MoKan Goodwill to incorporate Federal Reserve Bank Benefits CLIFF Tool to Help Job Seekers Achieve Self-Sufficiency

Kansas City, Missouri (September 7, 2021) - Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas (MoKan Goodwill) announces it will utilize a tool to help individuals make informed career decisions to overcome what’s known as the “benefits cliff,” a term that describes a barrier for low-income families trying to improve their economic status.

With the assistance of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, MoKan Goodwill will incorporate the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) tool as part of the nonprofit’s employment services. The tool will also be used by the Goodwill Artemis Institute, an alternative educational environment that provides pathways to credentials and jobs working with future- state technology.

The partnership with the Federal Reserve Banks aims to foster economic mobility by assisting job seekers in competing for higher-paying employment opportunities while planning for adjustments with the possible loss of public benefits. MoKan Goodwill workforce efforts have increased focus on quality job training, industry recognized credentials, and skill enhancement. With these efforts, a primary goal is to help individuals advance into higher-paying careers and understand how higher income from new careers can establish a path toward self-sufficiency—the ability to support one’s self and family without public assistance.

“Using the tool will create a greater understanding of the relationship between educational attainment, income, and public benefits. The CLIFF tool will help our agency support individuals to economic sufficiency, increase general awareness of benefit cliffs, and help career pathways, such as those we are creating at the Goodwill Artemis Institute,” stated Anita Davis, MoKan Goodwill Chief Mission Officer. On September 27, 2021, the Goodwill Artemis Institute will introduce its first course, A Bridge to Technology, which raises awareness of future state careers and provides digital skills, literacy, numeracy, and essential skills training for students interested in an advanced tech credential or apprenticeship.

The CLIFF will initially be used by MoKan Goodwill employment specialists in the Kansas City metro area. Specialists work with the client to enter benefits, taxes, and expenses into the CLIFF portal. The data creates a customized career path to review and compare financial tradeoffs with different career choices and ultimately, a better path to financial stability.