Juma Ventures' Individual Development Accounts

Juma Ventures provides low-and-moderate income youth with opportunities to transition out of poverty through employment and asset building. Juma launched the U.S.'s first Individual Development Account (IDA) program for youth in 2000. Through this program, Juma provides incentive-based savings accounts for youth to save toward college and other future goals, provides financial education that develops money management skills, and then matches youths' savings when funds are used for college, starting a small business, or purchasing a home. Participants are required to complete financial literacy training before opening IDA accounts, and then attend monthly investor club meetings focusing on their particular asset building goal. The curriculum used is designed to creatively engage participants.

The IDA program is designed to help young people enter the financial mainstream, gain financial stability and build assets.

In 2013, Juma's youth opened 751 IDA accounts, earned over $1 million in wages, and saved $238,000 of their earnings toward future plans. Juma's high school seniors in the Bay Area had a graduation rate of 96%, compared to the district averages of 59% in Oakland and 82% in San Francisco. 96% of these seniors enrolled in higher education.