Wisconsin | Pop. 174,999 | 10 counties

Through participation in the EDA-funded Equitable Lending Leaders program, the commission staff sought to more deeply engage five Native American nations and two major universities to strengthen their region’s small business ecosystem. Viewing their Revolving Loan Fund as a public resource that needed to serve all areas and communities in the region, the loan fund team incorporated a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) section of their loan policies. This statement was tied to greater outreach efforts to reach different communities to diversify the applicant profile of their lending portfolio.

Explore how the City of Richmond has incorporated a Racial Equity and Environmental Justice priority in the City's RVA Green 2050 plan.

Virginia | Pop. 1,120,304 | 7 counties

To engage the community, the commission developed an Equitable Community Engagement Strategy, established an on-call bench of consultants to support the strategy and public outreach needs and created a role for a full-time Community Engagement Manager. Learn more here.

Vermont, | Pop. 178,922 | 4 counties

When compiling the 2022 CEDS for the West Central Vermont region, the commission worked closely with partners to host regional economic development workshops. Early in the process, one of these CEDS Workshops was cohosted with the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance. This workshop sought to inform leaders and partners across the region about the CEDS development and begin gathering feedback from stakeholders that would inform their SOAR analysis. Since this meeting, the commission has released two drafts of their CEDS for continued community feedback with multiple avenues for feedback virtually and in-person. Learn more here.

Vermont, | Pop. 178,922 | 4 counties

To raise awareness, the council publishes an annual report and online data scorecard on regional disparities, disaggregating key metrics of community well-being by race and geographies. Learn more here.

Vermont, | Pop. 178,922 | 4 counties

With the support of an external Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant, the council completed an equity assessment of the organization and led a CCRPC-sponsored Equity Summit. Learn more here.

In Austin, Texas, the city’s plan, launched in September 2021, includes 17 goals and 74 strategies available to view in a live progress tracker. In creating the plan, the city created a Community Climate Ambassador program for resident engagement and evaluated all of the strategies through an equity tool for greater accountability and impact.

Penn Hills Community Development Corporation in Pennsylvania secured funding to allow them to conduct a local community census. This census, branded as Penn Hills Rising, will include hiring local residents to conduct a door-to-door conversation, collaboration with 65 community-based organizations across 39 neighborhoods, and a wide range of neighborhood meetings.

Oregon | Pop. 654,831 | 4 counties

To address childcare gaps, the council leads the Foster Grandparents Program to link senior volunteers with youth needing additional mentoring and support. Volunteers serve as reading partners, homework tutors, and mentors. With funding from Americorps and the Early Learning Hub at Linn-Benton Community College, the program helps to advance equity by providing youth with the resources and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.

Oregon | Pop. 50,167 | 3 counties

In their 2020 CEDS update, as part of their goal to build the capacity of non-profits and local governments, NOEDD staff received certifications in storytelling for community development and collaborated with partner organizations to host a public storytelling event. These efforts coincided with a two‐part Journey to Equity workshop to support equityfocused efforts within local organizations and gatherings focused on organizations serving the local Latinx community.

Oregon/Washington | Pop. 87,288 | 4 counties

As the lead agency for the Gorge TransLink Alliance, the district convenes a bi-state partnership of five rural transportation providers for the Columbia River Gorge region. The GOrge Pass is an affordable integrated fare system that gives users unlimited rides for a year on all fixed-route transit services in the region. The pass program has enabled partnerships with human service organizations to provide free passes to individuals who qualify. A portion of each pass purchase is directed to the Gorge Equity Fund.

Oregon/Washington | Pop. 87,288 | 4 counties

MCEDD viewed the CEDS process as a method to “consider where there are gaps in economic opportunity, barriers to accessing this benefit that may vary by population or community, and ways to support improving outcomes.” To achieve this, staff held seven virtual public sessions and partnered with a local community-based organization to host focus groups with the region’s Native American and Latino/a/Hispanic communities. A summary of the CEDS in Spanish was also created. Learn more here.

Oregon/Washington | Pop. 87,288 | 4 counties

Working directly with a local non-profit, the organization conducted focus groups with underrepresented communities to get their feedback on the document/CEDS development. This resulted in better identification of local needs, including the need to translate select documentation into Spanish. Learn more here.

Oregon | Pop. 1,832,634 | 4 counties

In their 2022 CEDS, the EDD team built an interactive online matrix of their action plan, which included all the objectives, related outcomes, corresponding metrics, and leading organizations. These metrics include tracking program participants by race and metrics for participation in a regional equity summit.

In northeast Ohio, the Fund for Our Economic Future brings together philanthropic, civic, and community leaders to develop long-term, equitable economic solutions. In 2019, the Paradox Prize catalyzed a public competition to identify efficient, affordable, and accessible transportation solutions for the region. Winning ideas included workforce development partnerships, non-profit electric car-sharing services, and ondemand car-pooling options in rural areas.

Ohio | Pop. 164,317 | 8 counties

Through a detailed Diversity and Inclusion Work Plan and Diversity Statement, the council has emphasized its equity focus publicly. Building on this, the council partnered with YWCA Columbus for social and racial justice classes for employees, member organizations, and community partners. Learn more here.

North Dakota | Pop. 98,360 | 7 counties

The council developed a mission and inclusivity statement to align new programs with organizational goals. Learn more here.

North Carolina | Pop. 2,028,193 | 7 counties

Staff received equity training from external consultants, began a book club to read relevant works, and launched an internal task force. Beyond this, funds were allocated to dedicate 10% of one staff member’s time to DEI work, which included managing the relationship with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). Learn more here.

Massachusetts | Pop. 44,989 | 3 counties

The commission developed a procurement policy that ensures RFPs are intentionally sent to diverse suppliers and created a repository of workforce agencies that intentionally reach diverse candidates when advertising for staff members. Learn more here.

North Carolina | Pop. 434,748 | 4 counties

Crafted by the council, the Bridging the Digital Divide Digital Inclusion Plan is a comprehensive plan to increase and diversify broadband access in their region. To create the plan, the council enacted a formal process including a large regional forum, in-depth focus group meetings, and stakeholder engagement across the region. Results include the development of six laptop and hot spot lending pilots, the installation of free Wi-Fi in ten community centers, three downtown Wi-Fi access points, and providing devices to individuals pursuing education who are justice-involved or in recovery programs.