Launching an Opportunity Zone for San Bernardino County
As part of California’s Inland Empire, a metropolitan region of more than 27,000 square miles and 4 million people, San Bernardino County is located in one of the fastest-growing regions in the state. To create high-quality jobs in key economic sectors, such as manufacturing, tourism, and technology, the Economic Development... Read more
Forging Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Community Economic Development
Wichita is working to bring economic opportunity to low-income and underdeveloped neighborhoods. Also located within a number of these neighborhoods are Opportunity Zones, designated disadvantaged areas that can potentially benefit from a federal tax incentive aimed at promoting economic development. To spark and sustain economic development in these areas, the... Read more
Designing Excellent Customer Service in Local Government
Leaders in Washington DC want to make local government more responsive to the needs of residents. To support this goal, the district enlisted FUSE executive fellow Hua Wang to help bolster accessibility, ease of use, and digital capabilities associated with the provision of public services. To determine how to prioritize... Read more
Building Inclusive Economic Development
As part of a plan to reduce racial disparities and promote economic opportunity for all communities, Oakland is working to revive the 7-mile International Boulevard corridor, which crosses through the city’s lowest-income neighborhoods and improves the economic conditions in far East Oakland. In light of the impact of COVID-19, Oakland... Read more
Forging Partnerships to Improve Economic Security
The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) is working to lift low-income residents by addressing poverty, homelessness, workforce, and small business development. To bolster this work and create new initiatives, LACDA established a Strategic Partnership Division. FUSE Executive Fellow Kishani De Silva helped establish the division, developing strategic partnerships and... Read more
Using Strategic Marketing to Bolster Social Services
The Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) has been working to extend the outreach and impact of its services, which include connecting individuals and employers, ensuring the well-being of older and dependent adults, improving human relations, and reducing hate crime. To advance these goals,... Read more
Applying Human-Centered Design to Improve Workforce Services
The Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) provides services to connect the most historically vulnerable populations in the County with high-quality jobs and careers. FUSE Executive Fellow Patrick Koppula applied a human-centered design approach to help WDACS integrate and deliver services at key moments... Read more
Building Infrastructure and Capacity for L.A.’s Next Wave of Tourism
In response to the more than 50 million visitors who arrive in Los Angeles each year, the city’s Department of Convention & Tourism Development (CTD) is working on a master plan for tourism. The first long-term strategic plan around tourism ever undertaken by the city, it addresses infrastructure, capacity, and... Read more
Developing Library Leadership to Strengthen Community Services
A significant number of the Los Angeles Public Library’s (LAPL’s) more than 1,500 employees are nearing retirement. To prepare for this eventuality, LAPL sought to create a development plan that would foster creative, forward-looking leaders who can leverage new capabilities and improve community responsiveness. To address these goals, FUSE Executive... Read more
Investing in Economic Inclusion to Unlock Broad-Based Growth
Racial and ethnic minorities comprise nearly 70 percent of Long Beach residents, and many of them are small business owners. Supporting these entrepreneurs is a critical part of the city’s 10-year economic plan. The Economic Development Department enlisted FUSE executive fellow Daniel Han to help connect minority and women entrepreneurs... Read more