Stories
Cooperation and Collaboration: Takeaways From the 90th Annual United States Conference of Mayors
Collaboration is the cornerstone of FUSE, and we are always looking for exciting ways to connect with government partners both new and existing. For FUSE, USCM offers an opportunity to expand existing partnerships, build new relationships, and learn about the most pressing current issues facing cities and counties. All of this enables us to tailor our projects to better fit the needs of each community we serve. Continued
Two Texas Counties Expand Public Health by Leveraging Community Engagement
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to expose the strengths and weaknesses in public health infrastructure across the nation. In Texas, reaching diverse communities spread out over a massive geographic area proved less complicated than overcoming the mistrust of government present in many at-risk populations. Continued
Historic Problems, New Solutions
The old adage “health is wealth” speaks to a pervasive human truth, particularly in New Orleans, where a hurricane season within a pandemic exposed a stark reality: the gap between Black and White health and wealth is widening. This isn’t news to a city where the link between the two is well documented, and where a complex history has blurred racial lines beyond simple definition. Continued
FUSE Partners with John Legend to Launch HUMANLEVEL
FUSE Corps is thrilled to be working in partnership with John Legend to launch HUMANLEVEL, a new initiative to uplift communities disproportionately impacted by institutionalized racism. Continued
FUSE Best Practices for Advancing Racial Equity: Three Ways Marketing Strategy Can Help Deliver Equitable Services
The Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services used private-sector micro-marketing segmentation practices to more effectively use data to target communities in need. Continued
FUSE Best Practices for Advancing Racial Equity: Community Engagement and Data
Data alone won’t reveal the context and causes of racial disparities in transportation, policing and many other municipal services. Continued
How Data Can Create Racial Equity
To address systemic racism, U.S. city leaders need to stop looking at their data in aggregate and start asking questions. Continued
How Two California Cities Are Working to Stay Afloat of the Impending Homelessness Crisis
COVID-19 has exacerbated California's housing crisis, but Stockton and San Jose are striving to protect residents. Continued
How to Make Communities Part of the Opportunity Zone Equation
Ensuring that local governments prioritize community voice through Opportunity Zones. Continued
Los Angeles Shines a (Street)Light on Equity
Los Angeles works to embrace smart city technology in more inclusive ways. Continued
How to Make Sure City Budgets Prioritize Racial Equity
As cities and counties face deficits due to Covid-19, including equity in the budgeting process is more important than ever. Continued
How Los Angeles Is Supporting Immigrant Workers and Businesses Affected by COVID
Protecting and prioritizing immigrant workers and immigrant-owned businesses in Los Angeles County. Continued
How Oakland Is Helping Small Businesses Survive During the Pandemic
Prioritizing the most vulnerable businesses in overlooked neighborhoods with grant programs and community outreach. Continued
14 Smart Strategies for Designing Human-Centered Transportation Systems
As cities embrace the future of transportation, FUSE fellows are designing systems that meet the needs of the community. Continued
Working Together to Dismantle Structural Racism
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move forward as a society. Continued
Five Ways Local Governments Can Spur Development of Affordable Housing
Finding creative approaches to financing affordable housing even amidst COVID-19. Continued
Equity Must Be Part of the COVID-19 Recovery Framework
Resiliency and recovery experts share how local government can respond with urgency, nimbleness, and flexibility. Continued
How Libraries Are Stepping Up as a Front Line of Resilience
Reimagining community service during COVID-19 and beyond. Continued
During the COVID-19 Crisis, Staying Connected to Communities Is More Critical than Ever. Here’s How to Do It Right
Civic leaders and FUSE fellows offer advice on staying connected, especially to already marginalized communities, during the pandemic. Continued
Washington D.C. Works to Fill a Gap in Treatment for Justice-Involved Individuals with Behavioral Health Issues
Breaking the cycle of recidivism by helping change thinking patterns. Continued
COVID-19: 10 Things Government Agencies Can Do to Protect the Health of Their Most Vulnerable Residents
How health and human services agencies are responding to COVID-19. Continued
What Government Agencies Can Do Now to Help Small Businesses Cope with the COVID-19 Crisis
How civic leaders can immediately help small businesses. Continued
Giving Underserved Youths a Chance to Succeed Through Better Access to High-Quality Education
Prioritizing access to education for underserved youths. Continued
L.A. County’s ‘Command Center’ Is Making Healthcare Better
Applying change management for improved patient experiences and coordinated care. Continued
In Search of Answers to the Homelessness Crisis, These California Cities Are Breaking Down Long-Standing Silos
Coordinating communication to effectively address homelessness. Continued
How Vallejo Used a Failed Amazon Bid to Drive Economic Development
Reimagined marketing counters a stalled economy. Continued
Washington D.C. Aims to Improve Underserved Neighborhoods Through Better Land Management
Managing properties to prioritize equitable land use. Continued
Los Angeles County Works to Transform Criminal Justice Through Collaboration
Opening lines of communication to reform criminal justice. Continued
Google, Square, and Kiva Are Helping Boost Startups in Cleveland
Public-private partnerships help fledgling businesses. Continued
Overlooked by Venture Capitalists, Underserved Entrepreneurs Find Support from Local Governments
Helping every aspiring entrepreneur have a chance at success. Continued
How Government Agencies Are Using Dashboards to Interpret Data and Improve Efficiency
Insider advice on developing data dashboards. Continued
How to Design a Human-Centered Government Website
Best practices for building websites that serve local communities. Continued
In Their Search for New Approaches to Affordable Housing, Innovative Civic Leaders Are Thinking Small
The potential of micro-housing to help with the affordable housing crisis. Continued
The Streets of East Palo Alto Are Crammed with Commuters. The City Turns to Its Residents for Solutions
Listening to the community is key to understanding the issues. Continued
Offering More Than a Roof, These Housing Authorities Help Residents Become Financially Self Reliant
Empowering residents through innovative services. Continued
Minneapolis Seeking More Equitable Transportation Alternatives
Advancing mobility for all residents. Continued
Thousands of Silicon Valley Residents Can’t Get Online. San Jose Has a Plan to Fix That
Increasing connectivity and digital services. Continued
How L.A. County Made Collecting Child Support Less Punitive
It's not a one-size-fits-all approach. Continued
Here’s How Long Beach Is Working to Ensure Every Resident Is Counted in the 2020 Census
Collaboration and community trust are key. Continued
Fewer Emissions, Cheaper Energy: San Jose Forges Ahead Toward a Sustainable Future
San Jose strives to improve the health and lives of its community. Continued
St. Louis Tackles Pretrial Reform
Rethinking a system to improve equity and decrease the jail population. Continued
Accelerator Funds for Affordable Housing? San Francisco’s Creative Approach
Preserving and expanding the city's supply of affordable housing. Continued
Beyond Shelter: San Francisco’s Holistic Approach to Caring for the Homeless
Improving health outcomes by considering all the needs of a patient. Continued
Avoiding Gentrification, How to Use Opportunity Zones to Benefit Communities
Local governments prepare for potential investments. Continued
As Construction Industry Booms, Pittsburgh Moves to Avoid Labor Shortfall
Bringing local and diverse talent into the skilled trades. Continued
For Those Experiencing Homelessness, ‘The Bin’ Honors Their Belongings
Los Angeles provides free storage to anyone who needs the service. Continued
San Francisco Humanizes the Healthcare Experience
Taking a patient-centered approach to care. Continued
Los Angeles Libraries Help Immigrants with Vital Services
Classes and support help immigrants thrive as residents. Continued
Building a Workforce to Help the Homeless in Los Angeles
Recruiting a diverse workforce to provide services for those experiencing homelessness. Continued
How City Leaders Are Taking on Their Most Difficult Challenges
Insights on revitalizing and rebuilding urban communities. Continued
Amidst a Rising Sea-Level Crisis, Staying Resilient in New Orleans
Lessons learned on staying resilient with limited resources. Continued
Connecting Vulnerable Seniors to Services They Need In Long Beach
Improving accessibility and mobility, and intergenerational equity. Continued
How Philadelphia is Battling Poverty by Building a Robust Workforce
Government, community, and business leaders collaborate to build an innovative workforce development system. Continued
Designing a Patient-Centered Approach in the L.A. County Jail System
Creating a more streamlined process that improves the quality and efficiency of medical care of those who go through the L.A. County criminal justice system. Continued
How New Orleans is Building an Open, Transparent Police Department
Responding to an expansive consent decree, the New Orleans Police Department is opening up its data, and building trust with the community along the way. Continued
In San Francisco, Video Series Raises Awareness About Affordable Housing
Highlighting the city's efforts to provide affordable housing resources for residents. Continued
Life After Jail: In L.A. County, a Systems-Wide Approach to Reduce Recidivism
Helping justice-involved individuals access the wraparound services they need most. Continued
In San Jose, Making the City a Classroom
The San Jose Public Library is rethinking how to integrate city facilities and services as learning opportunities. Continued
Creating a Process Map: How Denver Aligned Agencies to Push Through Transit Projects
How a roadmap helps build coordination and collaboration. Continued
How Three Cities Are Expanding Job Opportunities for Their Most Vulnerable Residents
Closing the skills gap presents new opportunities. Continued
Four Ways to Build Strong Communities
Insights to build inclusive, forward-thinking communities that respond to residents’ needs. Continued
Collaboration in Action: Here’s What it Takes
True collaboration is not just sitting in the same meeting together. Continued
Mayors Unite to Take On Cities’ Challenges
Mayors take a stand on immigration, broadband access, community policing, the 2020 Census, and more. Continued
How to Get Kids to See Their Own Potential
Integrate their vision for themselves into your advice. Continued
Mixing It Up: Business-World Tactics In Government
Tactics like whiteboarding ideas to get creative ideas flowing. Continued
Addressing Digital Inequality in San Jose
The key driver that influences the digital divide is affordability. Continued
Advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Bay Area
Tackling affordable childcare, parental leave, and explicit bias training for all city staff. Continued
Cleaning Up the Streets of Los Angeles
How L.A. Is using data, tech, and smart strategies, block by block. Continued
Connecting Students to STEM Careers
Establishing a school-to-workforce STEM pipeline through public-private partnerships. Continued
Creating a Blueprint for More Equitable Growth
Helping the city's most vulnerable residents find jobs. Continued
Fueling a Startup Movement in the Breadbasket of the World
Ag tech, clean tech, and food tech can flourish in Fresno. Continued
Instilling a Culture of Innovation in Government
Designing an Office of Innovation to improve customer-centered services. Continued
Reimagining How to Fund Critical Infrastructure Projects
Creative ways to engage private-sector partners. Continued
The Road to a Winning Olympic City Bid
What it took to get L.A. the 2024 Games. Continued
COVID-19 Tools & Resources
As FUSE fellows respond to the COVID-19 crisis, we've compiled the resources they’re surfacing and deploying into the field. Continued