Fargo-Moorhead Workforce Study Part 2: BUILD: Collaboration with NonProfits serving Workers of Low-Income Around Income Stability

In the NDESPA blog post on August 31st, 2015 we examined the foundational findings in the study regarding the inability to work in the Fargo-Moorhead laborshed.  Those findings were:

1. Lack of collaboration between Fargo-Moorhead and the non-profits providing support and wraparound services to people of low income.
2. Lack of affordable housing for people in low-wage jobs that make up 45% of the employment options in Fargo-Moorhead.
3. The lack of childcare is negatively impacting peoples' ability to take work.  Only 54% of the child care needs in Fargo-Moorhead are being met by licensed childcare providers.

In today's post we are digging into some of the ideas the study puts forward in its BUILD framework.

Assuming the authors of the study put the workforce study in priority order, the most important component of the study's BUILD framework is: "To Create a more formal collaborative of nonprofits working with low-income clients around income stability" (p25).  

The study recommends establishing "a regional network for financial independence and stability" which would "strengthen the regional support network and wraparound services available to low-income residents" (ibid).

According to the study "the collaboration would provide nonprofit partners with a common set of goals and the opportunity to share information, best practices, and lessons learned" (ibid).

Sounds kind of familiar to NDESPA.  NDESPA has been building coalition-based communications, coordination and activity planning, public education and advocacy, coalition building, and technical assistance through partners such as Public Works, CFED, and the Hatcher Group on the state-level since 2008.

The F/M Workforce study also states the collaboration would "build connections between nonprofits and formalize referral networks and shared services" enhancing "the capacity of the nonprofit network to offer comprehensive and bundled services" benefiting clients with low-income (ibid).

The process the workforce study describes is impressive, but might be lacking a major component.

It is not only private nonprofits providing the existing support network for workers with low-income and their families.  Public entities, such as county social services, are also key to providing a financial support network, through programs like TANF, SNAP, LIHEAP, and others.  It is their enforcement of regulations from the state and national level that act as gatekeepers to the very support network these working families need.

These county agencies do a great job of helping people as much as they can for the, often, short time it is needed.  Their voices should be included at the decision-making table along with the other stakeholders.