California Regional Workforce Funders Collaboratives and Innovation: Emerging Lessons from Experience to Date Key Informant Interviews with Funders and Grantees February 2012

 Impetus and Purpose  Key Stakeholders  Inquiry Design  Funder Observations  Grantee Observations  Summary

 Imperative for regional collaboration in a time of constrained resources  Need for targeted investment to  Meet emerging regional health employer needs  Provide support for UR populations  ID and address institutional and policy obstacles to innovation

 Inform  Health Workforce Development Council statewide plan development  CHWA membership and ongoing health workforce development efforts  Provide  Input to RWFC partners on innovations to date and obstacles to be addressed

 Regional Workforce Funders Collaboratives  Four in CA – Bay Area, San Joaquin, LA, SD  Local and regional foundations, non- profit agencies (e.g., UW), public and private sector employers and community colleges  Develop/strengthen pub/private sector workforce partnerships, links to employer needs, emphasis on UR populations.  Workforce Investment Boards  49 WIBs in the state, 7 in LAC, some multi-county  Workforce services through One-Stop Career Centers  Convene business, labor, and education, analyze and disseminate data/information, advocate for workforce policy  California Community Colleges  72 districts, 112 colleges, and over 2.9 million students  Central role in training for allied health professions

 Key informant interviews with funders and grantees from each of 4 RWFCs  Interviewees selected by RWFC lead agency representatives based upon demonstrated commitment to innovation (given focus of inquiry).  One hour telephone interviews with 18 representatives (9 funders, 9 grantees)  Small sample – Important to view input as issues to discuss, rather than draw conclusions

 Funders  “ What would you identify as the most significant obstacles to innovation, as it relates to a) grantee organizational functions, structures, etc., and b) local and state public policies?”  Grantees  “In the course of your implementation of your project(s) supported by the Funders Collaborative, in what ways did your organization change the way it does business?”

 Lack of collaborative capacity/experience  Some WIBs have little prior experience in serving as intermediary or convener – HWD large and complex sector  Lack of experience among WIBs in collaborative planning and engagement  Reluctance to explore innovative approaches among larger WIBs  Lack of flexibility among CCCs in design and implementation of programs

 Strategies to address, given imperative to meet increased demand in context of health reform  Targeted engagement between WIBs and economic development agencies  Increased emphasis on strategic blending of funding streams between WIBs and other stakeholders  More critical review of variations in capacity and potential roles that WIBs may play in different regions

 Need for Increased Emphasis on Pathway Development and Targeted Support  WIBs expand their scope of engagement to address issues earlier in the educational pipeline  Lack of alignment among WIBs and mandates with the need for skill development for low income populations  CCCs need to expand links with high schools, with particular focus on health academies and support of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds  Lack of clear pathways and guidance in CCCs to ensure student knowledge and advancement  Need for more in depth and ongoing engagement between CCCs and health professions employers

 Quality Improvement  Lack of capacity and support for the development of metrics and monitoring systems that support quality improvement  Lack of understanding, and in some cases willingness to innovate among community- based organizations

 Public Policy Obstacles to Innovation  Stringent funding requirements  Lack of flexibility in use of funding dollars  Funding impediments to collaboration  Lack of focus on strategies based on best practices

 Strategies to Address  Establish regional intermediaries  Engage local elected officials  Create targeted funding streams  Diversify funding sources  Develop long term strategic plans that include policy development  RWFCs key resource to bridge funding gaps in system

 Strengthened Partnerships  Increased focus on collaborative planning  Ability to expand staffing capacity  Better alignment between community college programs and employers of varying size.  WIBs giving increased focus to health careers and leveraging training $$.

 Increased program effectiveness and sustainability  Provided the infrastructure to step back and re-design existing programs  Enabled staff to participate on other planning and advisory bodies  Increased the time and interest among staff to pursue additional funding opportunities  Increased awareness of health career opportunities among HS youth  Increased program retention

 New Strategies, Programs, & Populations Served  HIT training programs  Vocational ESL health program  Summer bridge program  Increased focus on health workforce diversity  Multi-stakeholder collaborative strategic planning

 Enhance CCC Curriculum and Culture  Increased alignment with regional employer needs  Customize training curriculum for medical assistants  Developed health career computer skills curriculum  Changed culture among nursing instructors “There used to be a boot camp mentality but now there is a greater focus on mentoring and peer tutors.”

 Mix of positive and negative input on the role of WIBs suggests  In depth assessment to determine optimal roles in different regions  Need for targeted sharing of best practices among WIBs to provide a road map for innovation  RWFCs address gaps in current funding patterns  Infrastructure for collaboration and shared accountability  Support services for youth and adults from disadvantaged communities  Move the needle – increase training capacity  Need for increased emphasis on  Engagement of policy makers  Integration of policy development into collaborative strategic planning  Others?