Boone County Finalist For National Grant

Should Boone County be successful in making the final cut and receiving this grant, the 18 months of technical support will help us implement the best practices possible in decreasing disparities, increasing upward economic mobility, and providing greater opportunities across all sectors of our community. It would also place Boone County front and center as leading the nation in our commitment to the economic mobility of historically disadvantaged populations.
 
-Janet

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BELOW IS TEXT OF COUNTY COMMISSION PRESS RELEASE
 
Boone County Commission
Daniel K. Atwill, Presiding Commissioner
Fred J. Parry, District I Commissioner
Janet M. Thompson, District II Commissioner
 
Roger B. Wilson
Boone County Government Center
801 East Walnut, Room 333
Columbia, MO 65201-7732
573-886-4305 * FAX 573-886-4311
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Michele Hall
Administrative Coordinator, Boone County Commission
Phone: (573) 886-4312
Email: MHall@boonecountymo.org
 
BOONE COUNTY NAMED FINALIST FOR
URBAN INSTITUTE’S UPWARD MOBILITY COHORT
October 22, 2020 – Boone County has been named a finalist for the opportunity to be a part of the Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Cohort. The Urban Institute, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is looking to partner with a cohort of up to 8 counties to use metrics to inform local strategies to boost economic and social mobility and narrow racial and ethnic equity gaps.

Upon learning of this opportunity, and of the quick turnaround required for applications, Commissioner Janet Thompson convened a meeting of partners from throughout the community. In less than a week, representatives from REDI, Cradle to Career, Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA), Women’s Business Center (CMCA affiliated), City of Columbia Housing Programs Division, the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services (Steve Hollis), and the Boone County Community Services Department collaborated to develop an initial response and submit it to the Urban Institute.

Boone County is one of 26 counties selected as finalists for this opportunity. From these finalists, eight counties will be chosen to participate in the program, which will provide $125K and 18 months of tailored technical assistance from experts at Urban. The support will help counties put the mobility metrics to use to inform decision making, develop a cross-sector mobility coalition, and create a Mobility Action Plan that identifies key local mobility challenges and presents actionable strategies to improve outcomes. Cohort counties will also participate in peer-learning activities and provide feedback that informs future improvements to the metrics. 

Matt Jenne, Chair of the REDI Board, says, “As the chair of our county-wide economic development board, I have called on our local leaders to strive for equality through economic opportunity. Our county will be able to use this windfall to align our priorities to our equality goals and give us necessary tools and lessons learned to get there quickly.”

Full proposals from the finalists are due on November 24, 2020. The selection of the cohort will be announced by December 31, 2020.

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