CFLeads’ Economic Mobility Regional Convenings are in-person day-long gatherings hosted around the country in which community foundation staff delve deep into core economic mobility concepts and explore ways they can work with local decision-makers, such as residents and local government, to advance economic mobility.
About Convenings
These convenings come on the heels of a generous $4.8M grant awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in November 2023. The CFLeads Economic Mobility team has interviewed community foundations across the country to determine how we can best assist community foundations exploring and/or employing economic mobility strategies. Our goal, ultimately, is to foster improved, sustainable economic mobility for individuals and communities across the country. Regional convenings mark a pivotal moment in CFLeads’ vision and our collective journey towards achieving long-term economic prosperity for all.
Structure
The cost to attend an Economic Mobility Regional Convening is free for area community foundation staff members who are interested or already committed to working on economic mobility. CFLeads will provide a limited number of stipends to small and rural community foundations to help cover travel and lodging expenses.
Attendees can expect an intimate setting with around 20-30 participants from neighboring community foundations. The all-day events last from 8am – 6pm and include ample time for networking, peer learning, tool/resource sharing, and presentations from/conversations with issue area experts.
Desired Outcomes
The regional convenings provide participating community foundations opportunity to:
- Connect in person to share ideas and network with peers.
- Learn more about CFLeads and our service offerings.
- Deepen expertise of economic mobility.
- Increase awareness of latest tools to advance economic mobility work.
Attend a Convening
Regional convenings will take place across the United States through 2024 and are strategically located in:
- Syracuse, New York – April 2024
- State College, Pennsylvania – May 2024
- Wichita, Kansas – July 2024
- Southern region coming soon
- Western region coming soon
Community foundation staff are welcome to register for a convening in their region. View the CFLeads Calendar for upcoming events.
Current Content Partners
Participating community foundations will have the opportunity to explore using data tools and resources to further their economic mobility work with three priority public goods:
Urban Institute
Urban Institute’s Mobility Metrics Framework: This framework identifies key conditions within a community that have the power to propel people and families out of poverty and narrow racial inequities. The framework also provides a set of interrelated, evidence-based metrics that community foundations can use to establish priorities, mobilize action, and assess their progress toward cultivating conditions that support greater mobility from poverty.
Results for America
Results for America’s Economic Mobility Catalog: This resource contains summaries of over 50 high-level strategies and nearly 200 specific practices and programs that have demonstrated positive results in advancing economic mobility. For every strategy, practice, and program, the Catalog synthesizes the relevant research, identifies best practices in implementation, and aggregates additional resources for users interested in learning more.
Opportunity Insight
Opportunity Insight’s Opportunity Atlas: This resource is a comprehensive Census tract-level dataset of children’s outcomes in adulthood using data covering nearly the entire U.S. population. For each tract, the Atlas estimates children’s outcomes in adulthood such as earnings distributions and incarceration rates by parental income, race, and gender. These estimates allow users of the tool to trace the roots of outcomes such as poverty and incarceration to the neighborhoods in which children grew up.
Contact
If you have any questions about regional convenings or are interested in participating, please contact Leonard Brock at lbrock@cfleads.org or 617-226-9903.