The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) makes it possible for Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska to help refugees and other ORR-eligible populations save money toward the purchase of an asset that will help increase financial independence. The Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program helps refugees understand what assets are, how the U.S. financial system works, and how to manage their money.
Under the IDA program, refugees have the opportunity to save for one of four assets or request rental assistance, which will be matched based on their contribution. The coordinator will decide the amount of assistance provided. Clients enrolled in the 90-day Resettlement and Placement or Matching Grant Programs cannot request rental assistance until they have been discharged from the program.
- Car
- Home purchase
- To start or support a business
- Post-secondary education or training
To be eligible, you must be in the United States for less than five years. Refugees who wish to save for a car for transportation to school or work must have been in the country for three years or less when enrolling.
To enroll in the IDA program, participants must:
- Have a paying job
- Earn less than 300% of the federal poverty level
- Not have more than $10,000 worth of assets, excluding one car and one home
