Partner Projects

Financial Well-Being Among Hispanic Adults: The Mobile Money Diaries Study

Overview:

This multi-phase research program follows Hispanic adults over time to understand how economic conditions shape day-to-day money management, financial stress, mental health, and borrowing decisions. The study began with the Mobile Money Diaries, initiated during Dr. Blanco's term as Visiting Senior Scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis' Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute (2017–2018) and supported by an Institute grant. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the study documented financial stress among Latino adults in California, with MPP students Vanessa Cruz, Deja Frederick, and Susie Herrera co-authoring the resulting publication. In the current phase, with data collection in 2025 and 2026, the project examines how recent price increases and holiday-related expenses have shaped household spending and whether families have needed to rely more heavily on short-term credit options such as payday loans. This phase is conducted as part of a fellowship supported by the Julian Bond Institute, which promotes research focused on economic opportunity and community well-being. MPP students Phillip Husband, Enrique Torres, and Nataly Luna are supporting data collection and analysis in the current phase.

Systematic Review of Racial/Ethnic and Gender Differences in Financial Knowledge in the United States

Overview:

Published in the Journal of Financial Literacy and Wellbeing (2024), this study provides a rigorous evaluation of how financial knowledge is distributed across racial, ethnic, and gender lines. By synthesizing existing literature, the research highlights persistent "knowledge gaps" and emphasizes the need for intersectional approaches to financial education to better serve marginalized communities. MPP students Cruz Garcia, Baely Gulbins, and Rosemary Gutierrez co-authored the study.

Advancing Health & Financial Preparedness (CHIME/RCMAR)

Overview:

As part of the CHIME initiative, this project explores economic stability as a critical determinant of health for aging populations. The work includes the development and validation of the Retirement Knowledge Scale (RKS) to accurately measure financial readiness, as well as targeted research into cultural and linguistic disparities in retirement planning between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White older adults.

Digital Retirement Outreach Programs Targeting Black, Hispanic, and White Workers

St. Mary’s NSF Diabetes Management Project

Overview:

This project aims to empower individuals living with diabetes, along with their caregivers and families, by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed for effective diabetes management. The program educates participants on monitoring and responding to blood sugar levels, building healthy routines around nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and stress management, and collaborating with health providers to create tailored care plans. Through a randomized controlled trial conducted with community partners in San Antonio, the study examines whether enhanced diabetes care improves labor force participation and economic stability among underserved populations. The project is a collaboration with an interdisciplinary team at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, led by Dr. Belinda Roman (PI) with co-PIs Dr. Janet Armitage, Dr. Sue Nash, and Dr. Lori Boies, and with Dr. Blanco serving as co-PI. MPP students Kamila Campos, Jessica Gonzalez, and Nataly Luna contributed to the development of the educational materials for digital delivery.

Retirement Knowledge & Wealth Inequality

Overview:

This Pew Trust project examines differences in retirement knowledge among workers who do not have access to a retirement savings account through their employer. Using data from the Pew Trust Wealth Inequality Study, we focus on adults ages 18 and older who face barriers to workplace retirement savings. The study explores how retirement knowledge varies across racial, ethnic, and gender groups, and whether differences in knowledge help explain disparities in retirement planning and saving behavior. We are also interested in understanding how knowledge relates to individuals' willingness to participate in state-sponsored or alternative retirement savings programs. The analysis draws on the Retirement Knowledge Scale developed and validated through the lab's CHIME/RCMAR work, extending it for the first time to younger workers outside the reach of employer-sponsored plans. By analyzing patterns in knowledge and participation, the project aims to generate insights that can help inform the design of retirement savings accounts that meet the needs of workers who are less likely to have access to one through their employer. MPP students Phillip Husband and Alexander Mikhail are contributing to the data analysis.

Digital Learning Communities for Resilience: A Community Needs Assessment

Overview:

This study conducts a community needs assessment to inform the design of a Digital Learning Community to improve the financial well-being and health outcomes of Hispanic families in Oxnard, California. Through focus groups and surveys with parents from the Hueneme School District and community stakeholders, the study evaluates how existing programs should be adapted to meet the informational needs and cultural context of the community. These programs include the Pepperdine Resilience-Informed Skills Education (RISE) program and the lab's digital interventions on money management, financial stress, and diabetes care. Findings will shape the curriculum of a linguistically and culturally tailored digital program developed in partnership with community organizations and local schools.