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Close the Gap: A Business Response To our Region’s Growing Disparities

Close the Gap: A Business Response To our Region’s Growing Disparities. Fall 2008. TODAY’S AGENDA. Overview of the Itasca Project Socioeconomic disparities in our region Findings from Mind the Gap report Highlights of Close the Gap documentary Itasca’s response. What is Itasca.

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Close the Gap: A Business Response To our Region’s Growing Disparities

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  1. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 Close the Gap: A Business Response To our Region’s Growing Disparities Fall 2008

  2. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 TODAY’S AGENDA • Overview of the Itasca Project • Socioeconomic disparities in our region • Findings from Mind the Gap report • Highlights of Close the Gap documentary • Itasca’s response

  3. What is Itasca • Who is Itasca MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 THE ITASCA PROJECT • An employer-led alliance to drive regional efforts to keep the Twin Cities’ economy and quality of life competitive with other regions • 50-plus community leaders • Primarily private sector CEOs • Includes a handful of public sector leaders, such as the Governor, the Mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Chair of the Met Council, and the leaders of the University of Minnesota and MNSCU

  4. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 ITASCA IMPACTS ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE BY FOCUSING ON IMPORTANT ISSUE AREAS Education Socioeconomic disparities • Creating a World-class K-12 School System in MN • Supporting the Strategic Re-direction of Minneapolis Public Schools • Improving Early Childhood Development • Building Financial Fitness • Understanding and Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities (Close the Gap) Infrastructure & enablers Business & economic growth • Strengthening University-Business Relationships • Retaining and Growing Leading Employers • Supporting Small Business • Building Financial Fitness • Setting Regional Performance Indicators • Advancing a Comprehensive Transportation Plan

  5. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 TODAY’S AGENDA • Overview of the Itasca Project • Socioeconomic disparities in our region • Findings from Mind the Gap report • Highlights of Close the Gap documentary • Itasca’s response

  6. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 THE ITASCA PROJECT AND SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES • Addressing the region’s socioeconomic disparities was one of the first issues the Itasca Project took on when it was founded over five years ago. • With support from the McKnight Foundation, Itasca worked with the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program to better understand the nature and magnitude of our socioeconomic disparities. • This report was used to raise awareness of the troubling disparities and to motivate change in our community. In 2008, in an effort to further build awareness, Itasca partnered with Twin Cities Public Television (tpt) to create a documentary to bring the disparities highlighted in Mind the Gap to life.

  7. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 DISPARITIES IN OUR REGION ARE GROWING, AND THREATEN OUR ECONOMIC HEALTH • In Minnesota, not all children are “above average.” In fact, large populations are struggling • In spite of our overall economic strength, there are 3 stark and growing socioeconomic gaps in the Twin Cities – gaps tied to race, class, and place – which threaten to undermine our region’s future • Closing these gaps now is not just the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do

  8. RACE MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 RACE DISPARITIES CUT ACROSS ALL SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS. THEY AFFECT ALMOST ALL NONWHITE RACE AND ETHNIC POPULATIONS . . . • Compared to the average white Twin Cities resident • The average black Twin Cities resident is: • Earning 48% less • 73% less likely to own a home The average Latino Twin Cities resident is: • 4 times more likely to be uninsured • 5 times more likely to be a teen mother The average Native American Twin Cities resident is: • 2.5 times less likely to have access to a car • 5.5 times more likely to receive inadequate prenatal care Source: Brookings Institution; Wilder Foundation; MN Department of Health Center for Health Statistics

  9. RACE MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 NONWHITE MINNESOTANS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS LIKELY TO HAVE INSURANCE • Uninsured population (ages 0 – 64) • Percent Source: MN Health Access Survey (2001, 2004, 2007)

  10. RACE MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 WITH RAPIDLY GROWING MINORITY POPULATIONS, THESE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES ARE BECOMING MORE PROMINENT • Population by race • Percent • Nonwhite Between 1990 and 2007 the metro added over 350,000 minority residents – a 166% increase • White • 1990 • 2000 • 2007 Source: Twin Cities Compass

  11. 22 • CLASS MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 BEFORE REACHING SCHOOL AGE, LOW-INCOME CHILDREN FALL BEHIND HIGHER-INCOME PEERS • Percentage of MN Children rated “not yet” performing adequately at kindergarten entrance, by household income • Income • Dollars • Language and literacy • Mathematical thinking • 0-35,000 • 17 • 15 • 35,001-55,000 • 10 • 10 • 55,001-75,000 • 8 • 8 • 75,001 or more • 6 • 6 Source: MN School Readiness Year 2 study

  12. CLASS MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 THIS DISADVANTAGE CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, REGARDLESS OF RACE • Low income (up to 185% of poverty level) • All other students • Third-graders proficient in reading, 2001-02 – Minneapolis and St. Paul • White • American Indian • Black • Asian • Hispanic Source: Metro Trend Watch, Brookings Institution

  13. 11 • CLASS MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 INCOME, LIKE RACE, IS TIED TO A MULTITUDE OF OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS – FOR EXAMPLE, HEALTH • Percent in Poor/Fair Health by Race • Percent in Poor/Fair Health by Income* • 100% FPL • Black, Non-Hispanic • 100 - 199% FPL • Hispanic • 200 - 299% FPL • 300 - 399% FPL • White, Non-Hispanic • >400% FPL * Defined by relation to Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, February 2008, Overcoming Obstacles to Health: Stories, Facts and Findings, National Health Interview Survey, 2001-2005

  14. PLACE MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 THE CENTRAL CITIES HAVE HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF POPULATIONS THAT STRUGGLE WITH RACE AND CLASS DISPARITIES • Percent share of population, 2000 • Minneapolis – St. Paul • Suburbs • Total population • Non-white population • Poverty population Source: Brookings Institution; Wilder Foundation; HUD State of the Cities database

  15. PLACE MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 POVERTY IS CONCENTRATED IN THE 2 CENTRAL CITIES • Share of persons living in poverty, 2000 Source: Brookings Institution

  16. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 FROM AN ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS STANDPOINT, WHY SHOULD THE TWIN CITIES REGION WORK TOWARD REDUCING DISPARITIES? • Reducing disparities among race and income groups builds a more competitive workforce • In 2011, the baby boomers will start to retire. By 2029, the oldest baby boomers will retire • By 2029, the region will have to replace 776,000 workers – 350,000 of these are highly educated • The achievement gap suggests that, without intervention, the replacement workforce will not match skills of boomers • Reducing disparities among race and income has a positive economic impact • Increase the tax base • Reduce poverty expenditures • Put more money in the local economy • Reducing disparities among places will make the region stronger and more competitive • Research suggests that fates of large cities and their metropolitan areas are intertwined – they grow together or they decline together

  17. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 MINORITIES WILL MAKE UP A MUCH LARGER SHARE OF THE TWIN CITIES’ FUTURE WORKFORCE

  18. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 CLOSE THE GAP DOCUMENTARY

  19. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 TODAY’S AGENDA • Overview of the Itasca Project • Socioeconomic disparities in our region • Findings from Mind the Gap report • Highlights of Close the Gap documentary • Itasca’s response

  20. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 BROOKINGS SUGGESTED 3 KEY STRATEGIES TO REDUCE DISPARITIES • Update the basics – Make sure education, healthcare, and public safety meet the needs of the region’s 21st century population • Increase income and wealth – Help minority groups close the gap on economic measures (e.g., access to EITC and food stamps, homeownership, financial literacy) • Act regionally – Issues are regional and require regional solutions

  21. Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities • Mary Brainerd (CEO of HealthPartners) and Lynn Casey (President & CEO of Padilla Speer Beardsley) • Financially Fit Minnesota • Brad Anderson (CEO of Best Buy) • Supporting the Strategic Re-direction of Minneapolis Public Schools • Bruce Nicholson (President and CEO of Thrivent Financial) • Creating a World-Class K-12 Education System in MN • Dick Pettingill (President and CEO of Allina Hospitals and Clinics) • Twin Cities Compass • Irv Weiser (Retired Chairman & CEO of RBC Dain Rauscher) and Kathy Tunheim (President & CEO of Tunheim Partners) MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 IN RESPONSE, ITASCA LAUNCHED SEVERAL TASK FORCES TO FURTHER ADDRESS DISPARITIES 1 2 3 4 5

  22. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 1 ADDRESSING SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES – AWARENESS BUILDING EFFORTS • Actions • Results • Speakers Bureau • Created a Speakers Bureau to distribute message from Mind the Gap • Presented to over 10,000 people (and counting) • Close the Gap toolkit • Included tactical suggestions for employers in areas such as Income and Asset Development, Housing, Early Childhood Education, Educational Attainment, Health Care • Distributed over 6,000 • Businesses, churches, city and county departments, and universities incorporated into strategic plans • Close the Gap documentary • Partnered with tpt to create a documentary which brings to life the disparities highlighted in Mind the Gap • Over 50,000 households have viewed all or part of documentary on air • 8,000 visitors to Close the Gap website • 1,500 DVD’s distributed • In addition, Itasca has supported community efforts such as ServeAmerica early literacy program, EITC programs and STEP UP summer jobs

  23. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 2 FINANCIALLY FIT MINNESOTA • Financially Fit Minnesota employers • 3M ▪ Allina Hospitals & Clinics ▪ Best Buy ▪ Deluxe Corp. ▪ Fairview Health Services ▪ Federated Insurance ▪General Mills ▪ HealthPartners ▪ Jefferson Lines ▪ Met Council ▪ Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal ▪ Mortenson Construction ▪ Pentair ▪ Regions Hospital ▪ SUPERVALU ▪ Target ▪ Thor Construction ▪ Thrivent Financial for Lutherans ▪ Travelers ▪ University of Minnesota ▪ U.S. Bancorp ▪ Weber Shandwick ▪ Wells Fargo ▪ Xcel Energy • Mind the Gap report highlighted disparities in financial well-being and recommended a focus on improving financial literacy • Further research revealed that families in Minnesota and throughout the U.S. are increasingly engaging in unsound financial behavior, with particularly dire consequences for low income families • In response, The Itasca Project launched Financially Fit Minnesota, which asks companies to commit to increasing participation rates in direct deposit and retirement – and to close the gaps between employee groups • Still recruiting more employers! Visit www.FinanciallyFitMN.org or email info@FinanciallyFitMN.org for details

  24. Strategy • Objective • Goal is to impact 50,000 Minnesota families • by end of 2009 MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 HOW FINANCIALLY FIT MINNESOTA WORKS • Model employer behaviors that set a new community standard • Recruit employers to make organizational commit to • Increase direct deposit participation • Increase retirement plan participation • Provide tools to help employers set and meet goals – with a focus on closing gaps between employee groups

  25. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 3 SUPPORTING THE STRATEGIC RE-DIRECTION OF MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS • Minneapolis Public Schools faces significant challenges • District lost 25% of students in six years, causing financial challenges and budget deficits • Falling behind on state testing (75% of individual schools below state average) • Dramatic achievement gaps (e.g, 82% Caucasian proficient in math vs. 34% for African American) • Itasca supported the Strategic Planning process for Minneapolis Public Schools

  26. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 4 CREATING A WORLD-CLASS K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM IN MN • Though historically strong, Minnesota and its education system are facing a number of challenges, including: • Increasing global competition, requiring educated workforce to remain competitive • Indications that MN students are lagging international counterparts on achievement • Significant achievement gaps, with a shifting demographic mix towards student groups who demonstrate lower rates of success in current system (shown below) • The Itasca Project and Minnesota Business Partnership are co-sponsoring an initiative to: a • Identify the “best practices” that define world-class K-12 schools and systems • Growth • Graduation Rates and 10-Year Growth by Ethnicity • Percent, 2008-2018 • Graduation Rate b • Benchmark Minnesota’s performance and system practices against US and international systems c • Prioritize 3-5 changes to drive Minnesota to world-class “best practices” • White • Am. Indian • Asian • Black • His- panic Source: “Minnesota Population Projections 2005-2035”, Minnesota State Demographic Center, June 2007; “Knocking at the College Door,” Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), March 2008

  27. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 5 TWIN CITIES COMPASS: www.tccompass.org • Twin Cities Compass promotes our region's well-being by • Measuring progress • Reporting findings • Providing strategies for action • Tracks regional indicators across eight key areas • Itasca supported development and led the convening of experts to identify key indicators

  28. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 SINCE ITS LAUNCH FIVE YEARS AGO, ITASCA HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON A WIDE ARRAY OF INITIATIVES • Supported efforts to secure dedicated funding for transportation • Launched Financially Fit Minnesota – 26 employers working to improve financial fitness of employees • Created “front-door” to University of Minnesota, greatly enhancing businesses’ ability to access services and for University technology transfer • Launched cultivation program to retain and grow Minnesota’s large employers, an important driver of economic competitiveness • Built awareness of socioeconomic disparities by presenting Mind the Gap to over 10,000 community members; in addition, 50,000 households have seen all or part of Close the Gap documentary • Supported strategic plan at Minneapolis Public Schools; set path for district reform • Played leading role in creation and implementation of Twin Cities Compass • Distributed Close the Gap toolkits to 6,000 employers and helped create plans to address socioeconomic disparities • Created the GetGoMN.org to link entrepreneurs with funders and support services • Helped hundreds of Minneapolis students to access summer jobs through Step Up summer job programs • CEO’s drive and lead every task force – spend real time engaging on the issues • Relatively small budget, funded by partnership between CEO’s and local Foundations • Leverage millions of dollars and thousands of hours in pro-bono services and volunteer efforts from community organizations and businesses

  29. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 WHY ITASCA IS EFFECTIVE 1 • Driven by passion.Each initiative driven by a CEO – based on their passions 2 • Lead with the facts.Willing to invest time and money required to get the best common fact base 3 • Find a unique role for Itasca to play. Role varies by initiative, but usually fills a leadership gap in region 4 • Collaborate and partner.Work with those organizations who can help get things done

  30. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 COMPANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE - HEALTHPARTNERS • .REDUCE IDENTIFIED HEALTH DISPARITIES • .INCREASE DIVERSITY • .FINANCIAL FITNESS “ PACESETTER” • .“MIND THE GAP” COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

  31. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 OPTIMAL DIABETES CARE BY RACEAT HEALTHPARTNERS

  32. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 % PATIENTS UP-TO-DATE WITH PREVENTIVE SERVICESHEALTHPARTNERS, 3RD QUARTER 2007

  33. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 PREVENTIVE SERVICES BY RACE MESSAGESHEALTHPARTNERS 2007

  34. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 WHAT CAN PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERS DO TO ADDRESS SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES? • Look critically at your organization. Conduct an internal assessment and explore how your can incorporate strategies to close the gap into your organizations • Use Close the Gap toolkit for ideas available at: www.unitedwaytwincities.org/CommunityInfo/closethegap.cfm • Join Financially Fit Minnesota. Help your employees be more financially secure and prepared for the future • Visit: www.FinanciallyFitMN.org • Email: info@FinanciallyFitMN.org • Raise awareness and catalyze action. To motivate change, broad awareness and understanding of these issues is required. Use the tpt Close the Gap documentary and the Human Resources Diversity Council discussion guide (coming soon!) to host a discussion at your organization. • Watch for more at: www.tccompass.org/disparities

  35. MW-ZXF585-20060118-310 • We all have a role to play in addressing socioeconomic disparities • Resources: • Twin Cities Compass: www.tccompass.org • Close the Gap documentary and tools: www.tccompass.org/disparities • Mind the Gap report and Close the Gap toolkit: www.unitedwaytwincities.org/CommunityInfo/closethegap.cfm • Financially Fit Minnesota: www.FinanciallyFitMN.org • For more info on The Itasca Project and initiatives: • Contact allison_barmann@mckinsey.com

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