Category: News

For far too long, communities like Birmingham, Alabama have been victim to widespread disinvestment. Mara Eala of Community Funding Accelerator and Sarah McMillan of the City of Birmingham believe the only way to fight back is to actively and relentlessly reinvest in community residents of all ages. In particular, focusing economic development on the workforce readiness of current middle and high school students is an essential step towards sustainable, equitable, long-term growth. 

As one of six winners nationwide for the U.S. Department of Commerce Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, Birmingham will do just that. Read the full op-ed here.

CFA’s Amy Zhou was recently interviewed along with the Applied Research Institute’s Bioworks Executive Vice President Andrew Kossack and U.S. Sen. Todd Young about Heartland Bioworks’ Tech Hubs win.

“There’s a workforce shortage and at least 2,200 bio manufacturing workers per year in Indiana, and this funding will help young people enter these careers and fill that gap,” said Zhou for the Indianapolis TV story.

Watch the interview here. 

CFA authored a blog post featured on the National League of Cities Citiesspeak blog. The post explores the challenges communities face accessing competitive federal funding and the new model of support CFA provides to help communities across the U.S. win federal dollars and scale innovative education and workforce solutions. Read the full article here.

CFA was featured in a Philanthropy Daily op-ed, spotlighting its support model. The piece delves into the hurdles communities encounter in securing competitive federal grants and highlights the ways CFA provides comprehensive support—from demystifying the application process to guiding coalitions to turn their winning, innovative ideas into action.

Read the op-ed here.

CFA was recently featured in an article from Real Clear Education focused on the critical role K-12 plays in developing the workforce of the future, introducing students to career opportunities in cutting-edge technologies and ensuring the U.S. maintains its global competitiveness for future generations.  Read the full article here.  

A consortium of industry leaders, academic institutions, and non-profits is celebrating a major milestone today, announcing their successful bid for Tech Hub designation. The designation is from the Department of Commerce’s Regional Tech Hubs Program. It begins a new era of quantum technology and education in the state. It will allow the Colorado Elevate Quantum Consortium to apply for $40 million – $70 million in implementation funding. TechHubNow!, CFA, and other partners supported the Colorado Elevate Quantum Consortium in their grant application. They will also be helping with implementation.

This designation recognizes Colorado’s decades-long journey to becoming a technology hub. But Elevate Quantum acknowledges the technology sector’s shortcomings. It is committed to forging a future path marked by equity and sustainability. This includes flagship programs that increase awareness of quantum jobs as early as K-12, with a focus on underserved communities.

Partners cited Colorado’s collaborative spirit as the key to driving success in the region. “Colorado’s TechHubNow! was established to accelerate statewide collaboration to highlight Colorado’s strengths as a Tech Hub, aligning with Governor Polis’s priorities around an inclusive workforce,” says Wendy Lea, a TechHubNow! Partner.  

In a press conference on October 26, Gov. Polis thanked CFA and expressed his excitement for the next phase of the work. Read more here. 

CFA was featured in a recent Government Technology article for its role in helping communities win competitive federal grants. Read the full article here.