ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the research goals for American Dream Demonstration (ADD). It discusses the characteristics of the host organizations in ADD. The chapter presents the summary information on the institutional characteristics of the Individual Development Accounts (IDA) programs. It analyzes the data to learn about how institutional characteristics are linked with savings outcomes. The chapter also describes Management Information System for Individual Development Accounts (MIS IDA) and the data that it collects on savings outcomes, program characteristics, and participant characteristics. The research on ADD is multi-faceted and may be one of the most comprehensive investigations of a social or economic policy demonstration. The research program uses multiple methods and was designed by the Center for Social Development with the advice of an expert Evaluation Advisory Committee. All the IDA programs in ADD provided matches for the three universal uses of home purchase, post-secondary education, and small business.
