It’s easy to talk about the importance of shifting power to communities and to community leaders.  Truly transitioning that power, on the other hand, requires trust, transparency, and a thoughtful approach.  In early March, the organizations that are integral to the Boston Build Credit initiative took a bold step to shift their decision-making power to community partners and residents.

First, some background. Seven years ago, United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the City of Boston and LISC Boston came together to launch Boston Builds Credit, an innovative initiative to increase the credit scores of residents in Boston neighborhoods. The initiative went to the heart of one of the fundamental factors that has led to today’s deep racial wealth gap – the evidence that people with poor credit end up paying as much as $200,000 more over their lifetimes in higher interest fees or are denied access to critical opportunities like home ownership to build wealth. The importance of good credit to economic mobility is undeniable. And yet despite high-quality work, deep commitment and strong leadership, the initiative’s growth was slowly stagnating. 

United Way turned to the communities and partners closest to the work to inform and guide the next chapter for Boston Builds Credit. Here’s how that unfolded, and the steps we took, together. 

Community partners gathered for a one-day retreat hosted by the Economic Inclusion and Wealth Building team from United Way of Massachusetts Bay, held at Urban Edge in Roxbury. The strong turnout included voices representing all corners of the BBC initiative, such as the City of Boston Center for Working Families, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Jewish Vocational Services, The Midas Collaborative, Compass Working Capital, BBC Community Advisory Council, Union Capital Boston, and more. Residents and partners came together to review BBC's credit-building impact, discuss the coalition’s structure, and shape the initiative's future. Central to the agenda was the transition of leadership and decision-making power to a community partner.  

Juan Bonilla, Vice President of Economic Inclusion and Wealth Building at United Way of Massachusetts Bay, set the tone for the day by emphasizing the need to reposition BBC to align with UWMB’s New Way Forward strategy. 

“A central tenet of United Way’s New Way Forward is increased listening to the community and incorporating valuable lived experiences into our work,” Bonilla said. United Way will continue to play a crucial role as a thought partner and funder as it transitions from the role of lead convener to a more supportive function within the initiative. Transitioning the lead role will shift decision-making power and control of Boston Builds Credit closer to the community players. “This shift will allow United Way to focus on exploring ways to replicate similar partnership models throughout the region, while opening the space for partners and community to have greater say in setting strategy and being more responsive to the shifting trends and opportunities on the ground.  

Participants engaged in a comprehensive review of BBC's credit-building impact, examining both successes and barriers in striving to help more Bostonians achieve prime credit scores. They also reflected on the strengths and challenges of the BBC coalition structure, underscoring the importance of unity amongst partners, collective decision-making, and celebrating the history and future potential of BBC. Participants analyzed performance data to better understand the initiative's impact and areas for improvement, ultimately developing an action plan for the transition process and setting criteria for selecting the next Project Manager. 

Jason Andrade, director of financial services at Compass Working Capital, expressed the significance of BBC's evolution, stating, “BBC is at an important inflection point, where there's been a lot of change and a lot of good work that's happened over the few years. We want to make sure that it meets its targets and effectively reaches all the communities that it needs to reach.”  

Indira James, financial coach, and career specialist at the Center for Working Families, highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating, “Events like this give us the opportunity to sit together, share ideas, share the positive and the negatives, and helps us to move forward.”

Throughout the retreat, participants shared insights into the impact of the BBC initiative. One prevalent sentiment heard from clients is, "I wish I had known this earlier," or "I wish I had known this when I was 18." This reflects a common regret among individuals regarding their lack of knowledge about credit-related matters earlier in life and underscores the importance of initiatives like BBC in providing valuable financial education and resources to empower individuals at various stages of life.  

Cynthia Jones, Network Coordinator for Boston Builds Credit and Union Capital Boston and Boston community member recounted success stories of individuals who utilized the resources and advice offered by BBC to improve their financial situations, including getting out of debt and saving money. " We are hearing about the impact. To hear stories of people buying homes is encouraging. So, it is working. Along the way, it has not been that smooth, but it is impactful. BBC is building something where the people are seeing the name and beginning to trust, " said Jones.  

The retreat also served as a platform for genuine reflection about the challenges faced by the BBC initiative. Cynthia urged fellow BBC partners to not just view the initiative through "rose-colored glasses”. Instead, she encouraged them to think critically and embrace challenges as opportunities for continuous improvement to build a stronger and better coalition and in turn, better serve the community.  

Participants acknowledged that while there have been challenges along the way, there is a clear hunger for information and resources within the community and an opportunity for greater impact.

In shaping the future of the initiative, the retreat highlighted the importance of prioritizing the community's needs. Jones prompted reflection from the group when she asked: "Is the community leading our work?" emphasizing the necessity for the BBC initiative to remain community-centric and responsive to the voice of community. Jones continued to reinforce the message by stating, “What does the community need? That’s our number one thing. We want to give them what it is that they desire, even if we feel like we're a little off track. It all comes together for them.” 

As the initiative continues advancing its work with community, evolving its culture and practice, it is important for the partnership to remain curious, responsive, and adaptive to meet the evolving challenges of the times. That includes examining regularly what type of leadership is necessary to best lead the work going forward. A significant component of the agenda gave prominence to the future state of Boston Builds Credit and the shift in role for the UWMB. The partners engaged in honest dialogue regarding the selection process for a new lead partner, the roles UWMB could continue to play supporting the work of BBC and, the characteristics of the new lead partner the collective prefers to see. While we did not achieve full consensus on all criteria, the preferences and suggestions were consistent, and a great deal of valuable feedback was provided by BBC partners that will be helpful in guiding the upcoming selection and transition period.  

The retreat concluded with participants acknowledging the strength of their bond and the power of collective action in driving meaningful change.  They also brainstormed ways to troubleshoot, enhance understanding, and improve future collaboration. “Fostering strong bonds is key; recognizing and elevating the power of the collective over the power of individual players is necessary to navigate the transitions, externalities, and challenges that we know will take place that could easily derail other collaboratives with weak bonds and unclear purpose,” said Bonilla. 

As UWMB continues its organization-wide strategic shift to achieve economic justice through systems change, we remain committed to the success of BBC as it continues to advance economic opportunity through credit building in the City of Boston. The significance of this collaborative effort cannot be overstated, with BBC now being replicated in other cities across the country. As BBC continues to evolve, guided by the shared vision and commitment of its partners, the future looks bright for building financial empowerment and resilience within the Boston community and beyond.