The L.A. County Department of Economic Opportunity was selected to participate in the second phase of Results for America’s Good Jobs & Equity Project, backed by the Families and Workers Fund, which will help 12 communities implement innovative job quality strategies that promote economic mobility and strengthen local economies.

“Through this launch, L.A. County Department of Economic Opportunity will be positioning L.A. County as a leader in developing a job quality framework that will incentivize investments that align with our core values of sustainability, equitable economic growth, and quality job creation for both the communities and businesses we serve,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

“We look forward to working closely with fellow County Departments, community partners, and our local elected officials, in particular Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, ” said Kelly LoBianco, Director of the new L.A. County Department of Economic Opportunity. “We appreciate the Supervisors leadership in sponsoring our bid to participate in this effort, and look forward to developing local infrastructure investments that prioritize equity in workforce opportunities, leading to quality jobs with living wages and sustainable economic growth for all of our diverse communities.”

Nationwide, more than 53 million Americans are working in low-wage jobs, and roughly six in 10 workers report being in “mediocre” or “bad” jobs. The Good Jobs & Equity Project represents a growing movement to rethink what makes a good job and take evidence-based action to promote equitable, high-quality employment for all.

“For decades, governments have focused mostly on the quantity of jobs created, not the quality of those jobs. But that is changing—these 12 communities are taking steps to lift wages, improve benefits, provide stable schedules, and ensure voice, dignity and purpose,” said Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America. “We look forward to helping leaders use evidence-based strategies to create high-quality jobs for their residents and build more vibrant and sustainable communities for all.”

Through the Good Jobs & Equity Project, jurisdictions will receive the tools, resources and skills needed to build and use evidence and data to create high-quality jobs. The project will also identify the most effective evidence-based strategies for improving job quality in more communities across the country.

As part of this initiative, DEO will work closely with Results for America as part of our Infrastructure L.A.’s Workforce Development subcommittee launch to support Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded project proposals and development to align with both federal equity and workforce development priorities and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors priorities of equity, sustainability, climate resilience, workforce development, economic development, and job creation. DEO looks forward to working with the Results for America team in developing a strategy and evaluation framework to help us achieve these goals.

“We’re thrilled to support state and local leaders through RFA’s Good Jobs & Equity Project as they leverage historic federal investments to provide good jobs that sustain and uplift all residents,” said Rachel Korberg, Executive Director of the Families and Workers Fund. “These innovative projects will be models for communities across the country looking to break down the racial, gender, and other inequities that have left too many Americans behind.”

The project will run through December 2024 and include a comprehensive evaluation of resident impact, with the goal that DEO’s learnings can provide a roadmap for other communities as they advance job quality. Learn more here.

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About DEO: The L.A. County Department of Economic Opportunity helps job seekers, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and residents access life-changing opportunities. Stay connected with DEO! Follow @EconOppLA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, or visit opportunity.lacounty.gov to learn about DEO services.

Results for America: Results for America is a leading national nonprofit organization helping policymakers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Results for America’s mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal”  so that government decision-makers regularly and effectively use evidence and data to increase the impact of the over $2 trillion that governments spend each year to open opportunities and advance economic mobility.

Families & Workers Fund: The Families and Workers Fund is a platform for collective action and a pooled $65+ million collaborative fund supported by 25 diverse funders working together to build a more equitable economy that uplifts all. We were founded on the belief that the United States is experiencing a once-in-a-generation opening to advance economic security, opportunity, and mobility. The Fund is able to respond quickly and effectively to emerging ideas by leveraging catalytic partnerships and collaboration across philanthropy, government, and the private sector.