Mathieu Despard is a Senior Researcher with the Center for Social Development and Clinical Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. From 2021 to 2023, Despard served on the Academic Research Council for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has been engaged in research at CSD and Washington University since 2006. An expert on the intersection of employment and financial health, financial technology, social welfare and tax policy, and household financial well-being among low- and moderate-income households, he has taught graduate courses in social work (MSW and PhD) for 17 years. Prior to his academic career, he worked for 16 years primarily with nonprofit organizations serving low- and moderate-income households. Despard is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his MSW and his PhD degrees.
The latest from Mathieu
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Report #676 |Employer-Sponsored Small-Dollar Loans
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Mathieu Despard, PhD, MSW
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Melissa K. Wrapp, PhD
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Anna Bruzgulis
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Caroline Vahrenkamp
Employer-Sponsored Small-Dollar Loan (ESSDL) programs empower credit unions and other FIs to collaborate with employers to help employees meet their financial needs. ESSDL programs provide an alternative to high-cost borrowing options, while potentially building employees’ credit or helping them start saving. This report examines the current landscape of ESSDL programs from credit union, employer, and borrower perspectives, with important lessons learned and best practices for implementation. -
Mathieu Despard, PhD, MSW
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Report #667 | | MembersWhat Improves Employee Well-Being?
As employees face rising stress, financial pressure, burnout, and disengagement, credit unions are being challenged to create workplaces that support people both at work and in life. Strengthening employee well-being can improve retention, engagement, productivity, and the ability of employees to serve members effectively. This report highlights where employees are struggling most and outlines practical strategies credit unions can use to build healthier, more supportive workplaces. -
Blog |Measuring the Financial Well-Being of Credit Union Members
Measuring financial well-being means looking beyond the numbers. By blending transaction and credit data with member surveys, credit unions can capture both the facts and the feelings behind financial health. This blog shares practical ways credit unions can measure how their products, services, and interventions drive real financial well-being for members. -
Blog |Financial Well-Being Has Objective and Subjective Dimensions
Financial well-being encompasses both objective financial circumstances and subjective perceptions of financial security and control. It’s the peace of mind that comes from feeling secure, prepared, and in control—no matter what life brings. Credit unions play a vital role in this journey, helping members turn financial stress into confidence and build a foundation for lasting well-being.