fund for our economic future Archives

Short-staffed: Employers must adapt to worker sentiment post-COVID-19

By Douglas J. Guth ● Economy ● December 1, 2022 November 30, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many people to rethink their priorities, their work environments, and career choices. As more workers head toward gig work and freelance work-from-home jobs, Northeast Ohio employers are looking for new ways to attract and retain workers in a dwindling workforce.

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How are companies succeeding at diversity and inclusion? It starts with introspection and reflection

By Mandy Kraynak ● Economy ● November 3, 2022 November 2, 2022

The median income for white residents in the Cleveland area is more than twice that of Black residents. White workers are disproportionately represented in higher-wage occupations, while Black worker are disproportionately represented in lower-wage jobs. Some Northeast Ohio companies are taking steps to close the gaps.

Stuck in Cleveland: riders struggle to use public transit to get to work

By Conor Morris ● Transportation ● June 9, 2022 June 24, 2022

The recent route redesign of public transit routes did improve some riders’ ability to get to their jobs, but transit advocates like Marvetta Rutherford, who has had to walk an extra 30 minutes after a bus ride to get to work, say more needs to be done.

Mayor Justin Bibb’s top hires so far have a wide range of backgrounds

By Grant Segall ● Civic Engagement ● January 10, 2022 July 6, 2022

The leaders like to say they’re “E and E,” which means “emerging and experienced.” They vary not just in age and other demographics but in their careers, which span governments, businesses, universities, and philanthropies.

Church van program gives workers a lift out of poverty

By Lee Chilcote ● Economy ● August 4, 2021 May 19, 2022

There were more than 8,000 open manufacturing jobs in Northeast Ohio last year, according to the nonprofit organization MAGNET. One of the more intractable problems facing manufacturers is the mismatch between the location of jobs and where entry-level workers live. Many low-income and Black workers live in Cleveland and don’t own cars, but many jobs are in the suburbs, far from public transportation. The church van program aims to bridge that gap.

Cleveland hoping to make waves in clean water tech industry

By Marc Lefkowitz ● Economy ● May 17, 2021 May 27, 2022

A group of industry leaders are flipping the script on Cleveland’s cliched “burning river” and “mistake on the lake” narratives. They’re angling to make Cleveland the capital of clean water, the place where the worst water pollution problems facing the country are solved.

UBIZ Venture Capital program assists minority-owned small biz

By Maria McGinnis ● Development ● February 23, 2021 May 27, 2022

Organizations across Northeast Ohio have come together to provide financial support to UBIZ Venture Capital, an Urban League of Greater Cleveland affiliate that focuses on pre-loan technical assistance and providing growth capital to minority-owned small businesses.