MISSION

Building community to end poverty through intentional friendships, personal transformation, and systemic change led by the people closest to the challenge.

VISION

All individuals live in equitable, thriving communities where poverty no longer exists.

“Circles is one of the best models for long-term poverty reduction I have ever encountered. It sets up a new dynamic that puts the families who want to become economically stable in the driver’s seat rather than being viewed as clients choosing predetermined options. All involved create a community conversation to reduce poverty regionally.”

— Lynette Fields (Executive Director of Poverty Solutions Group)

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Circles USA Annual Impact Reports

®

“Welcome to the 2024 Impact Report reflecting the hard work of our national community of practice, now spanning 26 states and 73 communities. As we focused on growing into the Next Chapter of Circles, we reconfigured our national office; upgraded our website, curriculum, and resources for chapters; and strengthened our partnerships in the national anti-poverty arena. As our organization is maturing, we are ready to Move Beyond in 2025...but first, take some time to honor where we have been and all that has been accomplished in Circles in 2024.”

— Kamatara Johnson

(Circles USA Executive Director)

Circles reports chapter results at individual and community levels. Participants steadily grow skills and income, decrease dependence on public assistance, and expande resources and support networks. At the community and national levels, Circles USA connects diverse peoples across class lines and ideology, changes attitudes about poverty, and contributes to policy change.

Circles USA collects participants’ survey data prior to the start of the initiative, after training, and then every six months during the initiative. Longitudinal data is collected at 24, 36, and 48 months.

Case Studies

Denny, Justin, Brian Garvey, Lenie Nguyen, and Abia Sebaka. “Poverty Reduction and Determinants of Health.”

Journal of Poverty, January 13, 2024, 1–14.

Public health professional students at the University of Western Australia (UWA) Sebaka and Nguyen, along with UWA Associate Professor Denny, analyzed multiple years of Circles USA data and found significant income growth for participants. The UWA research team, along with Garvey (an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University), synthesized this data into a new resource for academic and independent sector workers in poverty alleviation.

Circles USA’s Cliff Effect Report for New Mexico First:

Policy Recommendations for Advocates, Leaders, and Stakeholders around the Cliff Effect

Circles USA has identified the cliff effect as the biggest barrier to families to getting out of poverty. The cliff effect occurs when working families lose public benefits faster than they can earn income to replace the lost resources. This report will examine the cliff effect felt by New Mexico families using three hypothetical cases. The cases are followed by recommendations for possible remediation to lessen the impact of the cliff effect. The data presented in this report is based upon the cliff effect estimating tool (CEPT) developed by Circles USA for New Mexico.

Office of Family Assistance Brief:

“Social Capital Initiatives

To Achieve Employment Goals”

In 2019, Circles USA was featured as an innovative strategy for TANF programs in a brief from the Administration For Children & Families’ Office of Family Assistance This brief was part of the Office of Family Assistance’s Emerging Practice Series, highlighting how TANF agencies and their partners are helping low-income individuals gain and sustain meaningful employment.

Cliff Effect Report Released in Michigan:
Policy Recommendations for Advocates, Leaders, and Stakeholders around the Cliff Effect

The report focuses on the Cliff Effect from Michigan’s Family Independence Program (FIP), Food Assistance Program (FAP), and Child Development and Care Program (CDC). Policy-level recommendations focus on bringing awareness to key stakeholders (public officials, community leaders, and Michigan employers) about the impact of the Cliff Effect on families seeking economic self-sufficiency, development of community assistance programs to help families avoid cliffs, and the development of employment training programs to help displaced workers in Michigan.

Carmen’s Story
(Circles Northwest Arkansas)

Carmen Gonzalez of Circles Northwest Arkansas spoke about how Circles helped her grow trust alongside ﬁnancial stability.

“Before Circles, I didn’t have a lot of faith in humanity. I didn’t believe in myself; I didn’t have people I could depend on locally. I joined Circles and met people who genuinely cared and wanted me to succeed in ways that no one has ever wanted for me before. That was life-changing for me and my family.”

Annual results show positive impact for local communities.

“In 2023, we strengthened our offerings and tools to support our chapters wherever they are in their journey, whether just launching, serving their first cohort of Circle Leaders, supporting multiple cohorts, or even expanding into multiple locations. So this has been a year of deepening and expanding Circles, not only in what we do as a successful anti-poverty initiative but in understanding who we are and what we really do. Circles USA is a teaching organization offering the model, the messaging, the coaching, and the support for the community of practice to do the work. 2023 has given us great clarity around what’s ours to do and what’s next for Circles USA.”

— Kamatara Johnson (Circles USA Executive Director)

Results are reported on the individual and community levels. Participants experience increased skills and income, decreased dependence on public assistance, and expanded resources and support networks. At the community level, Circles USA connects diverse people across class lines, changes attitudes about poverty, and contributes to policy change.

Circles USA collects survey data prior to the start of the initiative, after training, and then every six months during the initiative. Longitudinal data is collected at 24, 36, and 48 months.

Circles USA Leadership Team

Kamatara Johnson

Executive Director

(Albuquerque, NM)

Courtney Cowan

Information Systems
& Design Manager
(West Fork, AR)

Kris Alexander

Chief Learning Officer
(Asheville, NC)

Addie Hartnett

National Coach

(Orlando, FL)

Gena Atcher

Administrative Coordinator

(Rapid City, SD)

Regional Coaches

Michelle Crawford

West Regional Coach

(Salt Lake City, UT)

Helen Rai

Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach (Richmond, VA)

Cheryl Williams

Southeast Regional Coach (Columbus, GA)

Andrew Sprock

Midwest Regional Coach

(Marion, IN)

TJ Williams

Central Regional Coach (Fayetteville, AR)

Board of Directors

Joan Kuriansky

Board Chair and former

Executive Director of Wider Opportunities for Women

(Washington, DC)

Jennifer Pelling

Board Member & Director of Tsuha Foundation

(Austin, TX)

Jim Masters

Board Treasurer and President of Center for Community Futures (Berkeley, CA)

Jennifer Brown

Board Member & Program Outreach Coordinator for Heart Math Tutoring
(Charleston, SC)

Peyton McCoy

Board Member & Executive Director of 31st Cares, Inc. (Richmond, VA)

Van Green

Board Member, Director & Founder of "Universal Soldiers" Men's Group, and Collegiate Basketball Coach
(Sacramento, CA)

Board Advisory Council

Circles USA proudly launched a new Advisory Council in July 2022. This group, tasked with amplifying diverse participants’ voices to guide the national board’s decisions, has met eight times to date, addressing topics ranging from “What does success look like at Circles?” to mental health; building community across chapters; and long-term chapter sustainability. The inaugural Advisory Council consists of 10 people from 10 different chapters—rural, urban, and suburban; new chapters and veteran ones. As this Council cohort winds down, we are considering the best timing for the next cohort. We look forward to bringing together more fresh perspectives to serve this important role in the Circles family.

Consulting and Support Team

Amy Brooks, Content Writer & Editor (Minneapolis, MN)
Jeannie Chaffin, Poverty Alleviation Systems Consultant (Washington, DC)
Lynette Fields, Expansion Advisor, Director of Poverty Solutions Group (Orlando, FL)
Alexis Jorgensen, Assistant (Lowell, AR)
Jenny Lipfert, Graphic Designer (Cornish, NH)
Natalie Oh, Marketing and Communications Consultant (Boston, MA)
Lise Porter, Mental Health Specialist (Glendale, CA)
Sarah Thornburg, Poverty Alleviation Systems Liaison (Ypsilanti, MI)
Chris Tinney, Sales Ambassador (Las Vegas, NV)
Dr. Evie Trevino, Quantitative Psychologist and Consultant (Bixby, OK)

Founder

Scott Miller, Founder (Albuquerque, NM)

Since the late 1970s, Scott has initiated numerous projects in North America to help families and communities more effectively address poverty. He has spent decades developing tools and best practices for helping low income people navigate their way out of poverty for good. Scott is the author of several books about poverty reduction. Scott retired from Circles USA in 2021 and still serves as a consultant for select pilot sites working towards building a Poverty Alleviation System in their community.

Our Partners

The Circles model is unique because it easily integrates into existing support agencies. A Circles chapter can be launched by a range of organizations, including social service agencies, food banks, chambers of commerce, or houses of worship. The diverse nonprofit organizations, foundations, and corporations listed below have all been instrumental in launching and/or supporting Circles chapters across the country!

“Our group spoke to Circles USA personnel, leaders of Circles affiliates, and representatives of other kinds of self-sufficiency and community-building programs. The decision to choose the Circles model came down to this: Circles is an established program with a proven track record of success.”

Sarah Thornburg, former executive director
of Friends In Deed (Ypsilanti, MI)

The Big View:
Leading Systemic Change from Within

The Big View represents the broad, transformative nature of Circles USA’s approach to ending poverty. While many initiatives focus solely on either serving individuals or advancing policy reform, we recognize that radical poverty alleviation (that is, “getting at root causes” of economic instability) requires both personal initiative and widespread systemic change. This strategy, combined with our commitment to centering the agency and leadership of those closest to the challenge—our Circle Leaders—drives the change process that our chapters and national network need for long-term poverty eradication.

Our Dual Approach to Ending Poverty

At Circles, we have two primary goals: to help families get out of poverty and to remove the barriers that keep people in poverty. The Big View is the wing of Circles that prioritizes our systems change work to remove those barriers. Research consistently shows that poverty alleviation efforts are most effective when led by those with lived experience of economic challenges. We are committed to supporting and resourcing Circle Leaders as they drive systemic change, advancing poverty eradication goals on the local, regional, and national levels.

What is the Big View Policy Platform?

Originally authored by board member Joan Kuriansky, our policy platform is built to address the challenges faced by low-income, working individuals and families who are earning just enough to disqualify them from many public benefits yet far too little to meet their basic needs. People experiencing poverty are also least likely to engage in the democratic process and most likely to be marginalized by systemic oppression.

Increasing Economic Stability
Smoothing Benefit Cliffs
Building Social Capital
Increasing Health, Wellness, and Family Supports
Supporting Education and Workforce Development
Elevating Equity and Democracy

These families are navigating a precarious financial landscape in an uncoordinated and non-responsive system that discounts their voice and value; however, their success is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty in our communities.

Our approach blends individual empowerment with community-driven strategies, uniquely positioning us to advocate for systemic changes that create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

Full Policy Platform

Check out our Informational One-Pagers

Social Capital

Benefits Cliff

Increasing Economic Stability

Policies that support fair wages and benefits, affordable housing, food security, reliable public transportation, and affordable childcare are essential to create a foundation for economic stability.

Big View - Official Podcast Cover crop.png

Check out our Podcast:

The Big View: Ending Poverty in Your Community.
Helping you gain a deeper understanding of the experience of poverty and how to make a real difference in your community.

What is the Cliff Effect?

As part of our Big View Policy Platform, Circles USA specially assists local chapters in identifying, bridging, and eliminating the Cliff Effect. This phenomenon (also known as a “benefits cliff”) happens when a raise or other income gain triggers the loss of benefits worth more than the wage increase. Our multi-pronged approach supports workers facing the Cliff and offers alternatives to employers and policy makers hoping to mitigate its effects.

How is Circles USA resolving
the Cliff Effect?

For seven years, Circles USA has been conducting research and developing tools to better inform families and policy makers about this barrier that too often keeps people trapped in poverty.

Circles USA recently produced a policy platform that provides local, national, and federal recommendations for mitigating the Cliff Effect.

In previous years, Circles USA prototyped a planning tool to estimate the income levels that prompt the loss of benefits. Additionally, several states commissioned our researchers to make recommendations. For Michigan, Circles USA produced a field scan of solutions nationwide. For New Mexico, our report included case studies that point to ways to resolve the Cliff Effect. Several Circles chapters also piloted an online calculator developed by Leap Fund. This tool helps recipients of public benefits understand whether they will hit a cliff, when it will happen, and how long it will take them to recover.

More recently, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Community and Economic Development department created the three tools to uncover the barriers to, and opportunities for, improved economic mobility. These tools make the data easily accessible for community planning and decision-making. Circles chapters piloted these resources to better support those who are facing the benefits cliff.

Resources for Understanding and Addressing the Cliff Effect

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Three tools to uncover the barriers to, and opportunities for, improved economic mobility

Snapshot—Assists in understanding the potential short-term financial impact of a new job or income change.
Dashboard—Assists in long-term career planning and flags potential financial barriers to career advancement.
Planner—Assists in detailed career planning while creating a customized budget that helps users navigate potential financial barriers to career advancement.

Know Your Community’s Wages and Cost of Living

National Trends

For more information or to get involved, contact us.

Special thanks to the National Big View Team for working mindfully through the creation of this resource

Check out our
Cliff Effect Awareness One-Pager:

Visuals, examples, and practical solutions—all in one handy sheet!

See Our Most Recent Blog Post Below

The Learning Curve Chronicles: Tiny Privileges

I have been thinking a lot lately about a seemingly minor privilege that I have now, for the first time in my life: automatic bill pay. I know you may be thinking, “What? Kris, that is not a privilege, that is a convenience.” I beg to differ. When I was experiencing poverty as a single mom, all of the many financial literacy classes, blogs, and experts suggested turning on automatic bill pay so that you always paid bills first, and therefore “always had money to pay them.”

2 days ago

Celebrating International Youth Day with Circles Washtenaw County | Guest Blog

Greetings from Circles Washtenaw County in Ypsilanti, Michigan! I am Daishayanea Jackson, the Children’s Program Coordinator here in Washtenaw County. In celebration of International Youth Day on August 12th, I want to share pictures of my amazing kiddos and what we do in our program to support, encourage, and love them every Tuesday night. I have been in the Children’s Program Coordinator position for almost 2.5 years now. During my time here, I have revamped the way we do p

Aug 12

CUSA Salutes the Power of Intentional Friendships | International Friendship Day 2025

This International Friendship Day, Circles USA salutes the true backbone of our movement: the close-knit relationships of Circle Leaders and their Allies everywhere. The “dynamic duos” (and trios, and chapters!) of Circles, these members who form time-tested, intentional bonds have always driven our poverty alleviation work. Today we’re proud to showcase some All-Star friends who have come together to face tough obstacles, grow their social capital, and build community to end

Aug 3

Leadership Development Spotlight: Meet Cody Martensen of Circles Utah Valley

At Circles, we know that leadership is more than a natural talent or a paid professional role. It’s the cumulative process of weaving each setback and success we meet into a consistent, goal-focused practice that benefits the whole collective. The more deeply we root our identity in service to our families, chapters, and communities, the more we distinguish ourselves as leaders within these groups striving to move from surviving to thriving. Circles USA’s new Leadership Dev

Jul 17

The Learning Curve Chronicles: Introducing Camp Kaleidoscope

At Circles, we have two big goals: 1. To support individuals and families as they leave poverty behind for good. 2. To remove the systemic barriers that keep people stuck in poverty. Today, I want to tell you about a new initiative that beautifully supports both—especially the second goal of removing barriers. It’s called Camp Kaleidoscope, and it was created to break down the many obstacles that prevent Circles youth from experiencing something that should be a joyful part o

Jul 8

Bread for the World Advocacy Summit, Pt. 2: Partnerships and Coalition Building for Effective Change

Supported by the National Big View Team that has been meeting for over two years, I finally had the courage—and the right opportunity—to jump into the Big View myself at Bread for the World’s 2025 Advocacy Summit. Beyond engaging with my legislators, I connected with national advocates and leaders from my state of New Mexico. I was privileged to join folks from Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Las Cruces. I actually moved to Las Cruces, NM the week before the Summit, unpacked my b

Jun 30

Bread for the World Advocacy Summit, Pt. 1: Your Stories Matter…Even in DC

Last week, I ventured to Washington, DC to join our partner organization Bread for the World (BftW). It was a joy to help celebrate their 50th anniversary, as Circles USA has long stood as a peer advocate to end childhood hunger in the US and around the world. This convening also marked BftW’s 2025 Advocacy Summit, an occasion to support community leaders from all 50 states and Puerto Rico to connect with our leaders in the Congress and the Senate.

Jun 23

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