SPOTLIGHT ON: 

The Achievement of Economic Inclusion

Addressing inequities to promote economic advancement for all 

by Scott Hebert, Principal Associate, Community Science

In many urban and rural communities in the United States, patterns of long-term disinvestment and persistent racial and economic segregation have been major contributing factors resulting in areas of concentrated poverty. As a consequence of a variety of structural and systemic problems, residents in these disadvantaged communities are isolated from economic opportunities in the broader city or region.

These neighborhoods often lack access to essential services and amenities, such as effective schools and training programs, reliable transportation, non-predatory financial services, quality child care and health services, and fresh, affordable food outlets.

In part reflecting the limited educational resources available to them, many working-age residents in these communities have low educational attainment and few marketable skills. These characteristics, plus the lack of supportive services, contribute to the difficulties that these individuals face in securing and maintaining employment that can lead to family economic security. In addition, many of the businesses operating in these neighborhoods are undercapitalized, negatively affecting the range and quality of goods and services they can offer, and their potential for growth and job creation.

"Economic inclusion" strategies seek to address the underlying structural issues and practices, including discrimination, that serve as barriers to economic opportunity and improved quality of life for the residents of these disadvantaged communities.

The economic inclusion strategies aim to enhance the skills and employment connections of residents, and their opportunities to pursue careers in jobs that offer family-supporting wages and benefits. Through these improved employment opportunities, the strategies foster economic mobility for these individuals and their families, and improvements in the households' financial security and resilience. The strategies also strive to expand opportunities for business development and expansion, and to increase the economic vigor of these neighborhoods and their ability to attract investment. In the process, the strategies seek to enlarge the array of goods, services, and amenities that are available to those that live or work in or visit these communities.

Launched in January 2011, the Baltimore Integration Partnership (BIP) is one example of an initiative focusing on economic inclusion.

Economic inclusion efforts are about fostering greater social justice and equity. But they are also about promoting the health of the local economy, the strength of the institutional sector, and the vitality of the larger city or region. Through fostering a more productive workforce, getting more residents engaged in the economic mainstream, and improving the conditions and appeal of previously distressed neighborhoods, the broader community benefits.

BIP is one of five sites (the others are Cleveland, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, and Newark) funded under The Integration Initiative (TII) of Living Cities. Living Cities is an innovative collaborative of 22 of the world's largest foundations and financial institutions. Its members have collectively invested nearly $1 billion over the last 20 years in helping to shape federal funding programs, redirect public and private resources to more effective uses, and assist communities to build homes, stores, schools, community facilities and more. Community Science is conducting a developmental evaluation of BIP (see New Client Profile section on right).

The BIP effort in Baltimore represents a partnership among a broad array of key leaders and institutions across multiple levels of government and the philanthropic, private for-profit, and nonprofit sectors. To achieve its overall goals, BIP's partners are pursuing strategies that are intended to:

• Use capital and leverage infrastructure investments to harness the power of markets to create greater opportunities and assets for low-income people and places.
• Address racial inequities and policies that create structural barriers to opportunity for city residents;
• Support the public, private, and philanthropic leaders in breaking through critical impasses and in rejecting unproductive practices that have long limited opportunity; and
• Move systems to a "new normal" that redirects resources away from failed approaches to problems and instead institutionalizes more effective models of funding, operations, and practices. 

Kurt Sommer, the Director of the Baltimore Integration Partnership, describes the scope of the BIP effort:

"To move Baltimore forward, the initiative's agenda is multi-dimensional. BIP is working to create stronger links and approaches between workforce, capital investments, and a subset of the city's large employers. But the solution also requires investments in workforce training, as well as better access through improved transit to the rich employment centers in the Baltimore suburbs and in the growing District of Columbia metro area."

Two particular economic inclusion emphases of the BIP effort over the past year involve engaging major "anchor" institutions, and creating employment and business opportunities for local residents and firms as part of development projects occurring in the initiative's target neighborhoods... READ MORE (Continue reading at community science.com)

MEET COMMUNITY SCIENCE:

Principal Associate Scott Hebert

We're proud to introduce Scott Hebert as a new Principal Associate. He came to Community Science from Sustained Impact, where he was an Independent Consultant and, previously, 15 years of work at Abt Associates. 

Scott's professional work has focused on evaluation, technical assistance and knowledge-building, concentrating particularly on comprehensive community change (CCI), workforce development, and economic development initiatives. He has conducted a wide range of evaluations using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods. Scott served as Co-Principal Investigator for both the national evaluation of the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZEC) Program for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the evaluation of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Jobs Initiative. 

In addition to his extensive evaluation and technical assistance work, Scott has more than a dozen years of experience in the design and implementation of community revitalization programs, including serving as the Director of the Massachusetts Small Cities CDBG program, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Operations at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Communities and Development.

With over eight years of experience combining research and practice to develop impactful community development programs and policies, Angel Coleman is a new addition to the Community Science team.

Angel's area of interest is in long-term, comprehensive approaches that invest in human capital, strengthen communities and improve systems for lasting change.  To that end, she has worked with community residents, small businesses, elected officials, and the media to advance strategies and policies that lead to greater impacts for the people and places that are typically underserved and underrepresented at the political and economic decision-making table.

Ms. Coleman received her BS, in Political Science from Eastern Michigan University, a MS in Urban Studies from Temple University, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leasdership from Bryn Mawr College.

Prior to joining Community Science, Angel worked on a team that conducted research and developed recommendations to support governors and other state leaders working to improve conditions in urban areas.  She also provided research, policy analysis, and recommendations for groups across the United States advocating for local and state policies to facilitate economic development. Angel has also been an effective community organizer, adept at understanding community needs and designing responsive programs and policies at the neighborhood, city and state levels.

Community Science Staff Presentations:

June/July 2012

The IVth Annual International Conference of Community Psychology: David Chavis and Kien Lee will be conducting a "Strengthening Communities" workshop and presenting at a symposium called Empowerment and Human Development of Times of Crisis and Abundance. June 21-23, 2012 Facultat de Psicologia, Campus Mundet Barcelona, Spain.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) Community of Practice on Place-based Evaluation convening on July 19-20, Washington, DC: Scott Hebert will be reporting on Mapping Funder Indicators for Place-based Initiatives and David Chavis will be presenting on Measuring Progress Toward Scale and Sustainability.

Keynote Speaker, "Exploring Capacity Building for Community Change," The Community Change Network Workshop, July 22, 2012, Cincinnati, OH:  David Chavis will deliver the keynote address at this critical think tank discussion around community change, including how to measure and grow community capacity for change. Part of the larger Annual International Community Development Society Conference. Click here for more information.   

What We're Reading:

NEW CLIENT:  

Providing Developmental Evaluation Services to the Baltimore Integration Partnership (BIP)

Community Science is proud to be assisting BIP with developmental evaluation services that document the initiative's progress and achievements, provide formative feedback, and offer guidance on relevant best practices.

 

Click here for more information.

 

Join Us!

If you are a motivated, conscientious professional who can help us take the practice of social change through science and capacity building to a higher level, Community Science wants to hear from you.

In fact, Community Science is currently recruiting for the following positions:

• Associate in Research & Capacity Building (Washington, DC)
• Managing Associate in Research & Capacity Building (Jackson, MS area)

To learn more about each position, or apply now, visit the Community Science CAREERS page.