Brighter Futures Begin with HOPE.

HOPE Member Pulse Survey: Initial Insights

August 26th, 2025

The lived experiences of Hope members are vital to the advocacy efforts of the Hope Policy Institute. Earlier this year, we launched a member pulse survey to best gauge member experiences in the economy. The survey provides a snapshot of how members are navigating today’s economy, what challenges they’re facing, and where they see opportunities for stability and growth.

This post is part of our monthly Member Pulse blog series, which will highlight the experiences of our members alongside expert insights. Our aim is to better understand the financial realities of households and businesses across the Deep South, ensuring timely, on-the-ground perspectives.

The survey was initially launched in April and is administered to different, representative samples of our 40,000 members every month. Questions measure member’s confidence in economy, ability to saving for emergencies, reliance on credit or loans, and other questions related to business management, if applicable.

Key Findings

• Confidence in financial future affected.
  More than half of general members (53%) reported that current economic conditions have reduced their confidence in their financial future.
• Rising reliance on credit for basics.
  While 63% of consumer borrowers feel their ability to make loan payments has improved, nearly half (46%) report relying more heavily on credit or loans just to cover basic expenses.
• Businesses under strain.
  Almost half of business members (49%) experienced higher costs or uneven cash flow in the last three months. Many tapped into cash reserves (20%) or personal funds (18%) to stay afloat.
• Mortgage borrowers steady—for now.
  A quarter of mortgage borrowers (25%) already feel squeezed by rising property taxes, insurance, and living costs—warning signs of future strain if trends continue.

Confidence in the Future

General members and consumer loan borrowers expressed the greatest decline in confidence. In contrast, commercial and mortgage borrowers reported more resilience.

Chart 1: Member Confidence on Financial Future

Survey Question: “Current economic conditions have reduced my confidence in my financial future.”

Credit and Savings Struggles

Even among members not heavily reliant on credit, 39% of general members and 41% of consumer borrowers said they cannot save for emergencies or future goals—highlighting the fragility of financial security.

Chart 2: Member Reliance on Credit/Loans

Survey Question: “Economic conditions have forced me to rely more heavily on credit or loans for basic expenses.”

 

Small Business Challenges

Businesses have experienced significant financial challenges and have used cash reserved or personal funds to address the changes. HOPE’s business members cited inflation (28%), uneven cash flow (21%), and paying expenses (13%) as top challenges. In response, many turned to personal or reserve funds, obtained loans, or reduced staff and operations.

Businesses expressed the following challenges over the past 3 months:

• Increased cost of goods, services, and/or wages (inflation) (28%)
• Uneven cash flow (including collecting on receivables) (21%)
• Paying business expenses (e.g., payroll, rent, inventory costs) (13%)
• Weak sales (6%)
• Other (6%)
• Making payments on debt/ interest rates (4%)
• Credit availability (4%)
• Did not experience any financial challenges (4%)

 

In response to the aforementioned challenges, businesses:

• Used cashed reserves (20%)
• Used personal funds (18%)
• Obtained funds that must be repaid (16%)
• Cut staff, hours, and/or downsized operations (14%)
• Obtained funds that do not have to be repaid (12%)
• Raised prices (6%)
• Made a late payment or did not pay (6%)
• No action (4%)

Over the same time period, nearly a quarter (24%) experienced a decrease in employees.

• 56% of businesses experienced no change in workforce
• 8% experienced an increase in staff

Looking ahead, businesses expect inflation and cash flow issues to persist, though nearly half (48%) remain hopeful for increased sales in the next quarter.

Looking Forward

The Member Pulse Survey provides crucial, member-driven insights that help shape HOPE’s advocacy and program strategies. Each month, we’ll continue to track these trends, share member stories, and elevate the economic realities of communities across the Deep South.