Professor Sherraden is the founder and director of the School’s Center for Social Development. A widely sought after high-level collaborator and consultant, Dr. Sherraden’s work takes him across the country and around the world. His work has received widespread recognition for its impact on public policy. He is the creator of the widely-praised Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), a matched savings program designed to help working poor people save money and accumulate assets. IDAs have been adopted in federal legislation and in more than 40 states.

Dr. Sherraden's work on assets has also influenced policy development in the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Canada and other countries around the world. He is also engaged in research and policy on civic engagement and productive aging.

Dr. Sherraden has served as an adviser and consultant to the White House, Department of Treasury Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Health and Human Services, Carnegie Council and many other organizations. His work has been funded by many foundations and government agencies, including the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, German Marshall Fund of the United States, and the National Science Foundation.