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Workforce

FUSE supports economic development agencies in creating living wage opportunities, aligning workforce training with industry needs, preparing for future workplace challenges, and fostering inclusive economic growth for diverse communities.
Business Intelligence for Sustainable Community Revitalization
In response to the pervasive issues of blighted properties affecting neighborhoods and economies, the City of Cleveland is embarking on a transformative initiative. With 30% of the city’s land in public hands, the aim is to convert vacant brownfields into accessible jobs, capitalizing on Cleveland’s industrial heritage. FUSE Executive Fellow... Read more
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Workforce Development for Climate Action
The Salt Lake City, UT, community is working to implement a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to address the negative impacts of rapidly changing climate conditions. One of their goals is to assess workforce-related challenges and opportunities in key climate-related sectors and identify potential solutions and partners. To accomplish this,... Read more
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Green Workforce Development to Expand Economic Opportunities
The Cincinnati/Hamilton County community has identified a pressing need for transitioning to a sustainable, green economy, specifically creating quality green jobs. This was a significant finding during the community engagement process of the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan. The project aims to support low-income communities by creating training programs, career development... Read more
Improving the Cleanliness, Health and Employment Outcomes for Underserved Neighborhoods
The City of Baltimore recognizes the unique opportunity to address longstanding health inequities in a way that simultaneously creates wealth-building opportunities for its residents. As part of Mayor Scott’s agenda and the City’s strategic investment of federal relief funds, Baltimore is launching innovative programs that create employment pathways while improving... Read more
Designing Small Business Supports to Strengthen Fort Worth’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Small businesses and entrepreneurs, who comprise the heart of the American economy, continue to face challenges arising from the pandemic – predominantly minority-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs of color. Small businesses owned by people of color already face systemic barriers to accessing financing and business resources and are more likely... Read more
Ensuring Equitable Access to Career Development through the West San Jose Innovation Zone
The City of San Jose is known as the Capital of Silicon Valley. With a population of just over 1 million, it is the third largest city in California. Given the region’s proximity to cutting-edge technology companies, there is immense potential to offer residents greater exposure to new education and... Read more
Creating Equitable Pathways to Quality Jobs in Furtherance of L.A.’s Green New Deal
The City of Los Angeles knows that taking immediate action to sustain clean air, water and healthy living conditions is a moral imperative. Building on its initial Sustainable City Plan (2015), the City’s Paris-compatible Green New Deal (2019) laid out ambitious targets to directly address issues ranging from inequitable access... Read more
Increasing Equitable and Affordable Access to Transportation in King County
King County Metro is the largest public transportation agency in the Puget Sound region, delivering more than 130 million rides per year. In 2020, King County was the first in the nation to be impacted by Covid-19, with Metro ridership dropping to 90% below pre-pandemic levels. However, even at the... Read more
Building a Competitive Workforce for a Post-Covid DC
COVID-19 has greatly disrupted the regional economy in Washington D.C., leaving thousands of residents unemployed and forcing many businesses to close or dramatically shift their operations. About 150,000 people have lost jobs in the hard-hit hospitality and leisure industries, creating a critical need for residents to be retrained for jobs... Read more
Building an Inclusive and Resilient Economy by Supporting LA’s Minority & Women-Owned Small Businesses
Small businesses play a critical role in the US economy as employers, sources of innovation, and community centers. But small businesses, particularly those owned by women and people of color, have been uniquely vulnerable to the economic fallouts of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, Los Angeles has been a hotspot... Read more