Fund for Our Economic Future, Cuyahoga County Partner on Efforts to Improve Job Access
CLEVELAND–June 24, 2019–The Fund for Our Economic Future (Fund) and Cuyahoga County announced today a number of initiatives they are jointly advancing to improve residents’ access to jobs.
As a member of the Fund, a philanthropic collaborative focused on improving economic growth and increasing access to opportunity for all people of Northeast Ohio, the County has been championing the job creation, job preparation and job access priorities laid out in The Two Tomorrows report, published by the Fund in February 2018.
Recently, the County has been amplifying its focus on job access priorities, in particular, recognizing the importance of bringing more jobs to where people live and helping people connect to where jobs are today. County Executive Armond Budish announced in his State of the County address that he will differentiate incentives toward development deals that favor transit-connected job hubs, or areas of concentrated economic activity. The County also has joined with the Fund and other partners to support The Paradox Prize, an upcoming $1 million public challenge to encourage innovations that can lead to improved worker mobility.
Additionally, the County is working alongside the Fund and other partners in the Opportunity CLE initiative, which seeks to promote positive outcomes for residents in federally-designated Opportunity Zones. Other Opportunity CLE partners include the city of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland Development Advisors, and Cuyahoga County Land Bank.
To deepen the alignment and capitalize on the County’s expertise, Fund members elected the County’s Chief Economic Development and Business Officer Theodore Carter as Job Access Initiative Leader earlier this year. In this role, he will work with fellow Fund members to shape and guide job access strategies.
“I am pleased to assume this important regional leadership role, working with the Fund on an issue that is central to one of County Executive Budish’s core commitments,” Carter said. “Transit and mobility are integral to economic development and job growth.”
President Brad Whitehead added: “Ted is a natural fit to be leading this work for our Fund because he and the County have made job access a real priority.”
About the Fund for Our Economic Future
The Fund for Our Economic Future is an alliance of foundations, corporations, universities, business and civic associations, and government entities that pool their resources, networks and know-how to advance economic growth and increased access to opportunity for the people of Northeast Ohio through improved job creation, job preparation and job access. More on this collaborative and its work can be found here.
Media Contact
Sara McCarthy
Director of Communications
Fund for Our Economic Future
216.456.9806
