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Calling all Gateway City Leaders

An action Guide to Workforce Development Transformation in Massachusetts

Ben Forman
In Gateway City regions with an aging and under-skilled labor force, workforce development is an essential ingredient for future economic growth. This new “action guide” provides a helpful playbook for local leaders looking to engage in efforts to transform these systems. In plain English, the report breaks down workforce development to give municipal leaders a read more
Topic(s): Jobs and Economic Security, Strong Communities, Economic Development, Gateway Cities, Research

Rebuilding Renewal

An Analysis of State Investment in Gateway Cities and a Work Plan for Delivering Transformative Development

Ben Forman, Daniel Hodge, Ian Jakus and Matthew O'Brien
Over the last decade, Massachusetts has fundamentally shifted its understanding of the needs and opportunities of small-to-medium-sized cities anchoring the Commonwealth’s regional economies. The state now places considerable priority on efforts to make these so-called Gateway Cities stronger drivers of growth. But, despite this focus, economic conditions in Gateway Cities remain fundamentally weak. As recent read more
Topic(s): Economic Development, Gateway Cities, Research

Leading Together

Building Private Nonprofit Economic Development Organizations for Gateway City Growth & Renewal

Gordon Carr and Ben Forman
Tackling 21st century economic development challenges requires robust private sector engagement. Fostering the growth of nonprofit economic development organizations is a promising strategy to build partnerships with the private sector in Gateway Cities. Through these entities, business leaders work collaboratively to help fashion economic development projects, initiatives, and policy advocacy. While these groups are generally read more
Topic(s): Strong Communities, Economic Development, Gateway Cities

Leading Together

Four Case Studies of Successful Gateway City Initiatives

Ben Forman and Amy Dain
Responding to the challenges brought about by industrial change requires strong leadership, but the changes themselves have eroded the leadership capacity of Gateway Cities. Corporate consolidation leaves fewer committed private sector leaders with a long-term vision at the civic table. The rapid pace of economic change creates more residential turnover. Declining household income means residents read more
Topic(s): Strong Communities, Gateway Cities, Research

Leading Together

Developing a Fresh Generation Of Civic Leaders in Worcester

Ben Forman and Amy Dain
Research suggests collaborative leadership is a key distinction between comeback cities and those still struggling to tran­sition to the new economy. This raises the fundamental question: how do cities prepare the next generation of civic leaders to work together effectively? Studies show collaborative leadership thrives in cities where citizens trust their government, are engaged in read more
Topic(s): Gateway Cities, Research

Leading Together

The Holyoke Safe and Successful Youth Initiative Case Study

Ben Forman and Amy Dain
The Holyoke SSYI Program is a powerful example of how successful Gateway City initiatives fuse leaders and leadership styles together to overcome stubborn challenges. SSYI is a carefully coordinated effort to reach the community’s most difficult to reach young men—those who are “proven-risk” for violence. Making the most of a new state grant program, Holyoke read more
Topic(s): Education, Gateway Cities, Research

Leading Together

The Lawrence Community Partnerships Case Study

Ben Forman and Amy Dain
In 2012, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education moved to address the chronically low performance of the Lawrence Public Schools by placing the district in receivership. Jeff Riley, the leader appointed to transform the system, immediately set about extending the school day to offer students a wider array of learning opportunities. A central read more
Topic(s): Education, Gateway Cities

Leading Together

The Five District Partnership Case Study

Ben Forman and Amy Dain
Leading Together: The Five District Partnership Case Study describes a collaborative venture developed by the Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere and Winthrop school districts in response to the challenge of student mobility. Every year, thousands of students move among the schools in these neighboring cities, creating major disruptions in learning, as documented by previous MassINC research. read more
Topic(s): Gateway Cities

Building Community-Wide Social and Emotional Support Systems in Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Assessing Progress from the Perspective of Local Educators

Ben Forman, Sonia Bouvier and Christina Citino
Social and emotional support systems are a key pillar of the vision for education that Gateway City leaders developed collectively in 2013. These systems protect at-risk children who, without effective intervention, face difficulties that can result in enor­mous costs for entire cities. The universal learning experiences at the core of these systems are equally important. read more
Topic(s): Education, Gateway Cities

Going for Growth

Enhancing the Economic Impact of Public Transit in Gateway Cities with Comprehensive Service Planning

Ben Forman, Megan Aki, Mary Ebeling and Rich Parr
This new policy brief examines how best practices in transit planning can benefit Massachusetts’s Regional Transit Authorities. Massachusetts’s Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) have an opportunity to improve their existing service and make the case for more funding from the state by making the most of a new planning requirement from the legislature. That’s the key read more
Topic(s): Strong Communities, Economic Development, Transportation, Gateway Cities
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