation Grantee Convening focused on Emergency Savings Products and Alternatives. The day provided an opportunity to delve into a discussion on emergency savings and address the need for product…
The Impact of Prep for Change on Financially Vulnerable Students
This report releases findings on how financially vulnerable students react to personal finance context standardized test questions. Through a gamified college readiness program called SummerQuest, D2D (now Commonwealth) demonstrated that financially vulnerable students could markedly benefit from the inclusion of…
Building Mobile Apps for Financial Capability and Access
Produced by D2D Fund and the Center for Financial Services Innovation, this report provides a comprehensive overview of FinCapDev 2013, a nationwide, public competition that supported teams in building mobile apps to help working Americans make smarter financial choices and…
SaveYourRefund 2013
This report details findings from the first year of SaveYourRefund, a national promotion that used prizes and fun to incentivize taxpayers to save during the 2013 tax season. The promotion aimed to educate filers about Form 8888 and encourage them…
Save to Win: Michigan 2012
This paper reports on the performance of the Michigan Save to Win (STW) product in its fourth year, highlighting findings that demonstrate that STW continues to impact members and offer opportunities for improved financial security.
Paving the Way Forward: Savings On Prepaid Cards
This paper reviews a collaboration between D2D and Banking Up to design and evaluate an emergency savings feature on their UPside prepaid card, providing insight into the potential impact on consumers and prepaid card providers. The work discussed in this…
Prep for Change: Improving Financial Capability Through Standardized Testing
Changing the context of standardized college-admissions tests (like the ACT or SAT) or state-wide exit exams could create a student-driven desire to learn about personal finance in a practical, doable, and scalable way. This paper explores the need for financial…
Building Financial Security Through Fun
This paper provides results and insights from the first Save To Win (STW) expansion experience in Nebraska with some highlights from one of the newest states to launch, North Carolina. Additionally, it compares the prize structures in each of the…