Thomasville selected for economic mobility cohort
The Economic Mobility and Opportunity Peer Learning Cohort and Grant Program from ICMA has selected fifteen cities, towns, and counties to receive a $20,000 grant each and participate in professional development and networking opportunities. This program aims to advance local assessments, planning processes, or programs to enhance upward mobility for residents.
The Gates Foundation's Economic Mobility and Opportunity (EMO) program has made this initiative possible. Economic mobility refers to individuals' and generations' ability to improve their economic standing over time, often described as "doing better than your parents." While income is a key factor, other influences also determine economic mobility outcomes. Local governments play a crucial role in shaping conditions that enable all residents and households to access opportunities and progress.
The following local governments were selected through a competitive application process based on their understanding of local needs and readiness to implement EMO strategies: - Thomasville, NC - Prescott Valley, AZ - Needles, CA - Redwood City, CA - Miami Gardens, FL - Newton, KS - Gaithersburg, MD - Lisbon, ME - Tunica County, MS - Washington County, OR - La Marque, TX - Denton, TX - Charlottesville, VA - Danville, VA - Eau Claire, WI In the coming months, with support from ICMA members, the selected local governments will engage in service gap assessments, community needs assessments, action planning, and pilot programs to address local challenges related to housing affordability, workforce development, household financial security, and the needs of vulnerable populations.
City Manager Michael Brandt expressed excitement about the opportunity to establish a "tool lending program" for the community. The program aims to facilitate property maintenance and improvement, thus stabilizing neighborhoods, by allowing residents to borrow tools from the City for repairs. ICMA will showcase the ongoing work and findings from these local governments and provide guidance from expert EMO practitioners and evidence-based tools and resources through additional programming and engagement opportunities in collaboration with the Gates Foundation.
