Through support from the James Irvine Foundation, UNITE-LA will be conducting research on affinity-group serving chambers of commerce and other business organizations throughout California.

We will use the research findings to inform UNITE-LA’s incipient technical assistance programming – with the goal of best supporting these organizations to increase the economic mobility of low-wage workers. Businesses inform UNITE-LA’s public policy/advocacy agenda, share current labor market demands with UNITE-LA’s education and workforce systems partners, and mentor and provide paid work experiences and jobs to UNITE-LA’s workforce program participants. Through this partnership model, we work with businesses to help them understand how their internal policies and practices might prevent talent from accessing employment or advancing within their organizations. With the Irvine investment, we can support many smaller, minority-owned employers who don’t have resources to engage in efforts that could improve their access to and retention of local untapped talent.

Additionally, the James Irvine Foundation provides UNITE-LA with operational support to improve our organizational infrastructure and capacity to advance priorities laid out in our strategic plan. We are very fortunate for their partnership!