Completed Projects
A Working Model for Student Success: The Tennessee Technology Centers. FutureWorks’ examination and report of the Centers have become widely cited in workforce development designs for adult workers and occupational education strategies.
Marcellus Shale Coalition Guide to Careers in Oil and Gas. In partnership with Thomas P. Miller Associates, FutureWorks produced an analysis of the skill competencies, credentials, and career paths in-demand for key occupations in the industry.
Complete College America: FutureWorks provides technical assistance to CCA and dozens of states to significantly increase the number of Americans with a college degree or credential. Read two reports that have been part of this work: Brian Bosworth's thought-provoking Certificates Count and John Hoops' analysis and report on the Tennessee Technology Centers.
National STEM Consortium: Our team guided a 10-college consortium that tested new approaches to training for high-demand jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. This is part of FutureWorks' support of Complete College America's national effort.
CEOs for Cities Talent Dividend Network: FutureWorks designed and led a national learning network of cross-sector leadership teams in major U.S. cities supported by the Ford Foundation. The program worked with more than 32 city-regional teams to mobilize regional leadership and sharpen strategies to increase educational attainment.
National Fund for Workforce Solutions Evaluation: FutureWorks staff has been part of the national team that provides evaluation and technical assistance to this partnership across 30 communities. The National Fund brings together employers, workers, communities and philanthropy to strengthen local economies by implementing demand-driven strategies for talent development.
Ford Fellowship for Regional Sustainable Development: FutureWorks designed, provided content, and delivered ongoing technical expertise to a network of high-level executives of business-civic organizations and chambers of commerce representing more than 100 cities and regions across the country. During the Fellowship's five years, leaders defined market-driven agendas to pursue sustainable and inclusive regional development.
WorkNet: Brian Bosworth managed this national learning consortium of workforce development related organizations from Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Louisville. These regions financed WorkNet from their own resources.
Minding Their Civic Business: FutureWorks analyzed innovative practices of regional business-led organizations in 30 metro areas. The resulting report, Minding Their Civic Business, has been used for the last decade by business and civic groups to frame how business-led efforts can shape more inclusive and sustainable growth models.
High Skills for High Growth Careers - New Approaches to Postsecondary Career Education: FutureWorks initiated this project with the U.S. Department of Education to explore and document new strategies and structures for postsecondary education to better satisfy the complex education needs and skill demands of the 21st century knowledge economy.
MetroBusinessNet: From 2000 to 2006, FutureWorks designed and convened a national action-learning network composed of regional, business-based civic institutions. MetroBusinessNet was created with support from the Ford Foundation to demonstrate how the business community can engage in an agenda of sustainable regional economic development.
Pathways to Advancement: FutureWorks entered into a partnership with the National Governors' Association Center for Best Practices to launch this 28-month project. The "action learning academy," supported by the Lumina Foundation for Education, helped eight states expand postsecondary access and attainment for low-income adults.
Getting Serious About Lifelong Learning: With the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, FutureWorks used data from the Internal Revenue Service, the National Household Education Survey, and the National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey to uncover the use and value of the federal Hope and Lifetime Learning higher education tax credits for working adults.
Hampshire County Economic Growth and Opportunity: FutureWorks led a team from three chambers of commerce and a business-led council to build a shared strategy to stimulate business growth and extend economic opportunity to the area's residents. Read our Industry Snapshots and Crosscutting Themes compendium to the final report.\
Hire Up Indy Workforce Council: FutureWorks has led a city-regional business-workforce effort to build new capacity to align credentialed students with demand from key industry drivers in Indianapolis. See the video on the strategy and The Challenge Ahead report and Central Indiana Tech Workforce Study Presentation.
Portland Development Funding and Economic Strategy: FutureWorks recommendations helped the City of Portland build an aggressive strategy to maintain its "first mover" status for sustainable economic development. The platform for our strategy and recommendation came from a larger Comparative Analysis report by FutureWorks of the financing and funding tools utilized by Portland's peer cities.
Southwest Connecticut Workforce Analysis: FutureWorks completed a comprehensive assessment in the Bridgeport-Stamford region that analyzed industry trends, demographic and educational output, and the future of work. Read a press releases for the project from the Fairfield County Business Journal.
Fund for Our Economic Future: FutureWorks completed an assessment of Northeast Ohio's Fund for Our Economic Future to help it build new strategies and structure to advance business growth, talent development, and social inclusion. See one of the several by-products of our work with the Fund Catalyzing Regional Economic Transformation: Lessons from funder collaboration in Northeast Ohio.
New York Workforce Development Institute: Over the last five years FutureWorks has provided economic analysis to guide the institute's investments in economic and training development throughout the state. One of our recent projects with this labor-community organization is a feasibility assessment of a business accelerator in the Hudson Valley.
The Cleveland Foundation Career Education Initiative: FutureWorks' analysis and recommendations assisted the Foundation in developing initiatives to increase outcomes in career education in Cleveland's high schools and public post-secondary institutions. See the article in The Cleveland Plain Dealer describing our work.
Central Wisconsin Economic Strategy: FutureWorks helped the Workforce Central Funders Collaborative identify economic development assets in the region and develop a plan to grow new jobs. The project was a response to concern in the region that it's not enough to simply prepare people for existing jobs without a strategic effort to create new jobs.
Louisiana Community College and Technical Education: FutureWorks managed a multi-year project to assess new organization and delivery models of postsecondary education aligned with economic development in six regions of the state. Our work with Louisiana Board of Regents and Community and Technical College system led to significant changes in postsecondary structure and delivery backed by state legislation.
Indiana Center for Education and Career Innovation: FutureWorks produced a demand-supply analysis for eleven business-workforce councils in Indiana. The reports are part of the center's effort to improve the design and delivery of technical education in the state. See the announcement of our analysis from the Workforce Data Quality Campaign Indiana Studies Workforce Supply Demand.
Greater Portland Economic Development Strategy: FutureWorks completed a comprehensive economic development strategy for Greater Portland Inc. See the final report from this project, Portland Vancouver Metropolitan Region Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Ivy Tech Community College Strategic Planning: Stretching over nearly four years and funded by grants from the Lumina Foundation, FutureWorks played a significant role in the strategic planning for Ivy Tech's transition to Indiana's community college. Our work helped the system develop new initiatives that were adopted by Indiana government and industry leaders.
Seattle Skills Building Initiative: FutureWorks has helped build an investors' collaborative to align grant-making strategies and create a pooled investment fund. FutureWorks also helped develop an employer engagement strategy and a policy advocacy agenda.
Greater Boston Economic Strategy: FutureWorks compiled and analyzed industry data to identify key clusters and economic trends for the region's economic development plan, which was submitted to the federal Economic Development Administration.
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Manufacturing Analysis: FutureWorks analyzed short and long term needs in the industry and the adequacy of the workforce training system and funding in Central Indiana. Our recommendations helped CICP take a stronger role in workforce education and contributed to the launch of the organization's manufacturing initiative.
Coastal Enterprises Inc. Multi-Year Program Evaluation: Over five years, FutureWorks evaluated finance and job creation programs for CEI, a Maine-based community development finance institution.
Work Systems Inc. Workforce Strategic Planning: FutureWorks' two back-to-back projects with the WIB in Portland, Oregon developed key workforce programming areas based on occupational demand. FutureWorks' recommendations led to over $10 million in coordinated regional programming shortly after the project was completed.
Innovation Strategy for Lancaster County Community Foundation: FutureWorks facilitated a strategy planning process to help the community foundation and its partners arrive at an investment strategy to strengthen the region's culture of innovation.
Northwest Pennsylvania Economic Development Strategy: FutureWorks produced an economic development strategy and action plan for an eight-county region in Northwest Pennsylvania.
Greater Washington Health Care Labor Market Analysis: The Greater Washington Board of Trade commissioned FutureWorks to conduct an analysis of Greater Washington's health care workforce. The project involved a complex data analysis, interviews and consensus building with industry leaders to better understand the workforce challenges, opportunities and successes for the industry.
Marcellus Shale Coalition Guide to Careers in Oil and Gas. In partnership with Thomas P. Miller Associates, FutureWorks produced an analysis of the skill competencies, credentials, and career paths in-demand for key occupations in the industry.
Complete College America: FutureWorks provides technical assistance to CCA and dozens of states to significantly increase the number of Americans with a college degree or credential. Read two reports that have been part of this work: Brian Bosworth's thought-provoking Certificates Count and John Hoops' analysis and report on the Tennessee Technology Centers.
National STEM Consortium: Our team guided a 10-college consortium that tested new approaches to training for high-demand jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. This is part of FutureWorks' support of Complete College America's national effort.
CEOs for Cities Talent Dividend Network: FutureWorks designed and led a national learning network of cross-sector leadership teams in major U.S. cities supported by the Ford Foundation. The program worked with more than 32 city-regional teams to mobilize regional leadership and sharpen strategies to increase educational attainment.
National Fund for Workforce Solutions Evaluation: FutureWorks staff has been part of the national team that provides evaluation and technical assistance to this partnership across 30 communities. The National Fund brings together employers, workers, communities and philanthropy to strengthen local economies by implementing demand-driven strategies for talent development.
Ford Fellowship for Regional Sustainable Development: FutureWorks designed, provided content, and delivered ongoing technical expertise to a network of high-level executives of business-civic organizations and chambers of commerce representing more than 100 cities and regions across the country. During the Fellowship's five years, leaders defined market-driven agendas to pursue sustainable and inclusive regional development.
WorkNet: Brian Bosworth managed this national learning consortium of workforce development related organizations from Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Louisville. These regions financed WorkNet from their own resources.
Minding Their Civic Business: FutureWorks analyzed innovative practices of regional business-led organizations in 30 metro areas. The resulting report, Minding Their Civic Business, has been used for the last decade by business and civic groups to frame how business-led efforts can shape more inclusive and sustainable growth models.
High Skills for High Growth Careers - New Approaches to Postsecondary Career Education: FutureWorks initiated this project with the U.S. Department of Education to explore and document new strategies and structures for postsecondary education to better satisfy the complex education needs and skill demands of the 21st century knowledge economy.
MetroBusinessNet: From 2000 to 2006, FutureWorks designed and convened a national action-learning network composed of regional, business-based civic institutions. MetroBusinessNet was created with support from the Ford Foundation to demonstrate how the business community can engage in an agenda of sustainable regional economic development.
Pathways to Advancement: FutureWorks entered into a partnership with the National Governors' Association Center for Best Practices to launch this 28-month project. The "action learning academy," supported by the Lumina Foundation for Education, helped eight states expand postsecondary access and attainment for low-income adults.
Getting Serious About Lifelong Learning: With the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, FutureWorks used data from the Internal Revenue Service, the National Household Education Survey, and the National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey to uncover the use and value of the federal Hope and Lifetime Learning higher education tax credits for working adults.
Hampshire County Economic Growth and Opportunity: FutureWorks led a team from three chambers of commerce and a business-led council to build a shared strategy to stimulate business growth and extend economic opportunity to the area's residents. Read our Industry Snapshots and Crosscutting Themes compendium to the final report.\
Hire Up Indy Workforce Council: FutureWorks has led a city-regional business-workforce effort to build new capacity to align credentialed students with demand from key industry drivers in Indianapolis. See the video on the strategy and The Challenge Ahead report and Central Indiana Tech Workforce Study Presentation.
Portland Development Funding and Economic Strategy: FutureWorks recommendations helped the City of Portland build an aggressive strategy to maintain its "first mover" status for sustainable economic development. The platform for our strategy and recommendation came from a larger Comparative Analysis report by FutureWorks of the financing and funding tools utilized by Portland's peer cities.
Southwest Connecticut Workforce Analysis: FutureWorks completed a comprehensive assessment in the Bridgeport-Stamford region that analyzed industry trends, demographic and educational output, and the future of work. Read a press releases for the project from the Fairfield County Business Journal.
Fund for Our Economic Future: FutureWorks completed an assessment of Northeast Ohio's Fund for Our Economic Future to help it build new strategies and structure to advance business growth, talent development, and social inclusion. See one of the several by-products of our work with the Fund Catalyzing Regional Economic Transformation: Lessons from funder collaboration in Northeast Ohio.
New York Workforce Development Institute: Over the last five years FutureWorks has provided economic analysis to guide the institute's investments in economic and training development throughout the state. One of our recent projects with this labor-community organization is a feasibility assessment of a business accelerator in the Hudson Valley.
The Cleveland Foundation Career Education Initiative: FutureWorks' analysis and recommendations assisted the Foundation in developing initiatives to increase outcomes in career education in Cleveland's high schools and public post-secondary institutions. See the article in The Cleveland Plain Dealer describing our work.
Central Wisconsin Economic Strategy: FutureWorks helped the Workforce Central Funders Collaborative identify economic development assets in the region and develop a plan to grow new jobs. The project was a response to concern in the region that it's not enough to simply prepare people for existing jobs without a strategic effort to create new jobs.
Louisiana Community College and Technical Education: FutureWorks managed a multi-year project to assess new organization and delivery models of postsecondary education aligned with economic development in six regions of the state. Our work with Louisiana Board of Regents and Community and Technical College system led to significant changes in postsecondary structure and delivery backed by state legislation.
Indiana Center for Education and Career Innovation: FutureWorks produced a demand-supply analysis for eleven business-workforce councils in Indiana. The reports are part of the center's effort to improve the design and delivery of technical education in the state. See the announcement of our analysis from the Workforce Data Quality Campaign Indiana Studies Workforce Supply Demand.
Greater Portland Economic Development Strategy: FutureWorks completed a comprehensive economic development strategy for Greater Portland Inc. See the final report from this project, Portland Vancouver Metropolitan Region Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Ivy Tech Community College Strategic Planning: Stretching over nearly four years and funded by grants from the Lumina Foundation, FutureWorks played a significant role in the strategic planning for Ivy Tech's transition to Indiana's community college. Our work helped the system develop new initiatives that were adopted by Indiana government and industry leaders.
Seattle Skills Building Initiative: FutureWorks has helped build an investors' collaborative to align grant-making strategies and create a pooled investment fund. FutureWorks also helped develop an employer engagement strategy and a policy advocacy agenda.
Greater Boston Economic Strategy: FutureWorks compiled and analyzed industry data to identify key clusters and economic trends for the region's economic development plan, which was submitted to the federal Economic Development Administration.
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Manufacturing Analysis: FutureWorks analyzed short and long term needs in the industry and the adequacy of the workforce training system and funding in Central Indiana. Our recommendations helped CICP take a stronger role in workforce education and contributed to the launch of the organization's manufacturing initiative.
Coastal Enterprises Inc. Multi-Year Program Evaluation: Over five years, FutureWorks evaluated finance and job creation programs for CEI, a Maine-based community development finance institution.
Work Systems Inc. Workforce Strategic Planning: FutureWorks' two back-to-back projects with the WIB in Portland, Oregon developed key workforce programming areas based on occupational demand. FutureWorks' recommendations led to over $10 million in coordinated regional programming shortly after the project was completed.
Innovation Strategy for Lancaster County Community Foundation: FutureWorks facilitated a strategy planning process to help the community foundation and its partners arrive at an investment strategy to strengthen the region's culture of innovation.
Northwest Pennsylvania Economic Development Strategy: FutureWorks produced an economic development strategy and action plan for an eight-county region in Northwest Pennsylvania.
Greater Washington Health Care Labor Market Analysis: The Greater Washington Board of Trade commissioned FutureWorks to conduct an analysis of Greater Washington's health care workforce. The project involved a complex data analysis, interviews and consensus building with industry leaders to better understand the workforce challenges, opportunities and successes for the industry.