{"id":291048,"date":"2026-08-03T17:10:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T21:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/?p=291048"},"modified":"2026-08-04T11:35:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T15:35:08","slug":"nashville-summit-series-brief-5-barriers-solutions-for-workforce-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/nashville-summit-series-brief-5-barriers-solutions-for-workforce-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Nashville Summit Series &#8211; Brief 5: Barriers &#038; Solutions for Workforce Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"291048\" class=\"elementor elementor-291048\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6057fdc e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6057fdc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-734c43a elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-carousel\" data-id=\"734c43a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;carousel_items&quot;:[{&quot;slide_title&quot;:&quot;Slide #2&quot;,&quot;_id&quot;:&quot;48d1f94&quot;}],&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;slides_to_scroll&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;image_spacing_custom&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:0,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;slides_to_show_tablet&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:8000,&quot;speed&quot;:2000,&quot;slides_to_show_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;offset_sides&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;image_spacing_custom_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;image_spacing_custom_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-carousel swiper\" role=\"region\" aria-roledescription=\"carousel\" aria-label=\"Mortgage Carousel v1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" data-slide=\"1\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b8f28d8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b8f28d8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f8ad9fc e-con-full e-flex elementor-invisible e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f8ad9fc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInRight&quot;,&quot;animation_delay&quot;:750}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-76793c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"76793c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>BRIEF 5:<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-66f5cb6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"66f5cb6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Nashville Summit Report Series:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ac79f86 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ac79f86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>August 2026<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9e36082 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9e36082\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Barriers &amp; Solutions for Workforce Development<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d09b7b0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d09b7b0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60d1db5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"60d1db5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/nashville-summit-series\">Summit Report Series Home<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4e2f897 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4e2f897\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_image&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;_id&quot;:&quot;63680be&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_image_tablet&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;jet_parallax_layout_image_mobile&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;jet_parallax_layout_speed&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;%&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:50,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;jet_parallax_layout_type&quot;:&quot;scroll&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_direction&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_fx_direction&quot;:null,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_z_index&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_x&quot;:50,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_x_tablet&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_x_mobile&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_y&quot;:50,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_y_tablet&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_y_mobile&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_size&quot;:&quot;auto&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_size_tablet&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_size_mobile&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_animation_prop&quot;:&quot;transform&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;]}]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8cf0b53\" data-id=\"8cf0b53\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-912966f elementor-widget elementor-widget-off-canvas\" data-id=\"912966f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;entrance_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;exit_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"off-canvas.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"off-canvas-912966f\" class=\"e-off-canvas\" role=\"dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-label=\"Off-Canvas Video\" aria-modal=\"true\" inert=\"\" data-delay-child-handlers=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__main\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8575f60 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8575f60\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1be3ee1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"1be3ee1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/g3VoSrskzno&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-944483e elementor-widget elementor-widget-off-canvas\" data-id=\"944483e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;entrance_animation&quot;:&quot;slideInDown&quot;,&quot;exit_animation&quot;:&quot;slideInDown&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"off-canvas.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"off-canvas-944483e\" class=\"e-off-canvas\" role=\"dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-label=\"Off-Canvas Report\" aria-modal=\"true\" inert=\"\" data-delay-child-handlers=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__main\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0327148 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0327148\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5503d98 elementor-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon\" data-id=\"5503d98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon\" href=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Doff_canvas%3Aclose%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Ijk0NDQ4M2UiLCJkaXNwbGF5TW9kZSI6ImNsb3NlIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-times\" viewBox=\"0 0 352 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M242.72 256l100.07-100.07c12.28-12.28 12.28-32.19 0-44.48l-22.24-22.24c-12.28-12.28-32.19-12.28-44.48 0L176 189.28 75.93 89.21c-12.28-12.28-32.19-12.28-44.48 0L9.21 111.45c-12.28 12.28-12.28 32.19 0 44.48L109.28 256 9.21 356.07c-12.28 12.28-12.28 32.19 0 44.48l22.24 22.24c12.28 12.28 32.2 12.28 44.48 0L176 322.72l100.07 100.07c12.28 12.28 32.2 12.28 44.48 0l22.24-22.24c12.28-12.28 12.28-32.19 0-44.48L242.72 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9d81b1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d9d81b1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d718fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6d718fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Part 7: Investor Lending Analysis<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6826edb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6826edb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tComplete the form to download <br>the full report:<\/br>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1a627a elementor-button-align-stretch elementor-widget elementor-widget-form\" data-id=\"d1a627a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;step_next_label&quot;:&quot;Next&quot;,&quot;step_previous_label&quot;:&quot;Previous&quot;,&quot;button_width&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;step_type&quot;:&quot;number_text&quot;,&quot;step_icon_shape&quot;:&quot;circle&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"form.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<form class=\"elementor-form\" method=\"post\" name=\"New Form\" aria-label=\"New Form\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"post_id\" value=\"291048\"\/>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"form_id\" value=\"d1a627a\"\/>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"referer_title\" value=\"Research\" \/>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-form-fields-wrapper elementor-labels-above\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_d274b14 elementor-col-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_d274b14]\" id=\"form-field-field_d274b14\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"First Name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_37dc9cf elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_37dc9cf]\" id=\"form-field-field_37dc9cf\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Last Name\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-email elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-email elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"email\" name=\"form_fields[email]\" id=\"form-field-email\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Email\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_31e3e7e elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_31e3e7e]\" id=\"form-field-field_31e3e7e\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Organization\/Company Name\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_5e53299 elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_5e53299]\" id=\"form-field-field_5e53299\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Zip Code\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-acceptance elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_6521488 elementor-col-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-subgroup\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-field-option\">\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"form_fields[field_6521488]\" id=\"form-field-field_6521488\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-acceptance-field\" checked=\"checked\">\n\t\t\t\t<label for=\"form-field-field_6521488\">Yes, send me updates by email about NCRC research, events and news.<\/label>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-type-submit elementor-col-100 e-form__buttons\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"elementor-button elementor-size-sm\" type=\"submit\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download Now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b489dc5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b489dc5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Briefs 1 and 2 of this series established the methodology behind the Nashville Summit and the seven structural barriers that cut across the housing, workforce and small business development ecosystems. Briefs 3 and 4 instead focused on housing and small business respectively. This brief maintains the previous two briefs\u2019 narrower focus but instead distills the conversations from the participants in the workforce development ecosystem. It documents the barriers raised by practitioners and funders during the workforce development dialogues and the solutions participants raised that would work with limited federal government support.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16f8c28 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"16f8c28\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\"><b>Devin Thompson, <\/b><i>Director, Place-Based Strategies<\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a721dc elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"8a721dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d1c2b5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7d1c2b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a4fc83 e-grid e-con-full e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3a4fc83\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e42533f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e42533f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec5d52e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ec5d52e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">1<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-150f603 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"150f603\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f35ea81 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f35ea81\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Funding for workforce programs pays providers to reach certain placement numbers quickly, not to build long-term, livable-wage careers. Measuring success based on change in a participant\u2019s long-term trajectory instead of 90 day placements will incentivize economic stability and mobility.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-068b83c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"068b83c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05a74ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"05a74ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">2<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c14b3ed e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c14b3ed\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d45d922 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d45d922\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Training a diverse workforce means little when the best jobs are only accessible through informal networks and ineffective hiring mandates. Formal pipelines into skilled trades backed by enforceable commitments and accountability with teeth is the only way to ensure opportunity is equally accessible.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-887a6c1 e-grid e-con-full e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"887a6c1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a012a7d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a012a7d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a79f3f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0a79f3f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">3<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79bee93 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"79bee93\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aaee055 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"aaee055\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">\u00a0The benefits cliff forces families to choose between a raise and the subsidies that keep them stable, leaving them financially vulnerable to disruptions. Bridging that gap with transitional benefits, accessible emergency support and financial coaching with integrated wraparound services is what allows training to grow into a career.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a8f4994 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a8f4994\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9158983 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9158983\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">4<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-880a4d7 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"880a4d7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15ab6b8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"15ab6b8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Policy choices and biases towards those with formal degrees are shrinking the labor pool at a moment when industries face critical shortages. Expanding who counts as employable and getting employers to treat talent development as an operating cost rather than a perk is central to a responsive workforce system that meets the needs of a growing local economy.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8da3aec e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8da3aec\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e22ffd e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6e22ffd\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1758665 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1758665\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Specific Barriers in the Workforce Development Ecosystem<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f2bc65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8f2bc65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>While the workforce development ecosystem shares many challenges with other sectors, the dialogues uncovered unique structural flaws that specifically penalize economic mobility and block access to high-quality careers. These barriers center on misaligned incentives, exclusionary practices and policy restrictions that shrink the labor pool.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9194b9d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9194b9d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">1. Programmatic Focus on Short-Term Job Placement<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c8fd76b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c8fd76b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workforce organizations are trapped by funding metrics that prioritize the wrong outcome. Grants typically demand immediate job placement numbers, effectively ignoring whether that job actually leads to a livable wage or long-term stability. The consequences of this mismatch are felt most acutely in these ways:<\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The Warm Body Syndrome:<\/strong> Driven by the need to hit quarterly grant targets, providers are forced to place participants in lower-wage jobs just to count them as employed. This transactional approach satisfies the employer&#8217;s immediate need for a body but fails to produce a career for employees.<\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Incentive to &#8220;Cream&#8221;:<\/strong> The pressure for speed in job placements creates a perverse incentive to prioritize the easiest-to-place candidates while neglecting those with high barriers to employment, such as criminal records, lack of transportation or housing instability, who require more intensive support. As a result, the people who need the services the most are often the ones it is least designed to serve.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-354b23f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"354b23f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">2. Institutional Barriers to Entry in Skilled Trades<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62769a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"62769a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the skilled trades are often the surest path to a middle-class income without a degree, access to these career pathways are often blocked by entrenched informal networks. Participants described the &#8220;FBI&#8221; (Friends, Brothers and In-laws) system, where hiring is driven by nepotism rather than merit or training. Practitioners highlighted two primary areas where this lack of access stalls progress:<\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The Closed Door:<\/strong> Even when local projects have Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) mandating local hiring, contractors often bypass these rules by claiming qualified local workers don&#8217;t exist in the region. In reality, the jobs often go to those inside the social circle of existing union members or foremen. This reliance on personal networks specifically excludes women and people of color who historically lack these intergenerational connections. It thus renders training programs ineffective if the only way to get an apprenticeship is knowing the shop owner.<\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Lack of Political Will:<\/strong> The structure of local hiring mandates is often undermined by a lack of rigorous enforcement and minimal business commitments. In Detroit, for example, large commercial projects included a mandate to hire Detroit residents, but the penalty for failure was simply a fine. Developers frequently &#8220;baked the fine into their proforma&#8221; as a cost of doing business rather than actively recruiting local talent. An example another participant raised from DC described the developer meeting the \u201cletter of the law\u201d by hiring community residents at a minimum wage rate to hold signs at the project site and use water hoses to mitigate dust during demolition. This lack of enforcement will mean that even when the legal framework exists, the outcomes for the community will lag behind. When the jobs do not materialize for local residents, the community sees no return on the massive public investment, leading to displacement rather than development.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35ad8fd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"35ad8fd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">3. Policy Restrictions on Eligibility and Funding<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e5f9ab9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e5f9ab9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Political shifts are leading to the reduction of the eligible labor pool while creating artificial barriers to employment. This acts as an economic self-injury, cutting off willing workers from industries desperate for talent. There were two themes that were discussed repeatedly:<\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Excluding Immigrant Talent:<\/strong> Changes in the interpretation of federal laws like the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) have restricted the use of funds for training undocumented immigrants or supporting mixed-status families. This cuts off a vital segment of the labor force, with devastating impacts on the construction and service industries, which are facing critical staffing shortages. Immigrant families, fearing government tracking and enforcement actions, are retreating from critical resources such as housing counseling and pre-purchase classes. This fear is hugely disruptive, pushing workers into the shadows and causing organizations to cancel planned training sessions.<\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Degree Inflation:<\/strong> Beyond immigration status, the system creates artificial barriers through degree inflation or credential creep. Employers frequently require bachelor&#8217;s degrees for entry-level roles like bank teller or administrative roles that could easily be performed by someone with skills-based training. This credential creep locks out capable workers and contributes to the sorting down phenomenon, where over-educated individuals take lower-skill jobs, displacing those without degrees entirely.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca2a3fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ca2a3fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">4. Lack of Critical Supportive Services<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fcbb1fd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fcbb1fd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lack of integrated support services is a fatal flaw in the current program design, creating scenarios where symptoms are often triaged by a programmatic intervention. Connection to additional services that would solve the underlying condition are missed. While the conversions each covered unique aspects, they shared a key central point:<\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Fragmentation Costs Us All:<\/strong> A job seeker cannot hold a job if they don&#8217;t have childcare or a way to get to work. Yet, workforce funding rarely covers these supportive services sufficiently. A participant might get free welding training and still discontinue the training because their car breaks down or they lose their housing. The system ignores the reality that for a person just beginning to stabilize a flat tire is a career-ending event &#8211; setting them up for failure rather than success.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9c5e8c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9c5e8c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Specific Solutions<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-413e4d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"413e4d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Eliminate the Damaging Benefits Cliff<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ea4fdf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4ea4fdf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Policy advocates should push for changes that eliminate the benefits cliff to ensure a small wage increase does not result in the loss of subsidies. This would correct the misaligned economic incentives, ensuring workers are rewarded rather than penalized for increasing their income and working towards economic mobility. Participants identified several concrete ways to provide the support necessary to clear the cliff entirely:<\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Bridge the Gap with Transitional Benefits:<\/strong> Programs like the Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility use algorithms to calculate specific transitional benefits to offset lost SNAP or housing support. Nonprofits need unrestricted, gap-filler funds to cover the dangerous window between program participants losing a benefit and receiving their first higher paycheck. Emergency client assistance funds are also essential for addressing immediate crises, such as car repairs, that typically derail training.<\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Focus on Career Trajectories and Credential Stacking:<\/strong> We must pivot from immediate job placement to long-term career development that moves participants beyond the cliff to ongoing economic growth. This involves stacking credentials, such as moving a healthcare worker through from their initial CNA training to LPN certifications and eventually to RN credentials, ensuring wages rise progressively. Training should target creating thriving wages rather than maintaining low living wages that sit on the cliff&#8217;s edge. High-growth sectors, like mortgage lending, offer meaningful career pathways with accessible entry requirements.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a36ea13 elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"a36ea13\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-1710\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-1710\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> CASE STUDY: Loans to Bridge the Benefits Cliff by Simon Wang <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1710\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f22879 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5f22879\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6cbcda6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6cbcda6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Problem<br \/><\/strong>Financial disincentives often stall economic mobility for low-wage workers. When the gap created when a pay or hours increase triggers a disproportionate loss in public assistance, the work is effectively penalized, which keeps talent trapped in lower-wage roles. When offered a raise or an opportunity to take on extra hours, workers must receive enough compensation to account for what they could lose in benefits at their new income level.<\/p><p>The difference between the increase in a person\u2019s earned income and the dollar value of services and benefits lost is what\u2019s known as the benefits cliff. Providing bridge financing to cover the value of lost benefits when workers move up the income ladder is very important. Filling this gap removes the financial disincentive to career advancement and promotes economic mobility.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Solution<br \/><\/strong><\/p><p>While not as scalable as broader system reform, targeted bridge support provides the specific capital &#8211; such as grants, time-reduced subsidies or low-interest loans &#8211; needed to keep a worker\u2019s net income stable through a transitional period, further incentivizing ongoing career advancement.<\/p><p>Bridge financing accepts the current structure and simply fills the gap at the critical moment when workers face the benefits cliff. The financing can come from various sources, including philanthropic funds, employer contributions, revolving loan funds or public-private partnerships.<\/p><p><strong>Implementation<br \/><\/strong>Multiple bridge funding pilot projects, such as Career MAP, have emerged that focus on providing direct cash assistance to offset benefits losses. While these programs show promise, they are difficult to scale and expensive to maintain. Well designed loans offered to workers facing benefits cliffs are scalable and offer some distinct benefits to cash transfers.<\/p><p>One example of this approach comes from Common Wealth Charlotte, an organization in North Carolina that offers \u201copportunity loans\u201d of up to $1,000 and \u201ccredibility loans\u201d up to $120 with 0% interest, no added fees and unlimited deferments on payments. While not solely intended to bridge the benefits cliff, accessing Common Wealth\u2019s loans brings participants into the banking system, helping them build a credit history and receive financial counseling and education, all without being exposed to the risks of predatory lenders.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Impact<br \/><\/strong>Since 2018, Common Wealth\u2019s 0%-interest, no-fee loans have demonstrated that flexible, small-dollar credit is both a viable alternative to predatory lending and a lifeline for those facing the benefits cliff. It has helped more than 2,100 people by providing over $1.5 million in loans with a 93% repayment rate.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Lesson<br \/><\/strong>To scale this model, mission-driven providers (CDFIs, banks, and credit unions) should consider two important factors: product development and client engagement.<\/p><p>For these products to appropriately incentivize further work, it is important to prioritize flexibility by structuring loans without fees, unlimited deferments, and 0% interest rates. The catalyst for a 93% repayment rate is also the support surrounding the capital, it is managed by a loan counselor who can offer trauma-informed financial coaching than a traditional loan officer.<\/p><p>Replication also hinges on the integration with the organizations that witness career-stagnation decisions firsthand and can tell when the loan is the right tool to reach for. Workforce development organizations and employers are often well-positioned to detect employees because they witness career stagnating decisions firsthand. Formal referral partnerships with them, and other local human service agencies, can proactively divert workers towards appropriate solutions as their eligibility changes.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-901793d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"901793d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Integrate Services for Holistic Support<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86c4602 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"86c4602\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Shift from siloed training models to a holistic, person-centric ecosystem that connects workforce activities with housing, healthcare, financial literacy and other services responsive to program participants\u2019 needs. Building a truly integrated, no-wrong-door system requires comprehensive alignment of essential support services. When services are coordinated and interwoven, they provide the robust support necessary for families to achieve and maintain stability. Building a truly integrated ecosystem would require one or more of these support pillars:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Deploy Shared Referral Technology:<\/strong> Shared digital platforms, like Nashville&#8217;s Charity Tracker, enable warm handoffs where client data and history populate across agencies. This prevents the trauma of retelling stories and reduces the administrative burden on clients. Centralized resource hubs or marketplaces can further support this effort by housing standardized toolkits and research for smaller organizations.<\/li><li><strong>Establish Backbone Teams and Intermediaries:<\/strong> Complex ecosystems need coordination between system actors to ensure they\u2019re operating in ways that serve communities\u2019 interests. Dedicated backbone teams are essential to knitting resources and providers together, ensuring navigators and coaches are relationally connected before a crisis hits. Intermediaries also provide uniquely informed perspectives when managing passthrough federal funds to smaller, specialized nonprofits, empowering grassroots work while tracking collective outcomes centrally.<\/li><li><strong>Co-Locate Services to Reduce Friction:<\/strong> Physical integration of service providers reduces barriers to access and coordination. Co-locating multiple services allows organizations to catch clients who might otherwise fall through the cracks between appointments. This mini-hub model leverages existing assets to offer multi-faceted support in a single location.<\/li><li><strong>Cross-Train Practitioners:<\/strong> Integration must happen at the personnel level. For example, health workers in Indiana are trained in housing navigation to provide immediate handoffs for patients. Similarly, shadow job coaches can bridge the transition gap from training to retention by supporting participants on their first days of employment.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d224b6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1d224b6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Recalibrate Metrics for Long-Term Economic Mobility<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f18bf38 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f18bf38\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We must transition from measuring the speed of reemployment to assessing the full career journey. This requires recalibrating our systemic metrics to prioritize long-term economic mobility and sustainable career growth over immediate job placement, which too often results in dead-end employment and ignores job quality. To align grant deliverables with actual mobility, practitioners suggested these shifts:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Redefine Success Through Longitudinal Tracking:<\/strong> High-volume, short-term placement numbers tell a shallow story. Practitioners should extend intensive retention support from the standard 90 days to at least 12 months, ensuring participants can navigate the critical first year of a new career successfully. Success should be measured over years, not months, to incentivize changing a participant\u2019s trajectory.<\/li><li><strong>Adopt an Outcome-Driven Narrative:<\/strong> Workforce development agencies\u2019 logic models should guide the outcomes they center in their grants and their marketing. Reframing the narrative for funders requires moving away from mere outputs to measurable financial outcomes, indicating engagement with the mainstream financial sector.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e9ccf5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3e9ccf5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Formalize Employer Co-Investment in Training and Advancement <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-602c9f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"602c9f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Employers must move beyond only writing checks to actively integrating advancement into their operating models. This systemic shift formalizes the commitment between the business and its workers, breaking down entrenched &#8220;FBI&#8221; (Friends, Brothers, and In-laws) hiring barriers. The following strategies illustrate ways that summit attendees wanted to change partnerships with employers:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Integrate Learning into Paid Time:<\/strong> Bring community college courses directly to the worksite during compensated hours. To make this feasible in environments with razor-thin staffing margins, staffing substitute programs, a human resource mode where management covers frontline shifts for employees, allowing hourly staff to attend career development training. This keeps the business running and demonstrates deep leadership\u2019s commitment to its employees.<\/li><li><strong>Bake Talent Development into the Business Model:<\/strong> Employers should treat training budgets as essential operating costs rather than optional perks. This means funding degrees or certifications to ensure entry-level staff do not hit a career advancement ceiling. Programs like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bankdirector.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/White-Paper-Future-Ready-Workforce.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KeyBank\u2019s Future Ready Workforce<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.careerworks.org\/programs\/bankworks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bank Works<\/a> provide templates for preparing current employees for internal promotion.<\/li><li><strong>Dismantle &#8220;FBI&#8221; Hiring with Formal Pipelines:<\/strong> Informal, who-you-know networks limit opportunities to insiders. To fix this, providers need to build formal, data-driven pipelines between candidates and employers. The Kentucky and Indiana Mills program demonstrates this success by brokering deals with organized labor. These partnerships allow participants to enter carpenter and IBEW (electrician) apprenticeships that guarantee wage increases and union-backed, high-paying trade positions. Additionally, organizations like RED Academy expose youth to careers in logistics or renewable energy that they would never encounter through traditional school paths.<\/li><li><strong>Flip the Business Case:<\/strong> To increase the audiences open to our message, advocates must move away from purely social justice-oriented appeals and utilize the language of ROI. The cost of onboarding new staff is almost always higher than investing in the retention of current employees. When employers ask, &#8220;What if I train them and they leave?&#8221;, the answer is simple: Employees stay where they know their growth is a priority. Providing wraparound support and growth opportunities fosters the loyalty necessary for long-term retention.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d25365 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5d25365\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We began this report with the hard truth that the &#8220;pipes&#8221; of community development are broken. For decades, we have relied on a top-down approach to directing capital into our communities. Now, those flows are drying up and the infrastructure is leaking.<\/p><p>Waiting passively for federal policy shifts or reauthorization of funding is not a viable, long-term strategy. The New Normal demands that we build a new distribution system that is led by the practitioners on the ground.<\/p><p>The solutions outlined in this report form the blueprint for this new architecture. When we consolidate back-office functions, we establish new operational efficiencies. When we integrate workforce data with housing intake processes, we eliminate the silos that are a disservice to community residents. When we replace predatory debt with patient capital, we will significantly increase the resources and availability of economic opportunity.<\/p><p>This is the shift from passive recipients of funding to active architects of our own ecosystem that is urgently needed at this moment. We are no longer just painting the walls of a cracking house. We are pouring a new foundation. The blueprints are in your hands. The work begins now.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d949e73 elementor-widget elementor-widget-off-canvas\" data-id=\"d949e73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;entrance_animation&quot;:&quot;slideInDown&quot;,&quot;exit_animation&quot;:&quot;slideInDown&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"off-canvas.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"off-canvas-d949e73\" class=\"e-off-canvas\" role=\"dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-label=\"Off-Canvas\" aria-modal=\"true\" inert=\"\" data-delay-child-handlers=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__main\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2dc9dd8 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2dc9dd8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-221f4fa elementor-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon\" data-id=\"221f4fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon\" href=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Doff_canvas%3Aclose%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6ImQ5NDllNzMiLCJkaXNwbGF5TW9kZSI6ImNsb3NlIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-times\" viewBox=\"0 0 352 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M242.72 256l100.07-100.07c12.28-12.28 12.28-32.19 0-44.48l-22.24-22.24c-12.28-12.28-32.19-12.28-44.48 0L176 189.28 75.93 89.21c-12.28-12.28-32.19-12.28-44.48 0L9.21 111.45c-12.28 12.28-12.28 32.19 0 44.48L109.28 256 9.21 356.07c-12.28 12.28-12.28 32.19 0 44.48l22.24 22.24c12.28 12.28 32.2 12.28 44.48 0L176 322.72l100.07 100.07c12.28 12.28 32.2 12.28 44.48 0l22.24-22.24c12.28-12.28 12.28-32.19 0-44.48L242.72 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5934e8a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5934e8a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a69db47 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a69db47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Series Introduction<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1a5f4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"d1a5f4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;all_collapsed&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2190\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2190\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> <i>Methods and Definitions<\/i> <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-2190\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9d08bff e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9d08bff\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d75f373 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d75f373\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Data Sources<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc9fbf2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dc9fbf2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Data<\/strong>: Primary data source covering national mortgage lending patterns from 2018-2024, representing approximately 88% of all mortgage applications processed annually<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>US Census Bureau Data<\/strong>: Used for demographic information, population statistics, and income data including the American Community Survey and Decennial Census data<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Data<\/strong>: Source for HMDA data collection and release<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Brookings Institution Research<\/strong>: Referenced for demographic projections and population growth analysis<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council<\/strong>: Source for HMDA data products<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c012019 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c012019\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Analysis Period and Scope<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa459d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"aa459d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Time Frame<\/strong>: 2018-2024<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Loan Types Analyzed<\/strong>: Focus on home purchase loans for owner-occupied, site-built,\u00a01-4 unit\u00a0properties except as noted<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d2c9457 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d2c9457\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Data Processing Methods<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-408f167 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"408f167\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Race\/Ethnicity Calculation<\/strong>: Detailed subgroup identification method that prioritizes specific ethnic codes (11-14 for Hispanic subgroups, 21-27 for Asian subgroups, 41-44 for Pacific Islander subgroups) over broader categories<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Missing Data Treatment<\/strong>: &#8220;No Data&#8221; loans excluded from demographic calculations rather than treated as a separate racial category<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Year-over-Year Comparisons<\/strong>: Multi-year data compared using identical calculation methods across the 2018-2024 period<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e4c3aae elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e4c3aae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Key Metrics and Definitions<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6266f98 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6266f98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Low- and Moderate-Income Borrower (LMIB)<\/strong>: Borrowers with household income below 80% of area median income<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Low- and Moderate-Income Census Tract (LMICT)<\/strong>: Geographic areas where median family income is at or below 80% of metro area median family income<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Majority-Minority Census Tract (MMCT)<\/strong>: Census tracts where racial\/ethnic minorities comprise more than 50% of residents<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Cost Per Dollar<\/strong>: Calculated as (Total Payments Over 30 Years + Closing Costs) \u00f7 Original Loan Amount<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Market Share<\/strong>: Percentage of total loans in a market originated by a specific lender<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a9be21 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8a9be21\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Calculation Formulas<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9d7de13 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9d7de13\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Percentage Calculations<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low and moderate-income borrower percentages: (LMIB\/Total Loans) \u00d7 100<\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LMI Tract percentages: (LMICT\/Total Loans) \u00d7 100<\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Majority-minority tract percentages: (MMCT\/Total Loans) \u00d7 100<\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Race and ethnicity percentages: (Race group\/(Total Loans-No Data)) \u00d7 100<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b29021e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b29021e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Data Quality and Limitations<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff15ffa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ff15ffa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Coverage Limitations<\/strong>: Analysis limited to loans with reported demographic data (approximately 4.7\u00a0million\u00a0of 5.3 million total loans in 2024)<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Census Boundary Changes<\/strong>: 2020 Census redrew neighborhood boundaries, affecting historical comparisons for majority-minority tract analysis starting in 2022<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Missing Data Impact<\/strong>: Growing number of loans without demographic data affects trend analysis accuracy<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Multiracial Identity Challenges<\/strong>: Difficulty measuring lending equity for people identifying as multiple races<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17ab2cb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"17ab2cb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Terms<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36af6db elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"36af6db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>AAPI<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Asian American and Pacific Islander: Demographic label that groups together Asian and Pacific Islander communities<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>AHO<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Access to Home Ownership: Office of Hawaiian Affairs program that guarantees portions of home loans for Native Hawaiian first-time homebuyers<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CDFI<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Community Development Financial Institution: Specialized lenders focused on serving underserved communities<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CFPB<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Federal agency that oversees mortgage lending and consumer financial protection<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CRA<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Community Reinvestment Act: Federal law requiring banks to meet credit needs of their entire communities, especially low-income areas<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>FHA<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Federal Housing Administration: Government agency that insures mortgages<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>GSE<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Government-Sponsored Enterprise: Companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that buy mortgages from lenders<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>HMDA<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Home Mortgage Disclosure Act: Federal law requiring lenders to report detailed mortgage lending data<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>HoPI<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Demographic category for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>HUD<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; US Department of Housing and Urban Development: Federal agency that oversees housing programs<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>IHBG<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Indian Housing Block Grant: Federal program funding housing development on tribal lands<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>LEI<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Legal Entity Identifier: Unique identification code for financial institutions<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>LMI<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Low- and Moderate-Income: People or areas with incomes at or below 80% of area median income<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>LMIB<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Low and Moderate-Income Borrower: Borrowers with incomes below 80% of area median income<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>LMICT<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Low- and Moderate-Income Census Tract: Geographic areas where median incomes fall below 80% of regional average<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>MIP<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Mortgage Insurance Premium: Monthly fee paid by FHA borrowers to protect lenders against default<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>MMCT<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Majority-Minority Census Tract: Neighborhoods where racial\/ethnic minorities make up more than 50% of residents<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>RHS<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Rural Housing Service: USDA program providing housing assistance in rural areas<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>VA<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Veterans Affairs: Government department that provides benefits to military veterans, including mortgage guarantees<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>YoY<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Year-over-Year: Comparison between the same period in consecutive years<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3766a43 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3766a43\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data is collected and released each year by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This dataset offers unparalleled details about 88% of the mortgage applications processed each year. This information is critical for any regulator, advocate or lender that wants to understand the market. Data of this kind promotes fair and efficient markets.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This series of research briefs will offer a deep analysis of this data and help\u00a0policymakers,\u00a0the\u00a0general public\u00a0and National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) members understand current mortgage market trends at the local level. There are a great number of topics that this data will help us explore via a series of episodes with\u00a0easy to understand\u00a0reports, policy suggestions, videos, data visualizations and maps. These insights can help various organizations and market actors to utilize this data to support fair lending programs and initiatives in their communities.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were several key takeaways and findings in the 2024 HMDA data that we will discuss in future episodes. This introduction and summary will be updated as new episodes in this series are published.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ae2c4d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0ae2c4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Key Takeaways<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-865d092 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"865d092\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Key Findings<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb35c5f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bb35c5f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><li><strong>Declining Low-Income Access:<\/strong>\u00a0Lending to low- and moderate-income borrowers fell to 14.2% in 2024 (the lowest level since 2018), reflecting severe affordability challenges.<\/li><li><strong>Hispanic Market Growth:<\/strong>\u00a0Hispanic borrowers now exceed their population share in mortgage lending, reaching 17.7% of home purchase loans in 2024.<\/li><li><strong>Persistent Black Homeownership Gap:<\/strong>\u00a0Black borrower participation remains stagnant at 8.9% (well below their 11.7% share of the adult population), with declining shares in major metro areas.<\/li><li><strong>Less-Regulated Lenders Displacing\u00a0Banks:<\/strong> Mortgage companies and credit unions \u2013 whose lending activity is not covered by key economic opportunity laws like the Community Reinvestment Act \u2013 have greatly expanded their share of lending. Mortgage companies are making \u2154 of home purchase loans in 2024. Credit unions are now making more cash out\u00a0refinance\u00a0loans than banks and hold nearly the same share of the home equity market\u00a0that banks do, without the oversight offered by the\u00a0CRA.<strong>.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d61dee elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2d61dee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Access and Affordability<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0e5401 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a0e5401\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Low- and moderate-income (LMI) home purchase lending continues its long decline, now at just 25.8% of all home purchases on owner occupied, 1-4 unit site built homes. Upper income borrowers dominate homebuying, even in LMI and majority minority census tracts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da41643 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"da41643\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Demographic Shifts<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b512673 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b512673\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hispanic borrowers continue to expand their market presence, and in 2024 for the first time on record were slightly\u00a0<em>over<\/em>-represented in home purchase lending relative to overall population share. 17.7% of loan originations in 2024 went to a Hispanic borrower, exceeding the 16.8% percent of the overall adult population who identify as Hispanic. In contrast, the Black borrower share of the market remains well below their population representation (8.9%), with declines in key markets like Atlanta, Houston and Washington, DC.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-22bfb18 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"22bfb18\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_image&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;_id&quot;:&quot;5b90c5d&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_image_tablet&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;jet_parallax_layout_image_mobile&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;jet_parallax_layout_speed&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;%&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:50,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;jet_parallax_layout_type&quot;:&quot;scroll&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_direction&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_fx_direction&quot;:null,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_z_index&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_x&quot;:50,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_x_tablet&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_x_mobile&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_y&quot;:50,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_y_tablet&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_y_mobile&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_size&quot;:&quot;auto&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_size_tablet&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_bg_size_mobile&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_animation_prop&quot;:&quot;transform&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;]}]}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7fce9df elementor-hidden-mobile e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"7fce9df\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:100,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e4198c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3e4198c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Nashville Summit Series <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b74872 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8b74872\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/nashville-summit-series-brief-1-background-and-our-methodology\/\" target=\"_blank\">BRIEF 1: Background and Our Methodology<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0919168 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0919168\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/nashville-summit-series-brief-2-common-barriers-solutions-across-program-areas\/\" target=\"_blank\">BRIEF 2: Common Barriers &amp; Solutions Across Program Areas<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b90a98f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b90a98f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/nashville-summit-series-brief-3-barriers-solutions-for-affordable-housing\/\">BRIEF 3: Barriers &amp; Solutions for Affordable Housing<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9154a67 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9154a67\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/nashville-summit-series-brief-4-barriers-solutions-for-small-business\/\">BRIEF 4: Barriers &amp; Solutions for Small Business<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ad6146 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2ad6146\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/nashville-summit-series-brief-5-barriers-solutions-for-workforce-development\">BRIEF 5: Barriers &amp; Solutions for Workforce Development<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aacf38e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"aacf38e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Subscribe<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63cc1a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"63cc1a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get NCRC news and <br \/>alerts by email.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a3fcca elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"9a3fcca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<script charset=\"utf-8\" type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/js.hsforms.net\/forms\/embed\/v2.js\"><\/script>\n<script>\n  hbspt.forms.create({\n    region: \"na1\",\n    portalId: \"22325826\",\n    formId: \"38ff3e48-e6b5-461d-938c-365275aa6273\"\n  });\n<\/script>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This brief maintains the previous two briefs\u2019 narrower focus but instead distills the conversations from the participants in the workforce development ecosystem. It documents the barriers raised by practitioners and funders during the workforce development dialogues and the solutions participants raised that would work with limited federal government support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":926,"featured_media":291064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_angie_page":false,"content-type":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"page_builder":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1327],"tags":[3249,2312],"class_list":["post-291048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","tag-research_report","tag-summit"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nashville_feature_brief5-thumbnail.jpg",1776,446,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nashville_feature_brief5-thumbnail-150x100.jpg",150,100,true],"medium":["https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nashville_feature_brief5-thumbnail-300x75.jpg",300,75,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nashville_feature_brief5-thumbnail-768x193.jpg",768,193,true],"large":["https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nashville_feature_brief5-thumbnail-1024x257.jpg",1024,257,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nashville_feature_brief5-thumbnail-1536x386.jpg",1536,386,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nashville_feature_brief5-thumbnail.jpg",1776,446,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Devin Thompson","author_link":""},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"This brief maintains the previous two briefs\u2019 narrower focus but instead distills the conversations from the participants in the workforce development ecosystem. It documents the barriers raised by practitioners and funders during the workforce development dialogues and the solutions participants raised that would work with limited federal government support.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/926"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=291048"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":291174,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291048\/revisions\/291174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/291064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=291048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=291048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=291048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}