Fall 2025: Advancing Economic Opportunity through Place-Based Resilience Strategies
Austin, Texas is working to implement economic resilience strategies that address longstanding disparities in access to opportunity and small business support across its communities. The FUSE Executive Fellow will help the city pilot and scale these strategies by coordinating cross-sector efforts and developing tools for long-term implementation. Ultimately, this will... Read more
Fall 2025: Advancing Economic Mobility Through Housing Access
Austin, Texas is working to improve how its housing programs advance economic mobility and expand access to long-term financial opportunity for all residents. The FUSE Executive Fellow will develop data-driven strategies to evaluate program effectiveness, strengthen housing initiatives, and explore sustainable financing models to support first-time homebuyers and income-restricted renters.... Read more
Fall 2025: Expanding Access to Capital for Small Businesses
The City of Baltimore is working to expand access to capital for small businesses, with a focus on historically underserved communities, to address longstanding funding challenges and promote sustainable economic growth. The FUSE Executive Fellow will develop strategic recommendations to improve financial accessibility, strengthen partnerships with lenders, and design innovative... Read more
Fall 2025: Catalyzing Economic Mobility through Quality, Affordable, Accessible Child Care
The City of Birmingham aims to catalyze economic mobility for underserved communities by scaling quality, affordable, and accessible child care. The City is pursuing an innovative ecosystem approach that unites families, workers, childcare entrepreneurs, government, and businesses across the region. The FUSE Executive Fellow will implement critical components of the... Read more
Fall 2025: Aligning Philanthropic Engagement for Community Development
Kansas City, MO, is working to strengthen its philanthropic engagement strategy to better align long-term investments with key municipal priorities. The FUSE Executive Fellow will develop a comprehensive engagement plan, build cross-sector partnerships, and create investment briefs for high-impact city initiatives such as housing access, workforce development, and neighborhood revitalization.... Read more
Fall 2025: Scaling City-Affiliated Nonprofit for NYC Small Business Growth
New York City is working to expand the capacity of the New York Business Assistance Corporation (NYBAC), an affiliated nonprofit of their Department of Small Business Services (SBS) division that supports small business and workforce development through philanthropic partnerships. The FUSE Executive Fellow will develop a strategic plan, revise the... Read more
Fall 2025: Expanding Affordable Housing Supply for First-Time Homebuyers
The City of Philadelphia is working to expand comprehensive first-time homeownership opportunities and increase housing supply through multiple innovative housing programs, such as the Turn the Key Neighborhoods Program, which transforms vacant, city-owned lots into affordable homes. The FUSE Executive Fellow will work with a team of content experts to... Read more
Empowering Atlanta’s Housing Future
Atlanta faces significant housing challenges that disproportionately impact underserved communities, particularly communities of color. Rising housing costs and limited access to financial resources have created barriers to homeownership, with Black families experiencing a 50% lower homeownership rate compared to white families due to historical lending practices and lack of targeted... Read more
Empowering Small Developers and Driving Entrepreneurship
The Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government (LMG) is addressing economic inequality through a targeted approach to foster entrepreneurship and real estate development within underserved communities. FUSE Executive Fellow Johnetta Roberts will lead a comprehensive assessment of the small developer landscape in Louisville, conducting listening sessions with stakeholders across local government, nonprofits,... Read more
Pursuing Restorative Justice through Housing
Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Housing is working to close the wealth gap through multiple strategies, including creating and preserving affordable housing, supporting homeowners and renters, providing housing services to homeless individuals, and developing city-owned property. The City has adopted several approaches to help low and moderate-income families become homeowners, including... Read more