Economic mobility describes how one's economic status changes over time and the opportunity for change available to an individual. When income improves, a person’s status is getting better. Conversely, when income stays flat or goes down over a lifetime, that person’s status is getting worse. However, economic mobility is often more useful when used to assess the overall opportunity in a neighborhood, city, or state. For example, due to historic policy decisions, some neighborhoods provide a higher rate of upward mobility. Considering this, some families may use measures of economic mobility to decide where to live. Alternatively, new programs or policies may decide on different ways to improve financial status in a neighborhood, city, or state. In this lens, a communities' ability to be upwardly mobile may be influenced by removal of social or economic barriers and may impact the future health, welfare, and security of it's residents.
The City of Danville’s prior work on this issue includes being part of a National League of Cities Southern Cities Economic Inclusion Initiative (SCEI). Danville is now one of a group of local governments each receiving a grant from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) within the 2024 Economic Mobility and Opportunity Peer Learning Cohort. The goal of this effort is for participating communities to impact conditions that promote the “overall well-being and upward mobility of their residents.”
While local government is uniquely positioned to implement policies and effect conditions that promote overall well-being and upward mobility for their residents, identifying and leveraging partnerships is essential to this work. Ensuring collaboration with community partners is essential and can not only bolster efforts but ensure sustainability.
