Inclusive Growth

Inclusive Opportunity for Greater New Haven

Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the economy was leaving too many people in our community behind. Since the pandemic, the disparities have grown deeper. As Greater New Haven begins to recover, The Foundation will work to create equitable opportunity, so that people in every neighborhood have access to the resources they need to build successful lives.

Stepping Forward

In 2019, The Community Foundation created a strategic plan centered on advancing equity and creating opportunity in Greater New Haven by building an economy that works for everyone. While our economy had been growing at the time, it continued to leave behind significant segments of the Black, Latino and recent immigrant communities.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the disparities present in our community and around the world have only become more stark. While The Foundation's focus during the crisis has turned toward relief efforts, the work that lies ahead is more critical than ever. As the pandemic recedes, The Foundation will work with partners throughout the community to ensure that Greater New Haven's recovery and rebuilding is inclusive.

Our region will experience greater growth when all residents can learn, work, give back to the community, and contribute to a healthy, just and thriving community.

Count Me In

Where We Are

Greater New Haven’s growth in the past decade, in terms of the change in the size of its economy size and entrepreneurial activity, ranks in the bottom half of the 100 largest metropolitan regions, according to Brookings. This story of slow growth is not new, as the number of Greater New Haven residents gaining access to the middle class has been in decline for more than a generation.

Working in the Community

The Foundation is promoting the work of creating opportunity by sharing what we are learning, convening community leaders and funding work aligned with our strategy.

Investing in the Community

More About Inclusive Growth

• Our employment system has failed low-wage workers. How can we rebuild? Brookings, April 28, 2020.
• The Brookings Metro Monitor 2020 provides an index of inclusive economic growth in the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. See how the New Haven metro region compares.
• Urban Expert Calls For "Inclusive Growth," New Haven Independent& April 20, 2018.
• "Inclusive Economies in a Disruptive Age: How local leaders can advance growth, prosperity, and inclusion," Amy Liu.
• "For a Strong Economy, Focus on Inclusive Growth," Richard Florida, City Lab.
• "Opportunity for growth: How reducing barriers to economic inclusion can benefit workers, firms, and local economies," Joseph Parilla, Brookings.
• "Committing to inclusive growth: Lessons for metro areas from the Inclusive Economic Development Lab,"
  Ryan Donahue, Brookings.
• "The surprisingly short list of US metro areas achieving inclusive economic growth," Chad Shearer, Brookings.