Anchor Institution Initiative Research Report Alameda County

Transcription

1 Alameda County Anchor Institution Initiative Final Report Summer 2015 Anchor Institution Initiative Research Report Alameda County Anchor Institution Initiative Final Report Summer 2015

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Project Purpose and Objectives... 3 Opportunities... 3 Defining an Anchor Strategy... 4 Purpose of the Initiative... 4 II. Current Anchor Strategies and Best Practices... 6 Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Model... 7 Philadelphia, PA: Drexel University... 8 Fresno, CA: San Joaquin Valley Regional Industry Clusters Initiative... 9 Detroit, MI: Henry Ford Early College Summary III. Data Collection Methodology Data Collection Challenges IV. Findings Findings by Anchor Institution Summary V. Opportunities and Next Steps Immediate Opportunities Long-Term Opportunities VI. Appendix Summarized Findings: Human Resources Summarized Findings: Procurement/Purchasing Summarized Findings: Community Engagement

3 I. PROJECT PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES Opportunities The following opportunities have been identified based on the analysis of anchor institutions in Alameda County, CA. Detailed descriptions can be found in Opportunities and Next Steps. Opportunities 1 Create cooperative partnerships for anchor institutions to participate in and buy into a formal anchor institution initiative 2 Garner participation of all anchor institutions in the Anchors for Resilient Communities (ARC) effort to increase support of the initiative and lead to greater outcomes 3 Collaborate with anchor institutions to develop and/or align sector strategies and career pathways 4 Create alignment between youth programs, initiatives and ARC priorities with PG&E s PowerPathways Program and CSUEB s service learning internships 5 Formalize relationships with community colleges and universities, through curriculum development and work programs 6 Establish blanket MOUs between County agencies and anchor institutions 7 Develop local purchasing policies for anchor institutions to encourage local procurement 8 Employ alternative, technology-based tools to support procurement 9 Identify a procurement intermediary to act as a third party in creating a procurement blanket list 3

4 Defining an Anchor Strategy Anchor institutions are place-based entities that are tied to their surroundings by mission, invested capital, infrastructure or relationships to customers, employees and vendors. The Alameda County Social Services Agency (SSA) seeks opportunities to ensure that investments benefit anchor institutions efforts to create quality jobs, hire locally, promote local procurement through their vendor relationships, and spur economic development, with a particular interest in long-term disinvested communities. Anchor institutions often 1) are not familiar with incentives, services, and funding that are available through counties, or 2) do not see the opportunities for collaboration to reach goals around local purchasing. These organizations have a large potential to offer key benefits to local communities. Anchor missions can contribute to economic development, community building and education, and health and safety of the environment. i It is through these institutional efforts that communities can become more vibrant, healthy places of residence and work. Anchor Institutions Provide a sound community investment, incubate business, promote equitable and minority hiring and procurement, and support affordable housing initiatives. Engage stable community partners, educate and advance youth, and provide financial education and assistance to residents. Promote or fund public health initiatives, green programs, and streetscape improvements, which result in positive outcomes in health, safety, and environment. Purpose of the Initiative The SSA and the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board (ACWIB) engaged in a research effort to contribute to the local discussion about how Alameda County can engage anchor institutions around workforce procurement and economic development. The Anchors for Resilient Communities (ARC) partnership in the East Bay has largely influenced the purpose and findings of this report. The Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC), Health Care without Harm, and The Democracy Collaborative have joined forces in the ARC effort, which aims to leverage the assets and capacities of Northern California s anchor institutions to develop healthy, resilient and economically prosperous communities, focusing on under-served neighborhoods in Richmond and Oakland. ii Through this Anchor Institution Initiative report, SSA/ACWIB seek to identify specific opportunities to increase anchor institution community impact through hiring and procurement practices and to align the broader county employment and training system with the needs of local anchor institutions. There is a great need to better engage local resources and supports to serve and fulfill the needs of the impoverished communities of Alameda County. There are opportunities for local businesses to collaborate with County agencies to strategize procurement, hiring, and community engagement practices to support job creation and local business. Public sector employment funding can be coordinated with these business needs. SSA provides programs and services to approximately 11.3% of Alameda County s residents. iii Employment and training dollars flow through SSA to administer the CalWORKs system, which provides cash assistance and services to eligible needy California families. SSA s benefits programs contribute over $278 million to the local economy through cash assistance and CalFresh. Though families, children, seniors, and individuals benefit from SSA s services, historically, overall outcomes have not drastically improved. iv SSA is making efforts to implement a more customer-centered approach in delivering services including: 4

5 Adult and Aging such as In-home Supportive Services, Adult Protective Services, Children and Family Services, such as Foster Care Placement, Child Abuse Prevention, and Family Reunification; and Workforce and Benefits Administration, including cash assistance, mental health programs, employment and training programs, and Medi-Cal (the state s health insurance program for eligible low-income individuals and families); and supportive services. Within these services, SSA aims to improve outcomes and, more importantly, increase well-being and self-sufficiency for Alameda County residents. In order to achieve these goals, SSA must develop new ways to leverage local business and industry resources, which will allow SSA to provide comprehensive services to jobseekers. The Anchor Institution Initiative represents an important next step toward creating greater long-term community investment and impact. This project was guided by Alameda County SSA s 2013 publication, Alameda County Social Services: Refocusing Our Efforts for Long Term Community Investment. As part of the initiative, the SSA and ACWIB contracted Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG) to conduct research, interviews with local anchor institutions, and data collection in order to provide insight into hiring, supply chain, and procurement opportunities that could be enhanced with county partnerships and resources. By uncovering and analyzing the complex employment ecosystems created by anchor institutions and their supply chains, SSA/ACWIB and their partners can create a data-driven approach to talent development that aligns service delivery strategies with the employment opportunities generated by regional anchor institutions. In order to best support workforce and economic development in Alameda County, employers need a local workforce with the skills and competencies that match their business needs, while job seekers need accessible sector-based career pathways and opportunities to rejoin the labor force in a meaningful, sustainable way. 5

6 II. CURRENT ANCHOR STRATEGIES AND BEST PRACTICES Anchor institution strategies have been employed across the country to offer jobs to local residents, purchase services and goods from within the local area, and fulfill residents health, education, and social needs. v Anchor institutions and their communities have a mutually beneficial relationship, as the success of these institutions often depends on the strong surrounding business environment and supply for the demand. As our country and its business enterprises continue down the path of globalization, anchor institutions are becoming increasingly vital in local economic development. While many anchor institution strategy successes have not been in existence long enough to show proven results, there are emerging best practices that should inform anchor activities and guide successful implementation. The following case studies describe regional and local areas in which the economic power of anchor institutions were examined and utilized to contribute to the overall wealth of the community. Included are institutions such as universities and non-profit hospitals ( eds and meds ), the largest, most common nonprofit anchors. vi These examples, listed below and described on the following pages, provide positive, replicable anchor models that Alameda County might draw upon to meet local needs. There are still too few examples of anchors that have clear strategies for creating shared value in their neighboring communities There are emerging best practices that should inform anchor activities and guide successful implementation Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Model Philadelphia, PA: Drexel University Fresno, CA: San Joaquin Valley Regional Industry Clusters Initiative Detroit, MI: Henry Ford Early College 6

7 Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Model Model A model has been developed in the economically distressed city of Cleveland in order to promote the development of employee-owned businesses and collaborative partnerships across various businesses and government entities. The Cleveland Model, as it is called across the country, is a result of partnerships between the Democracy Collaborative, the Cleveland Foundation, Ohio Employee Ownership Center, City of Cleveland, and major universities and hospitals in the city. It is comprised of large-scale, worker-owned, and community-benefiting businesses. vii The model enhances relationships between anchor institutions, local government, non-profits and community-based organizations, local businesses, and the labor force. In the model: Anchor institutions purchase goods and services from worker cooperatives, which hire residents from the surrounding community; Non-profit organizations provide funding toward and support these worker cooperatives and also work as a partner with municipal government in economic development; and Anchor institutions in turn invest in nonprofits. Goal Increase neighborhood stabilization, improve economic development, and promote green job creation. Under the Cleveland Foundation s Greater University Circle, Evergreen Cooperatives were created. Evergreen aims to improve community wealth and establish living wage jobs by incubating businesses and allowing employees to have ownership of them. Outcomes The primary anchors in Cleveland strategize business decisions, especially procurement, to be geared toward community wealth building. It has been projected that these worker-owners will have approximately $65,000 equity stake in their organizations after eight years. The future goal of this initiative is to create 5,000 new direct jobs for Clevelanders over the next 10 to 15 years. In addition, following an analysis of its supply chain, University Hospitals spent $1.2 billion to implement a five-year strategic plan. About $750 million of this cost was in construction. The organization strategically spent these dollars to provide direct benefits to Cleveland workers, doubling its spending within Cleveland and further contributing to the local economy. 7

8 Philadelphia, PA: Drexel University Model Drexel University works with local organizations and partners to improve services and the quality of living in West Philadelphia. As a part of university president John A. Fry s push for increased civic engagement, the university has collaborated with partners to improve education, health, employment, housing, and safety conditions in this high-poverty area. Goal The university s strategic goals for civic engagement include investments in economic vitality, health and wellness, safety and sustainability, K-12 education, housing, and retail and arts. These goals have taken form in community engagement efforts, including Drexel s role in initiatives of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD designated Philadelphia as a Promise Zone, providing support from federal agencies and technical assistance to support and improve private investments, affordable housing, educational opportunities, and job creation. viiiix Drexel served as a partner in planning efforts to revolutionize Philadelphia s Mantua neighborhood under HUD s Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant. Drexel has helped the planning team identify critical community needs and offer funding for youth leadership programs. x Outcomes The $250,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant funded the planning effort in Mantua for a 125-unit affordable housing development. The university collaborated with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the Philadelphia Foundation, the Philadelphia Housing Authority and local Head Start and Keystone Stars to develop a Transformation Plan that determined community goals for the development s revitalization. Planning conversations assessed potential safety, education, health and wellness, aesthetic and physical improvements in the neighboring areas. 8

9 Fresno, CA: San Joaquin Valley Regional Industry Clusters Initiative Model As part of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, the Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) and its partners engaged in an industry cluster analysis under the Regional Industry Clusters Initiative (RICI). In the San Joaquin Valley in central California, eight counties are plighted with high rates of poverty and unemployment as well as environmental threats including poor air and water quality. xi Fresno State, one of the California State University system s 23 campuses, has a large presence in the valley, enrolling more than 20,000 students in 2013 and gaining prestige for academic research and world-class agriculture programs. xii xiii Its OCED directs the RICI, a publicprivate collaborative of state agencies, private companies, and local governments, to develop an industry cluster analysis in this challenging area. The partnership helps establish connections between communities, investors, and partners, and addresses areas of need including economic and workforce development, sustainability, and housing. xivxv Goal Offer a platform for the evolution of the Valley s cluster initiatives and a framework to align initiatives and resources to capture value chain opportunities. Outcomes The analysis determined priority, high-growth clusters in the valley, including Agriculture, Energy, Health and Wellness, Logistics, Manufacturing, Water Technology, and Public Sector Infrastructure. Since clusters were determined, some have hosted industry-specific conferences for varied purposes, including educating attendees about sustainable business and fundraising for scholarships to high school students with an interest in pursuing a career in clean energy. 9

10 Detroit, MI: Henry Ford Early College Model The Henry Ford Health System has partnered with Henry Ford College and Dearborn Public Schools and collaborated with Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency and the State Board of Education to offer a free, five-year program for students in metropolitan Detroit that supports educational and certification attainment. In Detroit, there is a large regional need for health care workers in the area, as a well as a commitment to promoting student success. Henry Ford Early College integrates high school, college, and career education to provide healthcare career exposure and educational attainment to participating students, and: Allows students to graduate from high school, earn college credits, and finish with a certification in an allied health profession; Henry Ford Early College Programs of Study Offers programs that extend across the healthcare career spectrum, from biotechnology to ophthalmology to physical therapy; Provides job-shadowing to ninth and tenth grade students from Wayne County each week, in which they spend one day at Henry Ford Health System to shadow the real-life experiences of employees, acting as their preceptors; Covers the majority of students fees and textbook costs, as well as all tuition fees, covered by the school; and Surgical Technologist Pharmacy Technician Physical Therapy Assistant Radiographer Medical Practice Clinical Management Medical Practice / Facility Business Management Ophthalmic Technician Biotechnology Paramedic Pre-Nursing Associate of Science Provides multiple support mechanisms and activities sponsored by Henry Ford College. xvi Goal Provide students with the chance to attain both a high school diploma and prepare them for a future that is competitive, integrated with technology, and encourages career exploration. Outcomes At the conclusion of the program, a student receives a high school diploma from Henry Ford Early College (HFEC) and either an Associate s degree, health career college certificate, or up to two years of transferable college credits from Henry Ford College. Then, the student completes an exam to become certified in the appropriate allied health profession. It currently enrolls 230 students and adds 50 new ninth grade students each year. 10

11 Summary Though these and similar anchor institutions have not yet reported outcomes of their efforts, success in their programs and education and training speaks to large positive impact that anchor strategies can have in communities. These anchor models: Found early success in community wealth building, whether it be through developing workerowned and community-benefiting businesses, developing affordable housing, creating industry cluster strategies, or providing students with industry-recognized credentials. Involve partnerships and collaboration in order to enhance their community benefit missions and support their implementation through resource-sharing. It is evident that anchor strategies can transcend industries and promote the well-being of community residents and the growth of local economies. The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) provides a strong strategic framework, xvii seen in the diagram below, which summarizes the varied strategies of these case studies and other anchor institutions across the country. This unifying approach to community revitalization can guide an anchor s overall community development strategy, as each element of the framework represents an opportunity for shared value. An anchor can capitalize on its established area of expertise (e.g. as a provider of healthcare, education, employment, etc.) in order to be well-positioned to positively influence its community. 11

12 III. DATA COLLECTION METHODOLOGY To refine a long list of Anchor Institutions in Alameda County, SSA and local experts identified anchors of interest by prioritizing institutions across multiple categories: government, universities, hospitals/healthcare, laboratories, transportation, utilities, foundations, and others. The anchor institutions that were selected for further investigation through this study were: Through the data collection process, PCG and SSA/ACWIB aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the anchor strategies employed by each institution. Representatives from the Human Resources (HR), Community Engagement, and/or Procurement/Purchasing departments of each organization participated in a series of in-person and over-the-phone meetings, online surveys, and written follow-up questions throughout the process. Questions were designed to assess similarities and differences within each organization s multiple departments and across all of the anchor institutions. They focused on the following areas of interest: Human Resources Challenges with hiring locally, having a qualified pool of jobseekers, and aligning countywide investments in human capital Employee demographics Hiring practices Career pathways Incentives for local employment Challenges in finding local, qualified employees Procurement/Purchasing Local procurement goals and challenges Funding allocations to Alameda County businesses Outreach strategies Incentives for local procurement Community Engagement Existing anchor missions or openness to creating them Community engagement principles and initiatives Use or lack of Community Benefits Agreements Investments in local community building and leadership development Internal responsibilities and/or offices responsible for community engagement Does your organization face any challenges finding local job candidates with the skills and competencies needed to support your organizational goals, growth, and overall success? Would your organization be willing to pay a premium to procure more goods and services in Alameda County with the goal of creating jobs and growth in the region? Do you have an explicit anchor mission that embeds community engagement principles across the institution? Data Collection Challenges There were various challenges encountered throughout the data collection process. Due to the confidential nature of the information that anchor institutions were being asked to provide (e.g. dollar amounts for procurement, supply chain identification, hiring practices), many representatives declined to provide data. As is the case for research projects, some departments and/or organizations did not fully participate. However, findings for the organizations that did participate in the data collection process can be used to support the key objectives of the project. 12

13 IV. FINDINGS The following descriptions provide information about the five anchor institutions examined in this study. Details include their organization type and purpose; the organizations openness to anchor strategies; key findings from the data collection process; current initiatives, investments, and signature programs in place; and potential opportunities and points of leverage. Findings by Anchor Institution Organization Type: Hospital Location: Oakland, CA Background Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser) is a national healthcare organization whose mission is to provide affordable, high quality healthcare services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. xviii Kaiser serves over 3 million members in the Northern California Region, which covers Fresno and the Central Valley to the San Francisco Bay Area, through Sacramento. xix In Alameda County, Kaiser employs 1,326 employees. Most of the employees are female (69.5%), White/Caucasian (37.6%) or Asian/ Pacific Islander (35.0%), and work full-time (69.4%). Procurement at Kaiser is achieved through different departments with highest priority placed on product quality, product availability, and competition in the market. Openness to Anchor Strategies Kaiser s goals are similar to those of this initiative, in that: The organization s Community Benefits office, in particular, is looking to penetrate and serve communities and neighborhoods deeply, as opposed to widely, across the region. The office s end goal is to have partners with whom they can work and who they can support. Government directly impacts Kaiser, as flow of capital is essential to create jobs. Kaiser is currently crafting strategies around developing an anchor mission, to create a model that be applied across multiple areas of the organization. The organization does not yet have a defined community engagement advisory board with community partners. Our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. Kaiser is open to involvement with a county-wide anchor institution initiative. However, the Community Benefits office does see a possible challenge in aligning the County s public investments in human capital and community development with hiring and procurement needs. It may be hard to balance organizational hiring needs (to fill positions and offer great wages and benefits) without overwhelming other organizations that also require the same talent. 13

14 Key Data Findings and Challenges Having the Market Supply Kaiser has found difficulty in hiring employees who reside in the Alameda County. There are many possible reasons for this disparity with the main challenge being that Kaiser s market supply from Alameda County is not always available. In regards to hiring practices, Kaiser: Hires approximately 18,000 new hires each year and is in need of a skilled workforce with employees who are ready to begin long-term careers. Searches and sources talent differently from other organizations by aiming to hire for longevity. Gears job descriptions toward mid-level, experienced individuals, as opposed to younger applicants. Funding Challenges Kaiser faces many challenges with ensuring short- and long-term investments as well as acquiring sustainable funding. Throughout the healthcare industry, organizations are receiving lower reimbursements since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As a result: Goods and services still cost the same amount as they did prior to the ACA and suppliers pay an approximate 2.3% excise tax, keeping the prices high. Cost and market competition are more important factors in obtaining goods than procuring from local businesses. Current Initiatives, Community Investments, and Signature Programs Encouraging Diversity and Inclusion Kaiser has a goal that all employees in its network have an easy assimilation into healthcare. In 2015, the organization was ranked 2 nd on DiversityInc s Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, xx which assesses companies based on talent pipeline, equitable talent development, CEO/leadership commitment, and supplier diversity. Kaiser: Monitors diversity and inclusion at all levels of their organization, from the board level to the front-line staff level. Sets affirmative action goals across the whole organization as well, slightly differing between job functions and geography. Has launched a military recruitment initiative. xxi 14

15 Career Pathways and Educational Investments Kaiser encourages the furthering education of those in its community. The organization: Offers career pathways that differ based on job function and within corporate and regional positions and clinical or non-clinical roles. Does not yet have partnerships that lead to credential attainment, but has occasionally partnered with the State for grants. Provides substantial investments to Oakland Unified School District to support school-based health, African-American Male Achievement, and implementation of their strategic plan. Manages summer youth and internship programs to support career pipeline development for youth in Oakland and throughout the Northern California Region. Has a scholarship program for UC Berkeley School of Public Health Scholars and funds nursing and allied health programs. Total Health Model Kaiser allocates 3% of its revenue to the Community Benefits office. The office s goals are encompassed in its mission: We improve the total health of our members and the communities we serve. We expand access in our communities, improve our environments and shape health knowledge. xxii The office: Adopts a Total Health Model that aims to increase access to healthcare and to involve community health across the organization. Works to increase access to healthcare, encourage healthy lifestyles, and offer social support in the community. Provides funding to safety net providers through grant funding, technical assistance, research, support to other hospitals, and knowledge-sharing. Operates a Charity Care program, which provides medical services, including surgeries, to patients at no cost. Community Health Initiative Kaiser s Community Health Initiative involves over 50 programs that encourage environmental changes and policies that promote active living and healthy eating in schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Through this program, Kaiser and its partners: Promote HEAL (Healthy Eating and Active Living) by supporting the holistic health of individuals, which expands health to include neighborhood safety, family and community economic vitality, and social and emotional wellness. xxiii 15

16 Establish local biking and walking trails, offer health promotion programs to local business and their employees, and help local convenience stores stock their shelves with healthier food options. Invest in local community building through contributions local organizations to build the capacity to provide high quality care and training leaders. Analysis of Economic Benefit of Contracts A substantial amount of Kaiser s purchasing is managed at a national or regional level. The organization has not yet required data on how their purchasing practice directly impacts specific geographic localities and communities. A Supplier Diversity Group at Kaiser is examining the economic benefits that result from its contracts. o Each year, Kaiser goes through approximately 17 million pounds of laundry. The organization recently ended the contract with their laundry provider. Kaiser would like to procure laundry services locally, especially for disaster preparedness. When procuring items or services, Kaiser considers the organization s diversity, environmental practices, cost for services, and community benefit. Procurement is housed in different departments in the organization the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan involves non-profit areas of the Health Plan and Hospital; Permanente Medical involves doctors; and finance, HR, IT, and furniture are procured separately. Incentives for Local Procurement Kaiser does have incentives to procure to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women s Business Enterprises (WBEs), businesses employing Veterans, and business employing disabled workers. In regards to local procurement Kaiser spends: $159.5 million in third party contracts in Alameda County, including leases. $76 million on services, including contracts for outside medical needs, consultants, insurance maintenance, legal services optical services and supplies, nursing specialty, travel/meetings, moving/storage, and construction. 16

17 Potential Opportunities Collaboration with Community Colleges There is greater opportunity for Kaiser to collaborate with community colleges in Alameda County, especially in regards to credentialing and hiring practices: Licensing and credentialing across the health care sector is an enduring issue, as different state licensing requirements make movement across state lines difficult. Established priorities for hiring veterans and highly experienced specialty nurses can make it difficult for recent college graduates and others seeking entry-level employment to get jobs. Increase in Training/Scholarships Kaiser sees that by aligning with the Anchor Institution Initiative, it can increase funds for training, STEM scholarship programs, and career pathway programs for specific populations. Kaiser noted that it is important to 1) have a backbone organization to support this effort, and 2) think critically about partnerships and leverage the power of financial institutions. Diverse Hiring Practices The Greenlining Institute, headquartered in Berkeley, is championing efforts to diversify employment in the healthcare sector and highlighting the need to address growing populations of people of color in California. xxiv For instance, Greenlining has suggested that organizations develop targeted hiring agreements with health sector employers for people of color and formerly incarcerated individuals an effort that Kaiser could implement in its hiring practices. 17

18 Organization Type: Pediatric Hospital Location: Oakland, CA Background UCSF Benioff Children s Hospital Oakland has been in existence for over 100 years and is incredibly well-known in the Bay Area, with a reputation for providing great care. UCSF Benioff Children s Hospital and Children s Hospital & Research Center Oakland, recently merged to create the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, together, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals (referred to as CHO in this report). The mission of Children s Hospital Oakland is to ensure the delivery of: the highest quality pediatric care for all children through regional primary and subspecialty networks; a strong education and teaching program; In Alameda County, CHO employs 19,849 employees, with half of them residing within the county. Most of the employees are female (80.2%), and White/Caucasian (41.0%) or Asian/ Pacific Islander (22.6%). Procurement at CHO is centralized with high priority placed on product price, quality and availability, customer service, and competition in the market. a diverse workforce; state of the art research programs and facilities and; nationally recognized child advocacy efforts. Openness to Anchor Strategies Although Children s Hospital does not have an anchor mission embedded across the organization, the community engagement department is interested in working with Alameda County SSA for this initiative as it moves forward. The Hospital currently has a community engagement advisory board that includes community partners, and it invests heavily in local community education and training. Key Data Findings and Challenges Active Hiring Practices with Limited Resources Many of the hospital s employees commute from Contra Costa County and the City of San Francisco into Alameda County. In regards to hiring practices, very little recruiting is conducted online and very few job fairs are held. Most individuals apply to the hospital directly because it is a well-known employer in the area. The organization is actively hiring many new graduates and currently developing an affirmative action plan. In the next several years, the hospital will see a lot of employees retiring. o There are approximately 140 people in 2015 that could retire, and another 100 just around the corner. 18

19 o Many of these vacated positions will be in nursing, since it makes up the largest number of positions and has many long-term workers. The HR department has limited resources allocated towards the development of partnerships with local job training, employment, and workforce development programs. Finding Talented, Specialized Employees As a niche hospital, specifically for pediatrics, CHO has many employees who work at the organization for years. In hiring employees, CHO HR finds that pediatric experience in specialty positions is hard to find. The minimum requirement for all positions at CHO is a high school diploma or GED, while most specialized positions require at least an Associate s Degree. Nurses are the largest population of employees and require particular educational backgrounds and licenses to practice. The added layer of needing pediatric experience is incredibly challenging. The organization does not have a large number of vacancies in any one particular hard to fill area, however, there are several vacancies that CHO has had difficulty filling for long periods of time due to the specialized roles. Limited Local Procurement Data provided by CHO s Procurement Department indicated that only 10% of CHO s purchasing contracts are with local Alameda County suppliers. It is possible that this is due to the nature of the good and services that hospitals procure. While regional purchasing efforts may also be taking place, local procurement of goods and services can become a focal point of investments in the future. Current Initiatives, Community Investments, and Signature Programs Giving the Community a Voice CHO s mission is to ensure the delivery of the highest quality pediatric care for all children through regional primary and subspecialty networks; a strong education and teaching program; a diverse workforce; state of the art research programs and facilities and; nationally recognized child advocacy efforts. xxv CHO has established programs and departments that were created to engage the community in determining how the mission is carried out. The Family Advisory Council engages parents, caregivers, and other community members in a consulting role to improve hospital services and accomplish this mission. o Twice a month, participants meet with hospital staff and leadership to share their perspectives and advocate for the care of their children. xxvi o To date, the council has collaborated with various departments including Nursing, Hospital Operations, Security and Badging, Infection Control, Patient Rights, and the Complaint and Grievance Program. 19

20 The Center for Community Health and Engagement, similarly, provides leadership in crafting and implementing a platform for preventative health care for those served by CHO. xxvii o The center, created in Spring 2015, supports community benefit programs and CHO s collaboration with universities and community organizations. Supplemental Services CHO s community engagement extends into many programs and services outside of typical hospital care, including: Charity Care free or discounted care to families who do not qualify for governmentsponsored health insurance and who meet particular eligibility requirements Undercompensated government-sponsored healthcare Research, direct services, education, and outreach to aid neglected and vulnerable children Early intervention services Camps for children with special medical or mental health conditions Childhood obesity prevention programs Farmers markets and a youth community garden through a partnership with a local nonprofit Health Education for patients, families, and the public School-Based Health Centers Continuing medical education (CME) and training to Children s and community-based medical professionals Youth Training and Work Opportunities CHO and its partners develop and provide multiple training programs and work opportunities for young people interested in healthcare careers. CHAMPS program (Community Health & Adolescent Mentoring Program for Success) High school students of racial and ethnic minority populations participate in educational interventions to learn about healthcare and biomedical research professions. o The program is geared toward improving healthcare access and lowering disparities in healthcare in society today. o CHO carries out this program by partnering with local high schools, health academies, universities, medical schools, and residency programs. CHORI Summer Student Research Program CHORI provides research opportunities to high school and college students interested in careers in clinical, biomedical, and bio behavioral research. o The majority of these students have permanent residence in the local community. o Mentors support students in a research setting throughout this nine-week program, which concludes in a symposium at which students present their findings. 20

21 Potential Opportunities Support with CA Nursing Board CHO finds that the CA Board of Nursing is not processing new licenses quickly enough for recent graduates. Consequently, this hurts new graduates and their potential employers. It was suggested that County agencies should support healthcare institutions by putting pressure on the licensing board to expedite this process. Apprenticeships CHO has suggested using apprenticeships in the construction of its new tower, which costs approximately $500 million to construct. In doing so, young people would learn from the contractors working on this construction project. Training would be provided to youth coming from the juvenile justice center and other related programs. CHO senior leadership has committed to this project and has been engaging with some local non-profits who may provide the training for these paid apprenticeships. 21

22 Organization Type: Public University Location: Hayward, CA Background With East Bay campuses in Hayward, Concord, and Oakland, CSU East Bay (CSUEB) currently provides quality education to over 14,500 students. xxviii The mission of the Center for Community Engagement is to As stated in the University mission, Cal State East Bay welcomes and supports a diverse student body with academically rich, culturally relevant learning experiences which prepare students to apply their education to meaningful lifework, and to be socially responsible contributors to society. Through its educational programs and activities the University strives to meet the educational needs and to contribute to the vitality of the East Bay, the state, the nation, and global communities. xxix Openness to Anchor Strategies California State Universities (CSUs) have a broad mission to support community engagement within each campus and their communities. In 1999, Governor Gray Davis initiated the Call to Service, now California s Call to Service, requiring students enrolled in California s public higher education institutions to engage in community service. xxx CSUEB s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) offers Curriculum Development, Community Contacts, Student Placements, Professional Development, Project Planning, and Service Learning Internships to students, faculty, and the community. xxxi The center: support community-engaged teaching, learning, and scholarship; build and promote community partnerships for curricular and cocurricular community engagement; host a service learning leadership program; and collaborate with other campus entities to support quality community engagement experiences for students and community partners. Is focused on developing learning opportunities for students around community engagement. Indicates that they have a clear plan for institutionalizing and implementing their mission, as well as an advisory board that engages with the community. Key Data Findings Local Hiring CSUEB employs 2,728 employees, 65.6% of whom are Alameda County residents. Most of the university s employees are female (61.3%), White/Caucasian (38.8%) or Asian/Pacific Islander (24.0%), and work full-time (62.3%). About 20% of CSUEB s employees are considered temporary. IT positions are hard to fill due to salary demands based upon the competitive location for IT jobs in the Bay Area. 22

23 Large, Outsourced Procurement CSUEB has incentives in place to procure from large, outsourced companies and receive discounts of goods and services. CSUEB sites that there are not many trade shows and vendor shows in the area to showcase local services. The small mom and pop shops in the County cannot compete with the large vendor relationships put in place by the Chancellor s office. When purchasing items from one company for all 23 campuses, the CSU system receives anywhere from 10-28% off of the vendor s catalogue pricing a large incentive that does not support an effort to shop small. In addition, the purchasing department at CSUEB is centralized. The office uses CA BidSync as much as possible to advertise procurements. However, only 5% of the suppliers for CSUEB are Alameda County businesses. CSUEB is open to vendors presenting their services to the university so that greater efforts can be taken to procure locally. The state sets a requirement for the university to award as many procurements as possible to disabled veterans and small businesses. In the construction and public works space, the university has a goal of 3% or more of all contracts should be awarded to disabled veteran enterprises. Current Initiatives, Community Investments, and Signature Programs CCE attributes increased funding and support from the campus to the newer leadership within the last few years. CSUEB s President is very vocal about increased community engagement and engages with agencies that want to collaborate with the campus, as demonstrated in the following efforts. Community Service and Partnerships CCE s partnerships are often initiative-based and programs are typically focused on non-profits, school sites, and social services agencies. Community Partner Institute In the summer of 2015, CSUEB held a Community Partner Institute at which partners convened to develop relationships and provide guidance on how to engage with students. It marked the beginning of a new collaborative that will examine community partnerships and their potential for expansion beyond internships. Freshmen Day of Service CCE, CBOs, schools, and non-profits organize a one-day service project in the Alameda County community as part of the Freshmen Year Experience General Studies Course. 23

24 Service Learning Internships Paid programs offer training on topics such as social responsibility, diversity, and equity. Students work year-round in internships in Alameda County that are created by a group of community partners. Alternative Tools for Procurement At every CSU campus, a cloud-based, third-party software is employed for purchase ordering. The Procurement and Support Services department purchases everything for the CSUEB campus and always looks for alternative tools to support procurement, including: Procurement cards, with a $2500 limit, have recently been issued for people to use purchase items on their own, creating efficiency in acquiring goods. A B2B, online portal system called Campus Marketplace, which allows faculty and staff to purchase goods from approved vendors for appropriate academic and operational items. Potential Opportunities Partnerships with Grants CCE suggested that partnerships with grants as an anchor institution could be enhanced. For instance, the City of Hayward and EPA have a sustainable city grant that connects students and faculty within city services to help build sustainable city plans. CSUEB leads the Hayward Promise Neighborhood (HPN), a partnership of businesses, non-profit organizations, educators, and government agencies that collaborates to aid residents in Hayward s Jackson Triangle community and students within six school of the Hayward Unified School District. xxxii The five-year, $25 million Promise Neighborhood grant, from the U.S. Department of Education, was granted to Hayward in HPN offers comprehensive, high-quality educational and social support to ensure the long-term health, safety and economic well-being of the entire community. Programs target various populations (from early childhood, to postsecondary, to adulthood) and topics, including Emotional & Social Development, Sports & Recreation, Community, Health, Parenting, and Adult Education. Streamlined MOUs with County Agencies MOUs with County agencies are sometimes part of an academic course offering for CSUEB students. However, these present a challenge to the university as they often take a long time to initiate. It was suggested that instead of having multiple agreements with County agencies, CSUEB can had a general, umbrella MOU with County agencies under which partnerships with individual agencies would fall. This would ideally ease the MOU process for both County agencies and the university. 24

25 Local Demographics Fact Sheet SSA/ACWIB could develop and distribute a fact sheet on County demographics that CSUEB use when discussing future opportunities within the university and externally with partners. Key demographics (e.g. poverty, educational attainment, economic climate, housing costs) would paint a picture of the community s needs that CSUEB must work to fill. Such data points would include. Though this data may be available online, it could have a large impact as a clear visual. This would provide university offices with a tangible piece of centralized information that could support their work to better engage the community. Innovation in Technology to Support Procurement The Procurement and Support Services department is looking to leverage new technologies in the way that they procure products and services. A workflow functionality in PeopleSoft would allow the office to route requisitions to parties on campus that have a vested interest in the product. For instance, groups with an interest in environmental policies want products that support green initiatives and policies and those with an interest in IT do not want products that negatively impact the overall campus internet system. 25

26 Organization Type: Container Ship Facility Location: Oakland, CA Background Supporting over 50,000 jobs in Northern California, the Port of Oakland is a public agency governed by the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners. The Port of Oakland encompasses a container port, an airport, an array of retail and commercial buildings and acres of recreational and open space. xxxiii The Port s mission is to deliver the highest value to our customers and community through sustainable stewardship and growth of our assets, optimal performance of our people, and focus on our aviation, maritime, and real estate businesses. xxxiv The Port of Oakland delivers the highest value to our customers and community through sustainable stewardship and growth of our assets, optimal performance of our people, and focus on our aviation, maritime, and real estate businesses. Because the Port does not receive local tax dollars, it generates revenue through its Aviation (airport), commercial real estate, and maritime businesses operations. In 2010, over half (51.8%) of the Port s jobs were in Alameda County and about 20% of the direct jobs created by the Port were held by residents of Oakland. xxxv Procurement at the Port is conducted through different department which are responsible for the purchasing goods, general services, professional services, and some small public works projects. In purchasing, high importance is placed on price, product quality and availability, competition in the market, and policies and procedures of the organization. Openness to Anchor Strategies The Port s Community Relations department is heavily involved in community engagement and educating the community of the Port planning process. It aims to increase public awareness of the Port, promote overall goodwill, and strengthen local partnerships. xxxvi Community engagement activities include the: Good Neighbor Breakfast Series, an ongoing forum for information exchange between the Port and the community; Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan, a partnership with local Bay Area Air Quality Management District; and Comprehensive Truck Management Plan, an effort to reduce air pollution from Port-generated trucking activity. 26

27 The Port does have many community-based efforts on which SSA/ACWIB can build through strategic partnerships. Further conversations with SSA representatives would clarify whether Port officials are open to working together on the Anchor Institution Initiative as it moves forward. Key Data Findings Divided Hiring Practices At the Port of Oakland, hiring is divided for trade and administrative positions. Currently, there is a demand for desktop help specialists, electrical engineers, and sewer/utility employees. In regards to these positions: Most jobs fall into a specified career ladder from entry-level to management, especially in the trade side of the organization. A Bachelor s degree is typically not required until employees reach the management level. Apprenticeships could be helpful for the trade positions for entering into the career pathways. Importance of Procurement Because the Port provides support to the community through its three key businesses (aviation, commercial real estate, and maritime), procurement is an integral part of the organization. Last year, the port spent approximately $25 million on procurement, 80% of which was for services and 20% of which was for goods and supplies. Some services that are commonly contracted by the port include construction, security, and public works projects. Current Initiatives, Community Investments, and Signature Programs Collaborations to Invest in Infrastructure The Port s engagement in the community largely manifests in supporting the developing of infrastructure. Their FY14 Strategic Plan cited the need to increase understanding of and support for the Port in the Local Impact Area (LIA); develop and implement a Community Engagement Plan; establish a new Community Investment Program. xxxvii These efforts support job creation and the hiring of skilled labor, as well as the procurement of necessary materials. Such investments include: The construction of a new control tower at the Oakland International Airport; The creation of the Oakland Airport Connector in partnership with BART; xxxv and A Truckers Working Group to engage with the companies and truck drivers that all take part in serving the Port, which involved over $5 million in investments from the Port (to fund truck upgrades and guarantee safe facilities). 27

28 Potential Opportunities Active Community Engagement The Port has acknowledged the need to better engage with labor, community, employees, government, and business in partnerships that are active, aligned, directed, and driven by mutually-shared outcomes. Additionally, the Port has placed focus on collaborating with its Local Impact and Local Business area communities and aligning public and private sectors to drive outcomes. Apprenticeships for Career Pathways Onboarding As aforementioned, the Port cited that apprenticeships may support individuals who are beginning career pathways in the trade positions. These opportunities for hands-on learning can help engage employees early on as they begin the pathways into a sustainable career. 28

29 Organization Type: Utility Location: Oakland, CA Background Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is a combination natural gas and electric utilities organization that serves Northern California. The region that PG&E serves spans from Bakersfield to Eureka and as far east as Sierra Nevada. PG&E holds a commitment to diversity and inclusion for their workforce as well as their suppliers. xxxviii Some of the company s values include integrity, passion for meeting the customer needs, and supporting the community. xxxix Openness to Anchor Strategies The Community Relations department at PG&E aims to be responsive to the needs of the local community. In this regard, PG&E: Localizes charitable giving to know what is important in the community; Manages relationship portfolios with partners such as Habitat for Humanity, with which PG&E has partnered for ten years to provide solar energy on all of their homes; Created an anchor mission that embeds community engagement principles across the institution; Has a community engagement advisory board that includes community partners; and Invests in local community building and leadership through trainings, workforce development, and grants/scholarships. To ensure the neighborhoods we share with our customers are great places to live and work, every year we invest in partnerships that enrich educational opportunities, preserve our environment and support the vitality of our communities. Our community investments demonstrate that we are more than just a utility. We re committed to preserving and building on what makes California great: thriving neighborhoods, diversity, environmental stewardship and opportunity. Key Data Findings Extensive Hiring Practices and Varied Positions PG&E employs over 21,000 people in Northern California. As a large utility company, there are many departments for which PG& E is constantly hiring. Opportunities, permanent or temporary, exist in both energy-focused and administrative departments, such as electric operations, energy supply, and gas operations, as well as IT, finance, and customer care. PG&E also has an extensive hiring process which includes an online application, online or in-person written assessments, a drug screening, background check, physical assessments, and an interview. xl 29

30 Programs for Procurement and Partnerships PG&E contracts many of their gas and utility goods and services through the Purchasing Department. Various programs are set in place to promote diversity and growth in purchasing: The Supplier Diversity program aims to provide diverse suppliers with economic opportunities to supply services and products required by PG&E. xli o PG&E defines a diverse supplier as a business 51% owned by women; disabled veterans; racial/ethnic minorities; or, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals who manage the day-to-day operations of the business. PG&E maintains a Trade Professionals Alliance that provides a range of services to help partners maintain and grow their businesses. o Partners in the trade alliance include businesses that sell, install, or service products like refrigeration, lighting, food service goods, agricultural equipment, motors, or HVAC. xlii Current Initiatives, Community Investments, and Signature Programs Scholarship Programs PG&E hopes to provide the next generation of Californians with an opportunity to learn and succeed in higher education. xliii Their Bright Minds scholarship program offers scholarships to high school, college, and returning-to-school students. Thousands of students, many of them the first in their families to attend to college, apply for these scholarships. Priority is placed on students pursuing a major and career in STEM, specifically engineering. Selected recipients must live in the PG&E service area. 10 renewable scholarships are provided for up to $20,000 per year up to 5 years. 90, one-time scholarships are provided for $2,000 as well. PG&E has also hosted a Scholar Summit at which scholarship winners learned more about careers at PG&E. The event educated students about varied careers at the utility company, in fields including law, finance, engineering, and IT. Community Relations would like expand this effort to educate more people about to opportunities at PG&E, especially with the growing population of employees about to retire. Collaboration with Local Community Partners PG&E collaborates with a multitude of community partners, large and small. Examples of these include: Workforce Investment Boards California s Career Pathways Trust program Girls Inc. 30

31 Arc of Alameda County Achieve Learning Community Colleges Department of Education (California Career Academy program) Leadership San Francisco PowerPathways Program The PowerPathways program is an effort put forth by unions, the public workforce development system, and local colleges to train and prepare jobseekers for entry-level positions. This competitive program involves multiple weeks of training, typically for STEM careers. Trainings support new and experienced workers in gas and electric operations, particularly those in underserved communities. xliv Though the program does not guarantee a job, it has a very high placement rate in jobs in the energy sector, including careers at PG&E and its contractors. A link/bridge program is being developed for high school interns to attend community college then enter into the PowerPathways program. Potential Opportunities Expansion of the Summer Jobs for Youth Program PG&E collaborates with local Boys and Girls Club chapters in Fresno, Kern, and Sacramento counties to offer Summer Jobs for Youth, a program that provides training to support high school students in finding their first job. xlv The Boys and Girls Club chapters were already offering soft skills training PG&E then offered funding and support in finding employers to expand this program. This program: Was piloted in the Fresno area in 2012, during which youth worked 25 hours per week over the course of the six-week program; Was expanded in 2013 to Bakersfield and Sacramento, where youth earned wages, learned customer service skills, developed professionalism, and received professional work clothing; and Supports PG&E s small business customers. PG&E can explore expanding this program into Alameda County as well to invest in youth learning and work experience in its own backyard. 31

32 Summary Human Resources Each of the anchor institutions indicated that they experience challenges with hiring employees within Alameda County. All of the organizations expressed that they have inclusive hiring practices, but not necessarily focused on hiring local residents. Kaiser had the lowest percentage of Alameda County resident employees reported at a mere.08% of their total workforce.* CSU East Bay and CHO are doing well with hiring locally. The challenge for Kaiser is that their hiring practices are designed to attract older, more experienced workers and thus do not draw the young millennial workers in the region. Employee Place of Residence 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% UCSF Benioff Children s CSU East Bay Kaiser Permanente Hospital Oakland Out of County 34.4% 99.9% 50.0% Alameda County 65.6% 0.1% 50.0% Source: Online surveys to anchor institutions Human Resources departments. The Port of Oakland and PG&E did not provide this information. See Appendix. When it comes to diversity in the workplace, PG&E and the Port both have strong models of diverse and inclusive hiring. In the education and healthcare industries, the predominant demographics are female, White/Caucasian and Asian/Filipino. The demographics of Alameda County, however, also show a high percentage of Hispanic/Latino residents. Thus, these organizations have overrepresented employment of Female, White, and Asian/Pacific Islander individuals and an underrepresentation of Hispanic/Latinos and Males. The utility companies did not provide demographics. *Though this statistic was collected during interviews with Kaiser, PCG was not able to confirm the low statistic by the time of publishing. 32

33 50% Ethnicity of Employees 25% 0% CSU East Bay Kaiser Permanente UCSF Benioff Children s Hospital Oakland Alameda County American Indian 0.4% 0.5% 0.5% 1.20% Asian/Pacific Islander 24.0% 35.0% 22.6% 29.2% Black/African American 11.2% 16.3% 17.9% 12.40% Hispanic/Latino 16.1% 10.6% 13.6% 22.70% White/Caucasian 38.8% 37.6% 41.0% 33.20% Other 9.1% 0.0% 4.4% 5.20% Source: Online surveys to anchor institutions Human Resources departments. The Port of Oakland and PG&E did not provide this information. See Appendix. Procurement and Purchasing Currently, anchor institutions are not contracting very extensively or intentionally with local businesses. Although the organizations may not seek out local contracts, opportunity exists for Alameda County businesses to supply goods and services to the anchor institutions. The Port of Oakland and PG&E in particular have ongoing opportunities for partnerships and contracts. The Port s Purchasing Department highlighted ongoing Requests for Proposals for general construction contracts that would be great opportunities for local suppliers to bid on. PG&E has opportunities for local businesses to be part of the Trade Alliance, work as thirdparties, or as distributors. They also have ongoing opportunities for contracts posted on their website. Kaiser indicated that food service, laundry and other facility support categories could provide opportunity for local contracts in the near future. Kaiser s Supplier Diversity Group is also analyzing the economic benefits of its contracts. CHO will soon be seeking office supply contracts and CSU East Bay could use bids from local businesses in the areas of public works and construction. When seeking contracts, local businesses should be aware of the anchor institutions focus when making their purchasing decisions, see Table I. 33

34 Table I. Purchasing Decisions and Activity CSUEB CHO Kaiser Port of Oakland Price Very Important Very Important Fairly Important Very Important Product Quality Very Important Very Important Very Important Very Important Customer Service Very Important Very Important Fairly Important Important Competition in Market Very Important Very Important Very Important Very Important Interpersonal/ Organizational Important Fairly Important Fairly Important Not at all important Relationships Product Availability Very Important Very Important Very Important Very Important Policy/ Procedures Very Important Fairly Important Fairly Important Very Important Amount spent on procurement last year Percentage to businesses/ suppliers in Alameda County Percentage to businesses/ suppliers outside Alameda County $35,012, $38,000, $25,000, % 10% % 90% Across the anchor institutions, many have incentives to procure local businesses, MBEs, WBEs, and/or businesses employing veterans. Multiple organizations cited that greater efforts can be made to procure locally, though this is often challenging due to low costs and ease associated with procuring from large companies that may reside outside of Alameda County. Community Engagement and Openness to Anchor Strategies In regards to their anchor missions and openness to anchor strategies, the organizations largely were developing or had developed an anchor mission and supported this effort. PG&E and CSUEB have anchor missions developed. Kaiser is developing an anchor mission. CHO does not yet have a fully developed anchor mission, but is interested in collaborating with SSA in this initiative. Many of the anchor institutions examined make considerable efforts to engage the local community. Most commonly, these efforts were seen in: Organizational initiatives and missions; Advisory councils and community institutes/forums; Programs and funding in support of youth work and educational opportunities; and Partnerships with local entities for training and employment opportunities. On the whole, these anchor institutions are striving to better engage the community through multiple avenues. Further involvement in this initiative may increase the reach and impact of these efforts. 34

35 V. OPPORTUNITIES AND NEXT STEPS Immediate Opportunities The following section describe opportunities that local businesses, the anchor institutions, and County departments can take immediately to further the progress of the Anchor Institution Initiative. Local businesses can engage with the anchors by: Bidding on upcoming contracts for the Port s ongoing general construction RFPs, CHO s office supply contracts, and CSUEB s public works and construction needs. Becoming involved in Kaiser s Trade Alliance. Anchor Institutions can expand their procurement and programming efforts. Kaiser would like to procure laundry services locally, especially for disaster preparedness. Kaiser indicated that food service and other facility support categories could provide opportunity for local contracts in the near future. ACWIB and SSA can: Develop and distribute a local demographic fact sheet, as suggested by CSUEB, that demonstrates the economic climate and labor market analysis in Alameda County. Initiate conversations with the anchors and public housing authorities and housing developers to brainstorm opportunities for collaboration in housing and urban development projects. 35

36 Long-Term Opportunities The following opportunities were determined based on the analysis and findings of the Anchor Institution Initiative study. 1 Create cooperative partnerships for anchor institutions to participate in and buy into a formal anchor institution initiative Anchor institutions in Alameda County must become aware of the goals of Anchors for Resilient Communities (ARC) and other partners and collaborate with stakeholders in order to formalize it. Anchors may then be able to understand 1) their critical role in an initiative s success and 2) the immense hiring, purchasing, and community engagement benefits that they could experience as a result. As evidenced in the case studies, higher levels of partnership can be reached with anchor institutions to better engage the community and contribute to the success of the local and regional economy. A formalized partnership, in the form of a tangible document, will allow for continued support and strategic planning from the anchor institutions in an initiative. The document may be distributed for public use to further inform the community of efforts being made by anchor institutions and SSA/ACWIB, as well as resources and programs made available to County residents. 2 Garner participation of all anchor institutions in the Anchors for Resilient Communities (ARC) effort to increase support of the initiative and lead to greater outcomes Kaiser and SSA are already participating in the ARC learning community launched by the Emerald Cities Collaborative. Each of the anchors should establish formal involvement in this effort to ensure that their vested interests are represented in public learning sessions, sector strategy development, and research and knowledge-sharing discussions on procurement dollars and business capacity in the region. 3 Collaborate with anchor institutions to develop and/or align sector strategies and career pathways The County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator s Office can use guidance and participation from the anchors to craft these plans. As large employers, anchor institutions have the ability to engage in initiatives and strategies that cause a paradigm shift in regards to sector work. Not only can sector strategies and career pathways speak to the industry of a given anchor institution, but the anchors may contribute to the development of these outside of the industries in which they sit. Career pathways can be created for multiple positions at Kaiser and CHO that are not directly related to medical practice, such as finance, human resources, janitorial services, and food services. 36

37 This may also involving creating and enhancing partnerships between the anchor institutions and SSA/ACWIB s existing career pathway and apprenticeship programs. By sharing funding, assets, staff, and programmatic resources, SSA/ACWIB and the anchors can mutually benefit in the operations and outcomes of co-sponsored programs. The East Bay Economic Development Alliance (EDA) represents the collective identity of the East Bay and the special power of a fully functional regional partnership. 1 The organization s research unveils details of the regional economy research that can strongly reinforce the need for sector strategies and career pathways. 4 Create alignment between youth programs, initiatives and ARC priorities with PG&E s PowerPathways Program and CSUEB s service learning internships Similar efforts that support youth development and work have taking place simultaneously in the public and private realms, allowing funding dollars to flow through SSA/ACWIB without coming into contact. By combining the County-based and the anchor-based efforts: SSA/ACWIB can increase support, awareness, and funding of their work, and Private organizations can be engaged in public work and gain access to the highest need populations currently served in the workforce development system. In addition, PG&E can explore expanding the Summer Jobs for Youth program into Alameda County to provide opportunities to local, young residents for work inside the County. 5 Formalize relationships with community colleges and universities, through curriculum development and work programs The County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator s Office can formalize relationships with community colleges and universities to embed sector-specific curriculum into educational institutions and further develop career pathways and pipelines into the anchor institutions as well as a small, local business. Educational institutions, such as CSUEB, have already started to engage community partners and business representatives in curriculum development and internship/work-based learning programs. Each anchor must navigate the post-secondary and higher education systems and determine how their presence (in curriculum, work opportunities, job shadowing programs, etc.) will educate the community about their institution and encourage young people work towards a career at their organizations. In addition, the challenging, time-consuming processes put in place to obtain licenses and credentials for many of these anchors, specifically those in healthcare, can vastly be improved. The County Board of Supervisors, County Administrator s Office, and local community colleges can harness their combined power to advocate for expediting these processes with local and regional licensing boards

38 By collaborating with community colleges, anchors can tackle the red tape faced in these processes to streamline licensing and credentialing and as a result, develop the skilled workforce they desperately need. This will help combat hiring challenges for the anchors, many of which struggle to find qualified, technically skilled individuals. In time, it will help fill the labor force gap left by the aging and retiring workforce as expected through the next decade. 6 Establish blanket MOUs between County agencies and anchor institutions Blanket MOUs can minimize the stress of having multiple contracts and streamline engagements between the County Board of Supervisors, County Administrator s Office, and the anchors. Under a large umbrella MOU, smaller contracts can exist. As suggested by one of the anchor institutions, this push for alignment will minimize the time spent waiting for these contracts to be set in place and would, ideally, allow more efforts to be allocated to finding and developing new relationships and MOUs, as opposed to draining efforts on managing multiple County MOUs simultaneously. 7 Develop local purchasing policies for anchor institutions to encourage local procurement These anchor institutions have incredibly large purchasing power, with many goods and services coming into Alameda County from outside of the region. The County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator s Office can support these anchors in developing a community engagement campaign through which corporate purchasing policies will be adjusted to better benefit local business. The County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator s Office may: Convene stakeholders of these anchor institutions to discuss and develop a purchasing policy that incentivizes local procurement and enhances relationships between anchors and small, local businesses. Help aggregate Mom and Pop shops to reduce costs by volume and incentivize local procurement of goods and services. Highlight local services through support of trade shows and vendor shows to assist emerging Anchor Institutions in developing local procurement relationships. 8 Employ alternative, technology-based tools to support procurement Anchors can leverage technology in using an online procurement tool with the functionality to establish cross-departmental and even cross-anchor communication. One shared tool will allow The County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator s Office to understand the business needs in the local area and support collaboration with the anchor institutions. 38