Upward mobility occurs when residents can move out of poverty by advancing economically and socially. The District is using a framework of upward mobility produced by the US Partnership on Mobility from Poverty and the Urban Institute. The Partnership defines upward mobility as when people can achieve economic success, feel valued in their communities, and have the power to influence the policies that shape their everyday experiences.

You can learn more about the three-part definition of upward mobility on the Urban Institute website here.

The DC Upward Mobility Project deepens the District’s work to boost upward mobility for residents who have lower incomes, with a focus on people of color, and especially Black people. This project builds on initiatives and programs the District government and its partners are currently leading. For example, the Bowser administration has advanced critical policies to give residents a “fair shot” – including unprecedented investments in affordable housing, one of the country’s most generous Earned Income Tax Credit programs, a $15 minimum wage, universal childcare, paid family leave, and plans for two new hospitals East of the River.

The Urban Institute’s support through its Boosting Upward Mobility project provides the District with the tools and support needed to align efforts and maximize outcomes for residents struggling most to make ends meet.

The District government is partnering with the Urban Institute to boost upward mobility outcomes and address racial inequities in economic outcomes for District residents in three priority areas: housing, financial wellbeing, and workforce and education.

Led by the DC Office of Planning (OP) and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), and supported by the Mayor’s Office of Policy and Innovation (MOPI), this interagency effort includes 17 different agencies. These agencies include:

• Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME)
• The Department of Insurance, Banking and Securities (DISB)
• Department of Human Services (DHS)
• DC Housing Authority (DCHA)
• Office of Racial Equity (ORE)
• Department of Employment Services (DOES)
• Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
• Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE)
• The Lab @ DC
• Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO)
• The Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)
• Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA)
• Department of Health (DC Health)
• DC Works: Workforce Investment Council (WIC)

The District is also partnering with the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED), Lydia’s House, and Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB). Additionally, the District is collaborating with other community organizations in Washington, DC. Most importantly, the District will engage residents who are most impacted by structural barriers to achieving upward mobility.

The DC Upward Mobility Project’s goal is to boost economic mobility by helping residents meet their financial goals, increasing their power and autonomy, and strengthening their connections to the community. The project addresses three initial policy areas: housing, financial wellbeing, and workforce development/adult education.

It is critical to recognize that race corresponds to many of the key differences in upward mobility outcomes in Washington, DC and across the country. These differences stem from structural racism, which blocks many people of color from accessing the opportunities and resources they need to escape poverty and thrive.

This project’s racial equity lens is used to evaluate the processes for conducting Upward Mobility work and its outcomes. For processes, the District will prioritize and meaningfully involve those who are most impacted by structural racism to shape the project. For outcomes, the District will continue advancing racial equity until race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes for District residents and when everyone has what they need to thrive, no matter where they live or their socioeconomic status.

This project is centered on the experiences of residents of color including a focus on Black residents. You can learn more about the Office of Planning’s racial equity work here.

The Data Dashboard includes information for indicators across the Project’s three initial policy areas: housing, financial wellbeing, and workforce development/adult education. The Dashboard also includes important demographic indicators. When available, the data are provided for Black, white, Latino, and Asian populations at geographies ranging from the District as a whole to smaller area geographies, such as census tracts.

The majority of the data on these indicators come from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and are available at the census tract level. Detailed information and sources are cited in charts and tables in the Dashboard.

The Upward Mobility Action Plan introduces a more resident-centered approach to develop, implement, and connect District programs. The action plan is based on input from community members and nonprofit leaders, as well as analysis of key data points. This work builds on the District’s robust toolbox of programs for housing, financial wellbeing, and workforce development/adult education.

Great; we would love to hear from you. You can sign up for our  project email list  here to stay up to date on progress in the project.