For immediate release: May 6, 2021
The Rework America Alliance
, with which the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is a partner organization, announces the first regions where it will collaborate with local community-based organizations to deploy resources to help job seekers connect to good jobs.
The Alliance—a coalition of civil rights groups, nonprofits, private sector employers, labor unions, and educators—is opening opportunities for millions of unemployed people and low-wage workers to move into better-paying, more secure jobs, particularly people of color who have been disproportionately affected by the current economic crisis, as well as those who have acquired skills through experience but do not have a bachelor's degree. The initial regions and local organizations that will lead efforts in each region are:
- Atlanta, Ga.—Goodwill of North Georgia
- Austin, Tex.—Austin Area Urban League
- Denver, Colo.—Mi Casa Resource Center, a UnidosUS affiliate
- Finger Lakes region, N.Y.—Pathstone, in partnership with Rural LISC
- Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.—Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota and Urban League Twin Cities
- Indiana and Colorado (The Markle Foundation will expand its relationships in these states by providing the full suite of Rework America Alliance capabilities and partners, building on previous successful collaborations in both states.)
"These community partners bring exemplary leadership and innovative ideas to the Alliance. The Atlanta Fed is excited to contribute to finding real-world solutions to current labor market challenges," said Stuart Andreason, Atlanta Fed assistant vice president and director of the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity. "Though economic conditions are improving, we still see a 'less-than' recovery where many lower-wage workers and workers of color remain distressed. Efforts like the Rework America Alliance and the dedication of local organizations, like our hometown partners, can help make this a truly equitable recovery."
In these regions, the Alliance will work closely with community-based organizations that serve workers so they can help job seekers identify the good jobs that are in demand; transfer the skills they already have to new jobs; and find effective, affordable training, if needed, for those jobs. The Alliance is also working to secure commitments from employers to hire talented workers with nontraditional education and experience. Training and resources will be provided to employers to drive the adoption of inclusive sourcing and talent management practices that focus on skills rather than degrees and remove bias in hiring. This initial deployment will be scaled nationally by worker-serving partners through their extensive national networks in communities.
This work will draw on the knowledge and resources of more than 30 organizations, bringing additional data, networks, commitments, tools, and technical support from this wider group of Alliance partners. These partners include the Markle Foundation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the National Urban League and McKinsey & Company, along with the AFL-CIO, CVS Health, Goodwill Industries International, Google, IBM, Microsoft, North America's Building Trades Unions, Rural LISC, UnidosUS, Workday, Zurich North America and other leading businesses and organizations.
"Working with local organizations is key to connecting people to good jobs," said Zoë Baird, chief executive officer and president, Markle Foundation. "They understand the needs of their communities and have established trusted relationships within those communities that allow them to deliver support and guidance to those who need it most. They also have connections with employers, local governments, and other nonprofits to help drive change across the labor market, with the backing of national bodies that can share this work more broadly in the future."
"As we begin the work of rebuilding a post-pandemic economy that is diverse, equitable and inclusive, coalitions like the Rework America Alliance are essential," said Marc H. Morial, president and chief executive officer, National Urban League. "By creating economic opportunity in the communities hardest hit by the pandemic, we enhance the resiliency of the nation as a whole."
The selection process for identifying this initial set of regions and partners considered several factors including the underlying economic landscape in these locations and the organizations' commitment to creating a model to allow them to scale this work across their organizations nationally. The regions and partners selected reflect the first phase of deployment, with additional locations to be announced later in the year.