The strength of American cities – and the nation as a whole – depends on generating inclusive growth for people of all races, ethnicities and incomes. Yet even in our most economically vibrant cities, not all residents are benefiting from that growth, resulting in stark racial and economic disparities that are even more extreme in distressed communities. In response, local leaders across the country are trying new strategies to promote inclusive growth. Many are producing positive but isolated outcomes. To deliver on the ultimate goal of shared prosperity, we hypothesized that cities could benefit from additional resources and support, including opportunities to learn from one another, secure unlikely allies, and advance scaled solutions within states, across states, and at higher levels of government.

In that spirit, the Shared Prosperity Partnership – a collaboration of the Kresge Foundation, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, the Urban Institute, and Living Cities – sought to support and accelerate local efforts by adding resources and connecting local leadership with national practitioners and researchers. By promoting inventive and actionable ideas, the partnership aimed to strengthen existing efforts and inform urban policy and practice, ultimately increasing economic mobility and decreasing disparities across races, ethnicities and genders. At a time of national challenge, the Shared Prosperity Partnership leveraged the innovative work of local leaders across the U.S. to offer a hopeful vision for American civil society, economic competitiveness and individual well-being.