On October 28, 2009, the Asset Funders Network, Ideas42, the Russell Sage Foundation, the New America Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation co-sponsored an expert convening to examine the role of behavioral economics in the future of policy formation. Members of academic, practitioner, and philanthropic communities, and state and federal government agencies were part of an active audience and provided input throughout the day. The participants discussed the potential to develop, test, and implement behaviorally informed policies around savings, credit, and other social and economic issues, placing a special emphasis on improving economic outcomes for low- and moderate-income families.
The day began with welcome and introductions by Irene Skricki of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Caroline Carr of the Russell Sage Foundation, and Reid Cramer of the New America Foundation. Michael S. Barr, Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, provided the lunchtime keynote.
Eldar Shafir and Sendhil Mullainathan, behavioral economics pioneers, offered context and identified gaps in our understanding to date.
Ideas42 experts Piyush Tantia and Mindy Hernandez facilitated two panel sessions on credit and savings, featuring Eric Halperin, Jonathan Zinman, Reid Cramer, Alejandra Lopez-Fernandini, and Brigitte Madrian.
The convening concluded with a brief discussion for stakeholders to advance asset building ideas and harness the momentum and potential of this emerging field.
Related Links
"Turn America into a Nation of Savers: Smart Policies Could Make Savings, Not Consumption, the New Norm" By Reid Cramer, New America Foundation Christian Science Monitor | November 9, 2009
"Harnessing Behavioral Economics to Tackle Our Toughest Social Problems" By ideas42 | October 2009
Behaviorally Informed Financial Services Regulation ByEldar Shafir, Michael Barr, Sendhil Mullainathan New America Foundation | October 17, 2008
AutoSave By Reid Cramer, New America Foundation | July 2006
