Increasing and deepening workforce participation in higher skilled/higher paid employment– with a focus on populations that typically are underrepresented and face disproportionate barriers to economic mobility and financial stability.
Action 1: Long-term, culturally fluent, trauma informed network of services and support that stabilizes individuals and increase work readiness and participation.
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Cost: NA
  • Responsible Parties: UnitedWays, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids Public Library, Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, 6th Judicial District
Action 2: Create network of engaged employers.
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Cost: Included in UnitedWays and ICR IOWA budget
  • Responsible Parties: Kirkwood Community College, Iowa Works, ICR Iowa
Action 3: Legislative agenda and advocacy plan that addresses barriers to workforce participation including: The Cliff Effect, Ban the Box, childcare access and affordability.
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Cost: Included in stakeholder budgets
  • Responsible Parties: United Ways, Kirkwood Community College, Skills2Compete stakeholders 
The metrics used to measure the success of these initiatives over the next five years will include: the decrease in unemployment by subgroups, the change in median income/self-sustaining wages, the decrease in employee turnover rates/business relocation rates, and the enhanced/changed employee demographics in regional businesses. These changes will increase the resilience of local residents and the diversity of workforce participation and success.