In the recent election, economic issues were front and center for most voters, including cost of living, inflation, interest rates, job security, housing affordability, and wage inequality. GARE recognizes that these economic issues are not separate from racial challenges but are deeply intertwined. Addressing them together is essential to dismantling structural racism and creating more just economic systems. This is a critical moment for building coalitions to create economic systems that work for everyone, regardless of background or zip code.
To advance GARE’s vision of a vibrant multiracial democracy, where institutions collaborate across sectors and disciplines to address complex social issues, GARE has been meeting with key partners including the National League of Cities (NLC), the National Association of Counties (NACo), the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, and Community Foundations Leading Change (CFLeads) in an Economic Mobility Community of Practice. With support from the Gates Foundation, we are addressing economic mobility issues in the United States through collaborations around network strengthening and sharing tools recently developed by the Urban Institute, Results for America, and Opportunity Insights.
Through this Community of Practice, we are expanding the reach and impact of policies and approaches that prioritize racial equity and economic mobility, creating better outcomes for our communities. In these efforts, local governments can effectively address racial disparities and expand economic opportunities, fostering more equitable and prosperous communities where advancement is accessible to everyone, regardless of racial background. We know that aligning economic mobility with racial equity goals fosters resilient economies that can better withstand economic challenges and support sustainable growth.
Building on this work, GARE featured the Urban Institute during the GARE Membership Meeting at Facing Race as a session in the meeting's Economic Justice and Racial Wealth Equity track. On November 20th, the Urban Institute team presented "There’s No Upward Mobility Without Racial Equity: Tools and Processes for Making Structural Progress," which highlighted the Upward Mobility Framework. Attendees left the session with actionable tools and strategies for addressing structural issues that impact economic and social success.
In 2025, GARE are launching our Economic Mobility Action Cohort in partnership with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Insights from this cohort will help us develop and refine regional and local strategies to advance economic opportunity and mobility in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region and throughout the GARE network.
GARE is committed to addressing the issues that matter most to our communities and to closing persistent, inequitable gaps in economic mobility and quality of life. To learn more about GARE’s Economic Mobility work, visit our Topic Guide.