Catalyzing Economic Opportunity in Complex Housing Benefits Landscapes
Fresno Housing and FUSE are integrating financial empowerment and workforce pathways into resident services, enabling families to build stability without losing vital support. Navigating public benefits while pursuing higher wages or education can be complicated for households working to improve their financial footing. Residents often require coordinated guidance, practical tools,... Read more
Launching an Opportunity Zone in Fresno
Fresno, located in California’s Central Valley, has made progress in its efforts to end systemic inequities and expand economic opportunities. But city leaders know they must continue to address the persistent economic challenges — exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic — faced by residents in marginalized communities. To this end, FUSE... Read more
Catalyzing Public-Private Financing for Economic Development
Entrepreneurs in Fresno are pioneering innovations in water conservation, greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy production and food processing. Despite these important innovations, businesses in Fresno struggle to attract the kinds of capital investments that are more prevalent in Silicon Valley. As a result, there are several projects with high potential... Read more
Preparing Students for College and Career Success
Nearly 90% of students in the Fresno Unified School District live below the federal poverty line. FUSE Fellow Wendy McCulley worked to align the District and higher education stakeholders specifically around career technical education to increase secondary and post-secondary opportunities for students. Wendy’s work continuously explored ways in which student... Read more