The City of Morgan Hill has been awarded a grant that will fund efforts to boost upward mobility for vulnerable residents.
On April 13, city officials announced that Morgan Hill has been accepted as a member of the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) Economic Mobility Opportunity Cohort. ICMA is a professional local government organization that provides best practices for leadership, innovation, ethics and management for local government professionals around the world.
As a member of the cohort, the city will receive a $30,000 grant to advance local activities that are designed to boost upward mobility for Morgan Hill residents, says an April 13 press release from the City of Morgan Hill. The city’s efforts over the coming months—collectively known as Elevate! Morgan Hill—will focus on a strategy to connect Spanish-speaking and lower-income residents to jobs and housing resources, while also increasing their sense of belonging to the community at large.
This approach will include a market analysis of local industry hiring trends and opportunities, an understanding of Spanish-speaking and lower-income residents’ needs and preferred methods of communication, the alignment of apprenticeship and certification programs with growing employment industry needs, a Social Service analysis of local resource providers and a Gap and Opportunity Analysis that will inform a one- to five-year implementation strategy, says the press release.
“The City of Morgan Hill is grateful for the opportunity to advance economic prosperity in our community,” said Assistant City Manager for Development Services Edith Ramirez. “Advancing strategies that connect people to jobs and housing resources will assist Morgan Hill in becoming a more resilient and inclusive community.”
Also as a member of the Economic Mobility Opportunity Cohort, the city will have opportunities to meet with peers from other local governments working on similar issues, as well as technical experts in this field. Through participation in this cohort, city staff look forward to learning more about the drivers of mobility and opportunity and best practices for moving the needle regarding the security, health and welfare of underserved residents in communities across the country, says the press release.
Other communities in the cohort with Morgan Hill are Beloit, Wisconsin; Chesterfield County, Virginia; Dubuque, Iowa; El Paso County, Texas; Grand Island, Nebraska; Gresham, Oregon; Meadville, Pennsylvania; San Juan County, Utah; and Tarboro, North Carolina.
City officials will share more information with local residents about how to engage with Morgan Hill’s upward mobility efforts.
The ICMA effort is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Economic Mobility and Opportunity program.
For information about the initiative, visit the ICMA website at icma.org/emo.Â
