Encore Entrepreneurs Look to Start New Businesses in CT

To paraphrase a commercial phrase from years ago, it isn’t your grandfather’s entrepreneurship.  In fact, the new version isn’t only for twenty- and thirty-somethings.  The fifty- and sixty-somethings are, in increasing numbers, looking to launch what AARP describes as “encore entrepreneurship.”  And the infrastructure to give those new entrepreneurial notions a boost is growing too, including in Connecticut. The most recent gathering, at the reSET business factory in Hartford, brought solid attendance and an array of experts to work with individuals with a full career under their belt, but nonetheless looking to start their next career. 

AARP and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) hosted the free educational and networking “Boot Camp” seminar for Connecticut entrepreneurs and small business owners.  reSET, usually populated by a predominantly younger set of entrepreneurs, indicated that age and entrepreneurship are not mutually exclusive, and Community Developer Brandon Serafino went on to explain the availability of working space, expert mentors and consultants is areas ranging from law to accounting to marketing on hand to provide guidance.

Nora Duncan, state director of AARP, led the program presentations and described a strong portfolio of services available – and some surprising numbers that reflect the strength of encore entrepreneurship nationwide.

It turns out, she said, that there is research to show that not only do more older people start businesses but also that businesses started by older people are actually more successful on average.

A study by the Kauffman Foundation found, for example, that the average and median age of U.S.-born tech founders was thirty-nine when they started their companies. Twice as many were older than fifty as were younger than twenty-five.

A recent report in Business Insider indicated that one in three new businesses in the U.S. were started by an entrepreneur age 50 or older.  Describing “running a business as the new retirement,” the news report cited an infographic in easylifecover that highlighted those aged 55-64 in the U.S. have actually had the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the last 10 years, noting that the founders of McDonald's, Coca Cola, and Kentucky Fried Chicken – among others - were all over 50 when they established their businesses.

The interactive “Boot Camp” event at reSET – open to people of all ages with a special focus on the 50 and over –included short presentations from local resource organizations, networking opportunities and valuable information on the programs and tools available to potential business owners.  Attendees were updated on the necessary steps and tools to launch a business, and had opportunities to talk one-on-one with local mentoring organizations, lenders, small business advisors and community leaders for advice and assistance.

AARP state offices and U.S. Small Business Administration District Offices are in the midst of hosting events for Encore Entrepreneurs specifically designed for those age 50 and older who want to start or grow a small business.  Summer of Encore Mentoring events are being conducted during June, July and August, in Connecticut and around the country.  (Next event is June 29 at CCSU)

Among those on hand at the reSET event in mid-June were representatives of the Office of Secretary of State (where new businesses are registered), Hartford Economic Development Corporation, and the Connecticut Small Business Development Center.  SBA Connecticut District Director Anne Hunt outlined the businesses expertise available at offices throughout the state to support business start-ups and help navigate the hurdles that new businesses face.

The SBA-AARP strategic partnership is designed to jointly counsel, train, and mentor encore entrepreneurs on small business creation. For many 50+ individuals, officials say, entrepreneurship training is the toolkit that empowers them to use their experience, knowledge, and skills to become business owners and job creators. Since the partnership began in 2012, the SBA and AARP have educated more than 300,000 existing and budding potential encore entrepreneurs nationwide.

reSET serves all entrepreneurs, but specializes in social enterprise ― impact driven business with a double and sometimes triple bottom line. In addition to providing co-working space and accelerator and mentoring programs, reSET aims to inspire innovation and community collaboration, and to support entrepreneurs in creating market-based solutions to community challenges. The organization’s goal is to “meet entrepreneurs wherever they are in their trajectory and to help them take their businesses to the next level.”

Connecticut Is 2016’s 2nd Best State for Working Dads; Two Norwalk Businesses Earn Spot Among Nation’s Top 50 for New Dads

Working fathers in Connecticut are in a great place, according to a newly released analysis.  Connecticut is ranked only behind only Minnesota as the 2^nd Best State for Working Dads, a glimpse of good news as Father’s Day approaches. Nearly 93 percent of dads with kids younger than 18 in the labor force, according to the personal-finance website WalletHub, which conducted an in-depth analysis of the Best & Worst States for Working Dads.

The top 10 states were Minnesota, Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Virginia and North Dakota.  At the bottom of the list were Mississippi, West Virginia, Alaska and Nevada.

WalletHub analyzed the work-life balance, health conditions, financial well-being and child-rearing environments for working dads in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, using 20 key metrics, which range from day care quality to male life expectancy.

To identify the best and worst states for working dads, WalletHub analyzed the various factors in the work-life balance that affect paternal roles in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, focused on four key dimensions of fatherhood: 1) Economic & Social Well-Being, 2) Work-Life Balance, 3) Child Care and 4) Health.  Among the 20 factors included were parental leave policy, commute time, day care quality, pediatric services, median income, unemployment rate, and mental health.

Leading to its overall ranking of second in the analysis, Connecticut was 13^th in “economic and social well-being,” third in “work-life balance,” eighth in “child care,” and third in “health.”  Among the sub-categories, Connecticut was:

• 2nd – Male Life Expectancy at Birth
• 2nd – % of Kids Younger than 18 with Dad Present Living in Poverty
• 2nd – “Parental Leave Policy” Score
• 6th – Access to Pediatric Services
• 6th – % of Men Who Report Adequate or Any Physical Activity
• 7th – Male Uninsured Rate
• 14th – Average Freshman Graduation Rate for Men
• 16th – Mortality Rate due to Heart Disease per 100,000 Men
• 17th – Mean Hours Worked per Day Among Males
• 19^th - Median Income for Families (Dad Present) with Kids Younger than 18 Years, Adjusted for Cost of Living

Among the nation’s top businesses for new dad, an analysis by the website Fatherly, determined that two Connecticut-based companies – alcoholic beverages producer Diageo and financial data and analysis provider FactSet, earned slots in the top 50.  Fatherly is a digital lifestyle guide for men entering parenthood.

Just a handful of states had companies on the list:  California (18), New York (9), Oregon (4), Massachusetts (3) and Georgia, North Carolina, Washington DC, and Connecticut, with two each.

Norwalk’s Diageo ranked 34^th, and was praised for policies that include “employees receive up to 8 hours of school activity leave (up to 40 hours per year) so you won’t have to miss your kid’s big game or school play.”  FactSet, headquartered in Norwalk, ranked 46^th.  The company was praised because it “recently upped it’s paternity leave from one week to 4.”  FactSet has 8,000 employees in 21 countries.  Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with iconic brands in spirits, beer and wine, producing well-known brands from more than 200 sites in over 30 countries.

The top companies were Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, Patagonia, Bank of America, Pinterest, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Airbnb, Johnson & Johnson, Accenture, MasterCard, Intuit and Intel.

In addition, nine small businesses described as “leading the way,” were change.org (San Francisco), Laughing Planet Café (Portland), Upworthy (New York), Blue Corona (Maryland),  Badger Balm (New Hampshire), Square Root (Austin), Able Lending (Austin), Happy Family (New York) and ustwo (New York).

When Fatherly’s 50 Best Places To Work For New Dads was a year ago, nearly half the companies featured offered between one and 2 weeks of paid leave to fathers. Twelve months later, 7.5 weeks is the average, 35 percent of companies offer between 6 and 8 weeks, and another 12 companies offer between 10 weeks and a full year, the website pointed out, attributing much of the increase to tech companies, which make up nearly a third of companies on the top 50 list.

Data used to create the WalletHub report were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Council for Community and Economic Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Education Statistics, the National Partnership for Women & Families, the American Urological Association, the Social Science Research Council, Child Care Aware of America and WalletHub research.

Nine in Ten CT Residents Have a Usual Source of Care, But 3 in 10 Haven’t Seen Doctor in Past Year

A new federal report finds that all but 10.1 percent of Connecticut residents had a usual source of medical care during 2014 – tied for the sixth lowest percentage among the states.  The same report found great variation among states but, on average, 17.3 percent of Americans lacked a usual source of care. Vermont led the country with only 2.8 percent of residents reporting they do not have a regular care site, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, followed by Delaware at 6.8 percent.

Even in Connecticut there remains room for improvement as nearly 3 in 10 – 29.6 percent - of Connecticut residents had not seen or talked to a general doctor during the last year, slightly better than the national average. Vermont also led the country in that statistic, with 84 percent having seen or spoken with a physician during the previous year.

The percentage of adults without a usual place of medical care ranged from 2.8 percent in Vermont to 26.7 percent in Nevada.  The percentage of adults who did not have a general doctor visit in the past 12 months ranged from 15.9 percent in Vermont to nearly have the state’s population - 48.1 percent - in Montana.

The federal data indicated that nine states (Nevada, Idaho, Texas, Oregon, Wyoming, Kentucky, Arizona, Alaska, and Florida) had a higher percentage of adults without a usual place of medical care compared with the national average (17.3%).

Conversely, Vermont, Delaware (6.8%), Massachusetts (7.5%), Wisconsin (9.5%), Hawaii (10%), Connecticut (10.1%), Rhode Island (10.1%), New Hampshire (11.6%), North Dakota (11.9%), South Dakota, New York, Alabama, Iowa, Maine, and Pennsylvania had a lower percentage of adults without a usual place of medical care compared with the national average.

Eleven states (Montana, South Dakota, Alaska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, and California) had a higher percentage of adults who had not seen or talked to a general doctor in the past 12 months compared with the national average (34.0%).  Vermont, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Ohio had a lower percentage of adults who had not seen or talked to a general doctor in the past 12 months compared with the national average.

Connecticut, at 29.6 percent, ranked just outside the top 10 states in the second quartile, but just below the national average.

Also of note, the study found little impact on these metrics of states’ decisions to expand Medicaid or create a state-based health insurance exchange. The federal analysis concluded that “continued state-specific monitoring will be helpful in identifying and tracking state and regional disparities in health care utilization over time.”

The National Health Interview Survey is a multipurpose health survey conducted continuously throughout the year by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Interviews are conducted in person in respondents’ homes, but follow-ups to complete interviews may be conducted over the telephone. The federal report was authored by Lindsey I. Black and Jeannine S. Schiller, with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health Interview Statistics.

CT An Also-Ran Among States in Entrepreneurial Growth, Despite Some Gains

Connecticut ranks 13^th among the nation’s 25 smaller states – and 36^th overall - in the growth of entrepreneurship, according to a new study and state-by-state analysis by Kauffman Foundation.  A year ago, the state ranked 17^th among the smaller states, slightly improving its ranking in the latest data.  The rate of start-up growth in Connecticut increased to 45.5 percent in the 2016 report, compared with 23.6 percent the previous year. The “share of scale-ups” also increased, from 1.29 percent in last year’s analyses to 1.33 percent this year.  Scale-ups measures the number of firms that started small but grew to employ fifty people or more by their tenth year of operation as a percentage of all employer firms ten years or younger.

One metric that dropped slightly measured high-growth company density – the number of private businesses with a least $2 million in annual revenue reaching three years of 20 percent annual revenue growth normalized by total business population.  Connecticut moved from 55.1 a year ago to 48.8 in the 2016 report.  Both researchers and entrepreneurs have suggested density as a key indicator of vibrancy in entrepreneurial ecosystems, and there is high variation on this indicator across U.S. states, according to the report.

The Kauffman Index of Growth Entrepreneurship, released this week,  is an indicator of business growth in the United States, “integrating several high-quality sources of timely information into one composite indicator of entrepreneurial business growth.”

In rankings by industry, Connecticut ranked in the top five among the 25 smaller states in two five categories – 3^rd in Business Products & Services and 3^rd in Software.  The state was ranked outside the top five in high-growth companies in the IT Services, Advertising & Marketing and Health industries.

Overall, the Growth Entrepreneurship Index rose in 2016 in thirty-nine states in the last year, indicating a continued return of broad-based business growth, the report concluded.

• Among the twenty-five largest states, the five states with the highest Growth Entrepreneurship Index were Virginia, Maryland, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Texas.
• Among the twenty-five smallest states, the five states with the highest Growth Entrepreneurship Index were Utah, New Hampshire, Delaware, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. (Connecticut ranked 13^th)

While most states experienced an increase in growth entrepreneurship activity, changes in state rankings— which measure relative yearly performance across states, as opposed to performance relative to a state’s own growth entrepreneurship rates in the previous year—were different. Twenty-three states ranked higher than they did last year, seven experienced no changes in rankings, and twenty ranked lower, the report pointed out.

"Growth entrepreneurship directly contributes to the economy through creating jobs, innovation and wealth," said Arnobio Morelix, senior research analyst at the Kauffman Foundation, which conducts the annual study.

Virginia took first place in growth entrepreneurship activity among the 25 largest states, followed by Maryland, Arizona, Massachusetts and Texas. Kauffman researchers said it is no coincidence that two of the top states include the highly entrepreneurial Washington, D.C., metro area. Among larger states, 12 ranked higher than they did last year, four experienced no change in rankings and nine ranked lower.

Among the 25 largest states, the five that experienced the biggest increase in rank from 2015 to 2016 were North Carolina (15 to 8), Alabama (13 to 9), Ohio (16 to 12), Tennessee (18 to 14) and Arizona (6 to 3).

The five large states that saw the greatest decrease in rank in 2016 were, with a tie for fifth place, New Jersey (8 to 20), Pennsylvania (10 to 16), Illinois (14 to 17), Wisconsin (20 to 23), Louisiana (4 to 6) and South Carolina (11 to 13).

Among the 25 smallest states, Utah led growth entrepreneurship activity, followed by New Hampshire, Delaware, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Eleven states ranked higher than they did last year, three experienced no change in rankings and 11 ranked lower.

The five small states that saw the biggest increase in rank were Mississippi (22 to 10), Wyoming (23 to 15), North Dakota (11 to 4), Nevada (15 to 8) and Connecticut (17 to 13).

State Residents Pessimistic About State Economy, Upbeat About Personal Finances, Survey Finds

The state’s budget crisis, and months of fiscal wrangling at the State Capitol, appears to have taken a toll on the economic outlook of Connecticut residents.  Despite growing optimism about their personal financial situation, state residents are increasingly pessimistic about the state’s finances and employment prospects, and are preparing to do some personal belt-tightening as a result. In the latest InformCT Consumer Confidence Survey, for the first quarter of 2016, the percentage who believe that the Connecticut economy is improving has dropped 10 points from the first quarter of 2015 to the first quarter this year, from just over one-third (34%) of state residents to just  under one-quarter (24%).

A year ago, when asked about current business conditions in Connecticut versus six months prior, 29 percent said conditions were better and only 22 percent said they were worse.  That break-down has now flipped, with 22 percent stating “better” and 29 percent saying business conditions are worse.

A majority of respondents (56%) said they intend to make some (41%), or significant (15%), cuts to their personal budget, as a result of budget cuts at the state level.  Only four in ten say that state cuts will have no effect “on me personally.”  Asked what the state should do to best remedy the budget shortfall, six in ten (59%) urged the state to reduce spending while four in ten (43%) suggested raising taxes on the top 1% of income households.

The quarterly survey is released by InformCT, a public-private partnership that provides independent, non-partisan research, analysis, and public outreach to help create fact-based dialogue and action in Connecticut.  Administered by researchers from the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC) and Smith & Company, the analysis is based on the responses of residents across Connecticut and addresses key economic issues, providing a glimpse of the public’s views.

Regarding the employment picture, state residents increasingly believe that although there are jobs available, but 6 in 10 believe there are “not enough.”  And 42 percent are concerned that either their job, or their spouse’s job, is in jeopardy - up from 33 percent in the previous quarter, and the highest level the quarterly survey has seen in the past year.

When it comes to their own finances, state residents are markedly more upbeat.  One-third (32%) say they are better off than 6 months ago (up from 24% in the previous quarterly survey) and 44 percent believe they will be better off six months from now than they are today, a jump of 10 points from last quarter.  More than 8 in 10 residents (83%) say that from a personal financial standpoint, they will be much better off, somewhat better off, or about the same, six months from now.

State residents continue to be persistent in their view that Connecticut is a good place to live and raise a family, with 48 percent expressing that view, and only 29 percent disagreeing – a number that hasn’t budged much during the past year.  Yet, the percentage of respondents who say they are likely to move out of the state in the next five years has increased to its highest level in five quarters, to 43 percent, after hovering between 32 percent and 39 percent with that view in the four quarterly surveys of 2015.

Perhaps driven by economic necessity, the public’s view of regionalism – long an anathema in Connecticut – indicates receptivity.  Four in ten now believe that services such as public safety, public health, libraries, education and animal control “could effectively be delivered regionally.”  And 52 percent believe that the best way to grow the economy is to invest in local schools, transportation choices and walkable areas, versus 48 percent who view recruiting companies to the area as the best way to grow the economy.

Hartford Foundation Growth Responds to Community Needs

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the community foundation for 29 communities in Greater Hartford, awarded more than $33 million in grants to the region’s nonprofit agencies and educational institutions in 2015, according to the organization’s newly released annual report. The Foundation’s 2015 grantmaking was based on the recognition that "a vibrant and strong Greater Hartford region requires that all residents, especially those with the greatest need, have equitable opportunities to achieve and flourish," the report stated.  In order to make this possible, the Foundation provided support to nonprofit and public entities that "work to ensure everyone has access to the resources and services they need to thrive."

The Foundation invested 30 percent of its grants in education from birth through high school, and new and renewed college scholarship, according to the report. Grants for family and social services received 20 percent; health – 11 percent; arts and culture – 11 percent; community and economic development – 19 percent, general – 5 percent and summer programs – 4 percent.

“Thanks to the support of our generous donors, the Hartford Foundation, working with our many community partners, is leading and participating in collaborative approaches to harness resources and increase community impact,” said Linda J. Kelly, president of the Hartford Foundation.

The Foundation received gifts totaling $17.5 million and established 29 new funds, including a new giving circle, the “Black Giving Circle Fund,” to address issues facing Greater Hartford’s Black community.

“Our newly adopted strategic plan, with its focus on equity and opportunity, prioritizes learning from birth through college, vibrant communities and family economic security,” Kelly said. “We look forward to amplifying our efforts to address community needs to meet the broad-based and changing issues in our region, and create pathways to opportunity for all residents.”

The annual report highlights the wide variety of work the Foundation has supported throughout Greater Hartford, including:

Alliance District Grants (Bloomfield, East Hartford, Windsor): More than $1.5 million was awarded to three Greater Hartford school districts to establish or deepen each district’s partnerships with family and community, to improve student outcomes and promote equitable educational opportunity throughout the region.

• Bloomfield was awarded a grant to significantly expand Bloomfield Public Schools’ family and community partnerships supporting an extended school day and increasing yearlong support of student learning.
• East Hartford Public Schools received a grant to develop a new Teaching and Learning Center and other strategies that will enable it to support children’s learning, development, and success through increased family, school, and community partnerships.
• Windsor Public Schools received a grant to establish a new Office of Family and Community Partnership to develop families, school staff, and community partners’ knowledge, skills, and other capacities to engage in productive partnerships focused on student success.

The Hartford Foundation has approved $3.95 million over three years in grants and technical assistance to support the Career Pathways Initiative, a collaborative, crosscutting approach to providing residents with education and workforce training that places them on a trajectory to ascend a career ladder in industries that have job openings. The initiative targets low-literate and low-skilled residents of the Capitol Region, including single parents, at-risk youth, immigrants, homeless heads of household, former offenders, and others who need a broad range of coordinated services to be successful. The initiative enhances or expands existing programs and pilots new approaches.

Journey Home was awarded a three-year, $199,197 grant to support the region’s Coordinated Access Network, a collaboration of services providers whose goal is to establish a coordinated region wide placement and referral system for homeless individuals and families.

The Nonprofit Support Program continues to be a critical source of capacity building and knowledge sharing among our region’s nonprofit organizations.  In 2015, 218 nonprofits were awarded 96 grants totaling $1.74 million. These grants included support for technical assistance, strategic technology, human resources, board leadership development, executive transition, financial management and evaluation capacity.

Metro Hartford Progress Points, a partnership between the Hartford Foundation and eight other regional entities, launched the second edition of the Progress Points Report which focused on access to better schools, better jobs and stronger neighborhoods.

Since its founding in 1925, the Foundation has awarded approximately $654 million in grants.

Noah and Sophia Were CT's Most Popular Newborn Names in 2015

Connecticut’s most frequent names for newborns in 2015 were Noah and Sophia, according to the Social Security Administration.  Nationwide, Noah topped the list for boys, but Emma was number one for girls. Among the baby girls, Connecticut’s top three names selected were Sophia, Emma and Olivia.  Nationwide, the names were the same but the order was different – Emma, Olivia and Sophia.

Among the boys, Mason was number 2 in Connecticut and number 3 nationwide. Alexander, Connecticut’s third most popular name for boys, placed eighth nationally.

In 2014, Mason and Olivia topped the list of most popular baby names in Connecticut, with Noah, Alexander, Emma and Sophia not far behind.  In 2013, Olivia again was atop the girls list, but William ranked first among the baby boys.

The source of the data is a 100 percent sample based on Social Security card application data.

The top 10 names for boys in Connecticut in 2015 were Noah, Mason, Alexander, Liam, Benjamin, Jacob, William, Michael, Logan and Matthew.  For girls, Connecticut’s top 10 were Sophia, Emma, Olivia, Isabella, Ava, Mia, Charlotte, Emily, Abigail, and Madison.

Since the beginning of this decade, as most elementary school teachers can likely attest, the most popular boys names in the U.S. are Jacob, Noah, Mason, William and Ethan; for girls, the leaders have been Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia and Ava.  In the first decade of this century, the top names were Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew and Daniel for boys; Emily, Madison, Emma, Olivia, and Hannah for girls.

A century ago, the list was very different.

The top girls names between 1900 and 1909 were Mary, Helen, Margaret, Anna, Ruth, Elizabeth, Dorothy, Marie, Florence, and Mildred: among the boys it was John, William, James, George, Charles, Robert, Joseph, Frank, Edward and Thomas.

204,000 Self-Employed in CT; Freelancers Increasing Nationwide

The ranks of the self-employed are growing in Connecticut, as the number of freelancers continues to expand nationwide.  In Connecticut, there are now an estimated 204,000 individuals who are self-employed, more than 11 percent of the state’s workers, which exceeds the national average. As of March 2016, approximately 15.3 million people in the United States designated their employment status as “self-employed,” according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and increase of about 700,000 since May 2014, just over 10 percent of all U.S. employment.

In 2015, 29 states and the District of Columbia had self-employment rates below the U.S. rate of 10.1 percent, and 21 states had rates as least as high. Montana had the highest rate among states, 16.1 percent, followed by Maine (15.4 percent), Vermont (14.4 percent), and South Dakota (14.2 percent). The lowest rates were in the District of Columbia (7.1 percent), Delaware (7.2 percent), and Alabama (7.5 percent), according to BLS data.

Additionally, published reports last fall indicated that 54 million individuals report doing freelance work, either full-time or on the side, in the U.S., representing about one-third of the nation’s workforce.  That is an increase of 700,000 since 2014, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the independent research firm Edelman Berland.

“Americans who are freelancing already contribute more than $700 billion to our national economy and help U.S. businesses compete and find the skills that they need,” said Fabio Rosati, CEO of Elance-oDesk, which commissioned the survey with Freelancers Union.  The study identified five freelancer segments:

• Independent Contractors (36% of the independent workforce / 19.3 million professionals)
• Moonlighters (25% / 13.2 million)
• Diversified workers (26% / 14.1 million)
• Temporary Workers (9% / 4.6 million)
• Freelance Business Owners (5% / 2.5 million)

In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation (of the workforce) will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before," Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, which organized the Davos gathering,  wrote earlier this year. "The speed of current breakthroughs has no historical precedent. ... These changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance."

Already, 2.9 million freelancers earned more than $100,000 last year, up from 2 million who hit the six-figure mark just four years earlier, according to MBO Partners.  The report indicated that 60 percent of freelancers surveyed said they started freelancing by choice—up from 53 percent last year—and 67percent of freelancers agree that more people are choosing to work independently today compared to three years ago.

The survey commissioned by Freelancers Union and Upwork in 2015 found that than one-third of freelancers report that demand for their services increased in the past year, and 3 in 4 non-freelancers are open to doing additional work outside their primary jobs to earn more money, if such an opportunity was available.  The report stated that “freelancing is becoming a more prevalent, viable option for workers—a trend that spans across borders, industries and occupations.”

Greater Hartford Grows as Regional Workforce Ecosystem

It may not be widely recognized, but the Greater Hartford area has become a dynamic, participatory, collaborative regional ecosystem.  And during National Workforce Development Week, which is celebrated nationally this week, that is an especially salient development. What exactly does that mean?  First, the definition: any time that partners within a region come together to solve problems, and meet regularly to answer new challenges, a regional ecosystem in is play.  An “ecosystem” is defined as a system, or a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. A “Regional Ecosystem” is just that –specific to a geographic region. 

In North Central Connecticut, the regional ecosystem is helping business grow, and find the talent they need, and it is affecting the greater welfare of society, even in these extremely challenging times with budget deficits, and economic pressures that abound.  So says Thomas Phillips, President and CEO of Capital Workforce Partners, among the drivers of progress underway across the 37-town region.

Regional ecosystems are like a chain of links, he explains, with each link playing a key role in holding the work together.  “In workforce development – the regional ecosystem is comprised of strategic partnerships with industry, education, economic development, community organizations, labor and business-led workforce boards – leading programs that are nimble, flexible, adaptable and generating economic opportunity for business and job seekers.”

Among the leading examples of the local regional ecosystems - focusing on workforce development - which use a set of common goals and outcomes:

1. MoveUp! – a regional ecosystem addressing the challenges relating to adult literacy, with 26 partners working collectively
2. Opportunity Youth – a regional ecosystem addressing the challenges of reconnecting out-of-work, out-of-school youth to education, training and careers, with over 50 partners and funders working collectively
3. Best Chance – a regional ecosystem addressing the challenges of returning citizens – finding sustainable employment for former offenders, with 15 partners working collectively
4. The Hartford Coalition on Education and Talent (soon to be renamed) – a regional ecosystem designed to help more youth complete post-secondary education while closing the gap experienced by employers, with 8+ partners working collectively. “Be on the lookout for the work this group is doing – building pathways of success for the youth in our region,” says Paul Holzer, President of Achieve Hartford, spearheading this effort.
5. The Knowledge Corridor – a region that crosses the Connecticut and Massachusetts border, this area is also a home to a robust regional ecosystem that includes 64,000 businesses, 41 colleges and universities, a labor force of 1.34 million and an international airport.

The organizations involved - scores of them - range from well-known names, such as Leadership Greater Hartford, Literacy volunteers, Capitol Region Education Council and the Hispanic Health Council, to those lesser known but just as vital.

“As ‘conveners,’ workforce development boards are often the ‘clasp’ of the chain, keeping all the links together, moving with changes in time,” says Phillips. “That means workforce development, economic development and education are responding collectively to work together toward sustainable jobs, talent creation and business growth.”

The number of organizations that collaborate continues to grow, with different organizations playing a lead role in select initiatives.  But there is definitely strength in numbers, they point out.

At the national level, officials note, the U. S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), Workforce Development Council is spearheading an effort to help each region have better access to best practices in building strong regional ecosystems.  The organizations is also working toward building more consistent communications and program focus that is designed to result in better outcomes.

That can best be accomplished region-by-region –addressing local area needs with locally based organizations.

Andrew McGough, Executive Director of the Portland, Oregon Workforce Development Board and Chair the USCM Workforce Development Committee, stresses that “Business-led local workforce boards lead the system through strategic partnerships with industry, education, community organizations, and labor, resulting in greater effectiveness and efficiency in serving businesses and job seekers in our communities.”

The Capital Workforce Partners website includes a list of participating community organizations.

Diversity Lacking Among Nation's Philanthropic Organization Leaders; Graustein Memorial Fund Cited As Model of Progress

Five years ago, America’s philanthropic community recognized it had a problem, not uncommon in board rooms nationwide – a lack of diversity.  More than a dozen organizations with connections to thousands of grantmakers came together to found the D5 Coalition to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in philanthropy. Now, the coalition’s final report on progress is out, and the picture is barely encouraging. In an op-ed published this month in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the co-chairs of the D5 initiative Robert Ross, Luz Vega-Marquis and Stephen Heintz said bluntly that “philanthropy remains on a par with country clubs when it comes to exclusivity,” observing that “there have been pockets of progress in the last five years, but philanthropy still does not adequately reflect the diversity of our nation.”

“The only source we have on foundation demographics, shows that the proportion of CEOs of color among respondents has remained flat over the past five years at eight percent. The corresponding figure for senior executive staff is a tad more positive – 17 percent, compared to 14 percent five years ago – but there’s been a slight decline in program officers of color.”

The status quo, they emphasized, “is unacceptable.”  They point out that “as matters of inequality in income, employment, housing, public education, justice systems, and health care stake a growing claim on the national agenda, philanthropy must set the tone and pace for inclusiveness, and for who plays a key role in deciding where money goes.”

Robert Ross is the President and CEO of the California Endowment; Luz Vega-Marquis is the President and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation; Stephen Heintz is the President of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.  Heintz, a former Connecticut resident, served as a state commissioner in the 1980’s in the administration of Gov. William O’Neill at the outset of his career.

The D5 final report features stories about leaders in foundations and other philanthropic organizations taking meaningful action to advance DEI.  “Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to inspire action and change. We hope people working within foundations—whether they are a CEO, an HR manager or a program officer—draw on the important lessons from these stories, and apply them to their own unique situations,” said Kelly Brown, D5 Director. Kelly also cited statistics indicating that “when companies commit themselves to diverse leadership, they are more successful. Foundations and nonprofits,” she said, “have the opportunity to take a page from successful business playbooks.”

Among eight stories included in the final report which point to progress being made is one focused on Hamden-based William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, headlined “A Family Foundation’s Shift Toward Diversity and Equity.”  The story explained that “Bill Graustein and his trustees had come to feel that the Fund would not make the desired progress addressing social issues unless it more explicitly addressed issues of race and inequality. To oversee that transition, in 2014 it hired as executive director David Addams, a former director of diversity at the ACLU and Vice President of Special Initiatives at the New York Urban League, who had made a mark running the Oliver Scholars in New York City, which identifies promising minority students and prepares them to succeed in top independent high schools and colleges.”

The report goes on to highlight that “a new mission statement, unveiled in 2015, pledges the Fund “to achieve equity in education by working with those affected and inspiring all to end racism and poverty.” The article indicates that they “will continue to attack barriers to achievement within schools and school districts, but, in an interview, Addams says a new focus will be ‘the barriers outside schools that undermine kids and undermine communities.’ Board members and staff members are thinking hard about how to translate the mission statement into new programmatic activity; they hope to present guidelines for the next phase of grant giving by mid-2016.”

Asked in the feature story whether it was important that the Graustein Fund turn to a leader of color at this juncture, Addams, who is African American, responded: “I don’t know if it has to be an African American person, but it has to be someone who can bring a missing perspective to the Fund. Part of that is understanding racism as well as — for me — having had the direct experience of coming up from poverty, and experiencing the barriers, and having been raised by a single black mother.” Addams, the article indicated, “grew up on the South Side of Chicago, in a neighborhood that was, and remains, nearly all black.”

The co-chairs of the D5 initiative note that “proponents of diversity and inclusion are successfully broadening the definition of diversity, which has evolved from a focus primarily on race and gender to include sexual orientation and disability. This strengthens our ability to have constructive conversations and help everyone understand how to get more perspectives into philanthropy.”

D5 has worked to help foundations and other philanthropic organizations recruit diverse leaders, identify the best actions for organizations to take, increase funding to diverse communities and improve data collection and transparency. Launched in 2010 as a five-year initiative, D5 has worked to help foundations and other philanthropic organizations recruit diverse leaders, identify the best actions for organizations to take, increase funding to diverse communities and improve data collection and transparency.