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Financial Empowerment Project

The persistent racial wealth gap in the United States continues to hinder economic mobility and financial security for Black households and other communities of color. Structural barriers have resulted in Black households possessing, on average, only one-fifth of the assets held by White households. This disparity is compounded by limited access to intergenerational wealth transfer mechanisms, such as wills, trusts, and life insurance – tools essential to building and preserving wealth across generations. 

Equal Justice Works’ Financial Empowerment Project, in partnership with Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund), embeds attorney Fellows within Financial Empowerment Centers to help close this gap. Fellows provide free legal services focusing on estate planning, title clearing, and other asset-preservation legal needs – empowering clients to protect and transfer generational wealth. 

Fellowship Overview & Benefits

  • Attorney Fellows earn a salary over the course of their two-year Fellowship term 
  • Receive trainings, technical assistance, and ongoing mentorship
  • Participate in the annual Equal Justice Works Leadership Development Training in Washington, DC
  • Build legal capacity at host legal services organizations
  • Conduct community-based outreach and education to raise awareness about legacy planning
  • Provide preventative and remedial civil legal services that support wealth preservation and transfer
Fellows sit in a break out discussion at Leadership Development Training.

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Program Impact

  • ~70% of Black homeowners over age 50 do not have a will or trust, compared to 35% of White homeowners, indicating a substantial gap in legacy planning.
  • > 90% of participating clients in a recent CFE Fund multi-city pilot did not have a will, power of attorney, or health care proxy—key tools for protecting and transferring wealth.
  • 1/5 Due to structural barriers, Black households possess only one-fifth of the assets held by White households on average.

Have questions? Email us at
[email protected]

How it works

1 Host Organizations

Host Organizations must be a nonprofit organization established under 26 U.S.C. § 501(c) and exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. §501(a), including tribal nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education).

Stakeholders network during the Steering Committee Welcome Reception at the Scales of Justice

2 Attorney Fellows

are embedded within Financial Empowerment Centers, offering free legal services that complement financial counseling to help families preserve assets and build long-term financial security.

Fellows speak in a small group at Leadership Development Training. Next to them, a sign reads: issue area breakout: economic empowerment
Still Have Questions or Interested in Funding this Work?

Email us at [email protected]

The Financial Empowerment Project is funded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund). The CFE Fund’s mission is to leverage municipal engagement to improve the financial stability of low and moderate income households by embedding financial empowerment strategies into local government infrastructure.

Interested in hosting a Financial Empowerment Project Fellow?

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