A study by the Economic Policy Institute released in July 2012 highlighted what St. Paul policymakers already knew too well: the region faced a massive racial disparity in unemployment rates. Approximately five percent of white residents in the metropolitan region were unemployed, versus a staggering 18 percent of black residents. In order for St. Paul and all of its residents to truly thrive in the years to come, a radical intervention was required. Read More

In order to maximize community investment, anchor strategies require an all-hands-on-deck approach from the entire business community. In Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is leading the way. Read More

A growing number of cities are rethinking how to shape public procurement to allow for more innovation. Read More

This What Works for Cities case study profiles Philadelphia’s FastFWD project, a two-year pilot that challenged the city’s procurement process and created a new mechanism for entrepreneurs to test their innovative solutions to the community’s most pressing social challenges Read More

Talk to enough business owners and you’ll find that there’s no singular recipe for success. Read More