Strategies to Build Economic Security and Reduce Poverty: A Tool Kit for States was created to help state governments implement a comprehensive approach to addressing poverty.  It outlines four policy objectives that include securing state commitments to fight poverty and implementing modern poverty measures based on living standards.

From the Introduction: It is time for a new vision for achieving decent standards of living, promoting economic mobility and addressing the root causes of poverty. The national measure of poverty is now so low and disconnected from any reasonable cost of living that operating above it does not necessarily guarantee a sufficient standard of living. States are well positioned to narrow this gap and increase economic prosperity. Many are now seizing this opportunity and enacting goals to achieve economic security and end poverty and taking policy action to ensure these goals are met.

This Tool Kit aims to support eight Northwest states in their efforts to improve well-being by offering information, policy objectives, concrete tools and strategies.  Though the information focuses on the Northwest-area states—Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington—the resources and models apply broadly to other state and national efforts.

The Tool Kit includes the following sections:

- Current Structures for Addressing Poverty
- The Federal Poverty Level
- Northwest States’ Policies
- Federal Policies and Public Support Programs
- Policy Objective 1: Secure State Commitments to Economic Security
- Policy Objective 2: Use Measures That Focus on Standards of Living
- Policy Objective 3: Implement State Policies That Build Economic Security
- Policy Objective 4: Make Sure an Increase in Earnings Leads to an Increase in Economic Security
- Specific Policy Overviews for each of the eight states in the project
- Resouces by Policy Objective