Refugee Individual Development Accounts

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are an approach for low to moderate income individuals and families to fulfill their American dream to purchase either a home for the first time, earn a post-secondary education/trade credential, or open a small business. The promise of having one or more of those assets is your ticket to self-sufficiency and independence.

Eligible individuals are people who can show proof of status to be in the U.S., are not yet citizens, have been in the US for five years or less at the time of enrollment; have earned income; whose gross household earned income at the time of enrollment does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level or, only if seeking the homeownership asset, does not exceed 80% of the Housing and Urban Development's Area Family Median Income (HAMFI); whose assets at the time of enrollment do not exceed $10,000, excluding the value of a primary residence and one vehicle; and who have not already received IDA match funds from an ORR-funded IDA program.

List of Current Partner Sites

Asian Services in Action

Thet Win, Small Business Advisor

370 Market Street, Akron, Ohio 44304

330- 535-3263 EXT. 5310

thet@asiaohio.org

Types of Assets Offered: Homeownership, Micro-Enterprise, Vehicle, Education

Service Area: Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Holmes, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, Trumbull, and Wayne Counties

Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services

Ahmed Al Haek, RIDA Specialist

4300 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43213

(380) 266-1250

ahmed.alhaek@ethiotss.org

Types of Assets Offered: Education, Homeownership, Micro-Enterprise, Vehicle, Education

Service Area: Franklin County