Interweaving Equity

Key Takeaways:

• As part of its commitment to equitable economic development, EDA enlisted the University of Michigan Economic Growth Institute and the New Growth Innovation Network to document and elevate efforts Build Back Better Regional Challenge grantees take to advance equity and ensure impact for all communities. 
• The integration of equity is evident within Build Back Better Regional Challenge programs through three areas: equity in place-based program development; equity in coalition structure; and equity in project initiatives. 
• EDA’s prioritization of equity in grantmaking activities has established a new standard for the integration of equitable practices in federal development projects.

Through the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC), President Biden’s American Rescue Plan invested $1 billion in 21 coalitions to advance economic strategies across 24 states. These once-in-a-generation awards facilitated a new approach to place-based economic development, helping rebuild the economic infrastructures of underserved American communities grappling with decades of disinvestment.

As part of its commitment to equitable economic development, EDA enlisted the University of Michigan Economic Growth Institute and the New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) to document and elevate efforts BBBRC grantees take to advance equity and ensure impact for all communities.

Their first report on the BBBRC, “Interweaving Equity in Place-based Economic Development Programs,” provides an insightful examination of equity programming across coalitions. Equity is EDA’s leading investment priority, and this new report details the bureau’s efforts to meet that commitment.

This report introduces a new lens through which to view the application of equity in BBBRC initiatives. It examines:

• Equity in place-based program development,
• Equity in coalition structures, and,
• Equity in project activities.

The report explains how each of these approaches are dependent on the others for success.

The report analyzes the outcomes within each aspect, as well as cross-cutting impacts, and provides actionable recommendations for decision-makers. It observes that the integration of equity is evident within Build Back Better Regional Challenge programs through the three areas, fleshing out further data and details in each.

• In equity in place-based program development, the report dives into local narratives, acknowledgement of historical harm and marginalization, and community engagement.
• Through equity in coalition structure, the report addresses community-engaged decision-making, equity approaches, and capacity.
• And finally, through equity in project initiatives, both outreach approaches and populations served are identified. 

These findings add to a growing body of literature on equitable place-based economic development.

EDA’s prioritization of equity in grantmaking activities has established a new standard for the integration of equitable practices in federal development projects. The coalitions approach equity in diverse and robust ways, and the report concludes that they “provide a roadmap of leading practices of economic inclusivity and resiliency.”      

Stakeholders can read the report here (PDF).

The University of Michigan and NGIN teams will continue to evaluate implementation efforts in pursuit of EDA’s equity priority in future reports for the Build Back Better Regional Challenge and the Good Jobs Challenge. Their first report on the Good Jobs Challenge can be accessed here (PDF).