The Orlando region is one of just three metros selected to participate in the one-year project focused on developing tools for tracking and driving inclusive economic outcomes.
Orlando, Fla. – The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) is one of just three metros selected by the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program (Brookings Metro) to participate in the Inclusive Economic Indicators Lab (the Lab). This one-year project focuses on developing tools for tracking and driving inclusive economic outcomes. Brookings Metro selected the Orlando region for the Lab through a competitive process based on its readiness and commitment to advance inclusive economic outcomes through the development and deployment of locally relevant metrics. The other members include the Indy Chamber and Innovate Memphis.
“This collaboration represents the first time the prestigious institution is working with the Orlando Economic Partnership on a regional initiative,” said Tim Giuliani, Partnership president and CEO. “It positions the Partnership as a national thought-leader among economic and community development organizations and reinforces the region’s commitment to advancing broad-based prosperity.”
The Lab is supported by the Kresge Foundation through the Shared Prosperity Partnership (SP2), a joint undertaking of Kresge, Brookings Metro, the Urban Institute, the Aspen Institute and Living Cities. The Lab, like SP2, contends that the strength of American cities—and the nation as a whole—depends on generating inclusive economic growth, prosperity and opportunity for all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender and income.
“We’re excited to work with the Orlando Economic Partnership and other regional leaders who are serious about using metrics to drive more inclusive outcomes in their local economies.”
Alan Berube, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director at Brookings Metro and project lead for the Lab
Developed in 2019 by the Foundation for Orlando’s Future, the Orlando Prosperity Scorecard tracks economic performance and community development through the lens of achieving Broad-based Prosperity™. The two metrics serving as overarching indicators are Gallups’s Well-Being Index, a composite measure signaling perceived quality of life satisfaction, and the United Way ALICE report, which measures the proportion of households struggling to meet basic needs. The remaining nine metrics measure the vibrancy of the regional economy, the ability of the region’s talent to take advantage of opportunities in the economy and the barriers standing in the way of full participation in the economy.
According to the scorecard, 45.2 percent of residents fall below the ALICE threshold. Orlando also scores 61.8 on the Well-Being Index, ranking the region in the bottom third of the top 30 metros across the country.
As part of the Lab, the Partnership will enhance the Orlando Prosperity Scorecard, developing more inclusive economic indicators. The Partnership will also advance a model of shared accountability that can inform the strategies of local organizations and ensure buy-in and ongoing commitment to the indicators by key stakeholders. The organizations in the Lab will share best practices as they develop, implement and communicate their dashboards.
For many years, regions have used “dashboards”—collections of thematically organized data and indicators—to track the condition and progress of their communities and to inform agendas and investments among local stakeholders. Traditional versions of such indices focus almost exclusively on economic growth and “quality of life” measures such as population, jobs, house prices, safety and school performance. Brookings Metro encourages regions to embrace a more holistic vision of economic success that includes not only the growth of the local economy, but also the degree to which it generates improved average outcomes and narrows disparities by income, race and place.
About Brookings Metro
Brookings Metro provides research and solutions that help leaders in cities and metro areas build an economy that works for all. For more information, please visit www.brookings.edu/metro.
About The Shared Prosperity Partnership
The Shared Prosperity Partnership (SP2) is dedicated to supporting and accelerating local efforts to grow inclusive economies in U.S. cities. For more information on SP2, please visit www.sharedprosperitypartnership.org
