Building Strategic Partnerships to Expand Career and Education Opportunities
Young people in Fresno face daunting challenges as they pursue their goals in school and life. There is growing evidence that local high school graduates struggle to attend college or pursue living-wage jobs. With this context in mind, Fresno Unified School District launched a strategic plan that reinforces its commitment... 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