1. Building an Infrastructure of Opportunity in Greenville

2. Lack of Mobility: The South Stands Out
Strategic
Greenville
4.7%
Source: Equality of Opportunity Project

3. Forbes Best for Business Increase in Poverty Since 2000
Growth and Low Mobility
The paradox of the metro South, 100 Largest Metros
Forbes Best for Business
Mobility
Poverty Rate
Increase in Poverty Since 2000
Raleigh, NC 1 94
12.0%
96.8%
Nashville, TN 6 78
14.0%
66.7%
Charlotte, NC 7 98
97.4%
Dallas, TX 8 55
14.4%
64.4%
Atlanta, GA 9 96
14.5%
89.9%
Greenville, SC 40 93
16.3
62.5
These places have booming, globally competitive economies that generates significant opportunity and wealth. But they have some of the lowest mobility in the US, high poverty rates, and substantial increases in poverty. Growth is not reaching everyone.
Sources: Forbes, Equality of Opportunity Project, Trulia, Brookings, and US Census Bureau.
Forbes Best For Business List: rank out of largest 100 metros (#1 is best), 2014 list
Mobility: rank of 100 largest commuting zones (#100 is least mobile, #1 is most), 2013 study
Percent of people in poverty,
Increase in number of people in poverty, 2000 to
Sources: Forbes, Equality of Opportunity Project, Trulia, Brookings, and U.S. Census Bureau

4. Economic Mobility in the Greenville Commuting Zone
A young adult born to parents in the bottom quintile of the income distribution, has a nearly 70% chance of staying in the bottom two quintiles
Source: Equality of Opportunity Project

5. 5 place-based factors that lead to increased economic mobility
Less residential segregation
Larger middle class
More stable family structure
Greater social capital
Better education
Source: Equality of Opportunity Project

6. Residential Segregation in Greenville, SC
U.S. Census: 2010 Decennial Census

7. Where are the Opportunities?
Living Wage: Greenville County, SC (2017)
Getting by on one income (2 adults [one working], 1 child)
Median Earnings and the Living Wage
Median hourly earnings, all occupations
$18.93
Hourly living wage, 2 adults (1 working) and one child
$20.25
Jobs with Median Hourly Earnings Above Hourly Living Wage
Share of jobs with median hourly earnings above living wage amount
30.3%
Share of those jobs typically requiring a postsecondary degree or non-degree award or more
72.6%
Sources: MIT Living Wage Project for one adult and one child. and EMSI Q Data Set. EMSI occupation employment data are based on final EMSI industry data and final EMSI staffing patterns. Wage estimates are based on Occupational Employment Statistics (QCEW and Non-QCEW Employees classes of worker) and the American Community Survey (Self- Employed).
The living wage shown is the hourly rate that an individual with one child must earn to get by, if they are the sole provider and are working full-time (2080 hours per year).
The hourly living wage listed here is the equivalent of $42,006 annually (both are before taxes). The poverty line for one adult with one child is around $7.00 per hour.
salary.php
Sources: MIT Living Wage Project for one adult and one child. and EMSI Q Data Set. EMSI occupation employment data are based on final EMSI industry data and final EMSI staffing patterns. Wage estimates are based on Occupational Employment Statistics (QCEW and Non-QCEW Employees classes of worker) and the American Community Survey (Self-Employed).

8. Education makes a difference
Jobs by Median Hourly Wage Level (2016), Greenville County
Source: EMSI
Education also makes a difference in what wages you earn
This slide looks at the typical entry level education required by wage level.
Less than HS and HS often make less than $20/hour. It is not until you get a Associate’s degree until you see a large share of jobs paying above $20/hour and you don’t see this jobs paying $40/hour until you have a 4 year degree.
Source: EMSI

9. Improved outcomes depend on:
Culture
Systems
Leadership

10. Pathway to upward economic mobility
[Slides move from basic LOMO to LOMO with on-ramps to LOMO with headwinds– this is basic LOMO]
This is the path that people move through… our work.
Yet, this work is not being done in an isolated vacuum/system. Thus, to change mobility patterns, we need to recognize that other systems are conspiring to keep the current disturbing patterns in place.

11. The Infrastructure of Opportunity
Income Inequality
Cultural Messages &
Media Representation
Institutional Policies
Local School Quality
Racial Segregation
Family Structure
Public Policies
Structural Racism
Criminal Justice System
Transportation
Social Capital
Our education system exists not on its own—but in an ecosystem of mobility.
While our focus has been on this work – access to, persistence in, and completion of postsecondary credentials, the path to possibility involves more. There are systemic and cultural barriers in place. It’s not enough for our work to focus internally on our organizations—our work must also address the underlying systems, the community, and the community culture. To change mobility outcomes, we need to work on the systems and culture that keep the current patterns in place.
Note: the factors at the top are systems. Three at the bottom (cultural messages and media representation, social capital, and race and ethnicity) are all social and cultural forces.

12. Network for Southern Economic Mobility – Purpose/Structure
A collaborative learning and action network to increase upward economic mobility of youth & young adults
Four cities: Greenville, Athens, Chattanooga & Jacksonville
2-year project commitment, with long-term horizon
8-10 person leadership team
MDC’s role in NSEM

13. Network for Southern Economic Mobility – The Work
Examining how existing systems are reaching youth & young adults
Analyzing how policies, systems and culture support or impede progress
Developing integrated action plans for community change
MDC’s role in NSEM

14. Network for Southern Economic Mobility – Intended Outcomes
Detailed systems and data analysis of mobility barriers in Greenville
Set of actionable priorities that align strategic investments in systemic change
Influential, informed leadership team equipped to guide implementation
Cross-region peer group of leaders working together on shared issues
MDC’s role in NSEM

15. Greenville Team Members
Hank Hyatt, Chamber of Commerce Jil Littlejohn, City Council Rokiesha Suber, Community Outreach Advocate Whitney Hanna, Greenville County Schools Christen Hairston, Greenville Health System Wendy Walden, Greenville Tech Gage Weekes, Hollingsworth Funds Ansel Sanders, Public Education Partners Jerry Blassingame, Soteria CDC

16. How does NSEM relate to Accelerate?
GROW NEW COMPANY HEADQUARTERS
POSITION OUR WORKFORCE FOR 21st CENTURY OPPORTUNITIES
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF, AND THE PERFORMANCE OF MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES
LEAD NEW TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS

17. Take home questions to consider
What do these issues mean for me as a leader?
What do these issues mean for the Board of the Chamber as a force for leadership?

18. Resources
Greenville NSEM Website Economic Mobility Research Greenville NSEM Project Coordinator Grady Powell, Openfields LLC