The National Governors Association (NGA) today launched the State Equitable Recovery Coalition to partner with other national organizations and build on existing efforts to drive equitable economic recovery and growth championed by Governors of states and territories.
The coalition will complement existing networks that NGA and other organizations are working with to take advantage of shared expertise to help drive a sustainable, equitable recovery and growth from the economic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, while leveraging the opportunity to address issues related to workforce, education, public services, and racial and economic justice.
Since early last year, Governors have taken action to address once-in-a-lifetime economic circumstances by providing assistance to displaced small businesses and workers, while putting in place longer-term supports to help Americans succeed in a changing world of work. As the bipartisan association of state and territorial Governors, NGA has supported Governors’ economic recovery and growth initiatives through partnerships such as the Workforce Innovation Network and the Reskilling and Recovery Network.
The State Equitable Recovery Coalition, in partnership with Education Strategy Group (ESG) and supported by the Siemens Foundation, will build on these initiatives and others to connect strategically to maximize networks, expertise and resources on behalf of the Governors of states and territories and the workers they represent. The coalition will provide technical support to help advance Governors’ community and economic recovery and growth goals over a period of a year. In addition to NGA and ESG, 16 organizations have joined the coalition: the Association of Community College Trustees, Advance CTE, the American Public Human Services Association, Ascend at the Aspen Institute, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Coalition on Adult Basic Education, Goodwill Industries International, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, JFF, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the National Association of Workforce Boards, National Skills Coalition, the National Urban League, New America, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association and UnidosUS.
Additionally, the NGA Center for Best Practices will host a series of action labs for Governors’ staff and state teams that focus on intersectional issues with the common goal of increasing economic opportunity for students and workers with low income, particularly Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities and women, while achieving racial equity in access, success and outcomes in postsecondary education and workforce development programs. These action labs will be focused on tangible steps states can take to advance these goals.
“As the chief executives of their states and territories, Governors have made extraordinary efforts over recent months to ensure that the benefits of a recovering and growing economy are long-lasting and reach every American worker and student,” said Timothy Blute, director of the NGA Center. “This new Recovery Coalition will bring together leading thinkers and doers across industries, government, academia and the nonprofit sector to help advance Governors’ important work in this area. The goal is to help effect real policy change that benefits all Americans.”
“Now more than ever, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to support states building an inclusive and resilient recovery for America’s working families, and that’s the goal of the State Equitable Recovery Coalition,” said David Etzwiler, CEO of the Siemens Foundation. “Governors continue to be at the forefront of that work. We are proud to support NGA and the coalition to advance this work and our mutual commitment to economic, social and racial justice for all in the United States.”
