County leadership guides shared prosperity – National Association of Counties

County-Level Initiatives for Advancing Sustainable Development Goals through Economic Mobility

A report on the role of intentional county governance in fostering economic mobility reveals that targeted strategies, rather than general economic growth, are crucial for achieving key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). County governments are uniquely positioned to guide investment and address private sector gaps, thereby promoting inclusive and sustainable prosperity for all residents.

This approach directly supports the advancement of several SDGs by providing individuals with the tools to overcome poverty and improve their quality of life, aligning with the principle of leaving no one behind.

Defining Economic Mobility in the Context of SDGs

A critical distinction exists between economic development and economic mobility. While economic development focuses on attracting business and infrastructure, economic mobility centers on the ability of individuals and families to improve their economic status over time. This focus on human-centric progress is fundamental to achieving several SDGs.

• SDG 1 (No Poverty): Economic mobility directly addresses poverty by creating pathways for individuals to increase income and build wealth, regardless of their starting point.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): It promotes upward mobility by ensuring residents can access quality education, training, and employment opportunities, contributing to sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): By concentrating on improving the economic status of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable, economic mobility strategies work to reduce income and opportunity disparities within communities.

Strategic Framework for County-Level SDG Implementation

Counties serve as frontline drivers of opportunity, utilizing their authority over land use, essential services, and stakeholder engagement to remove barriers and foster an environment conducive to achieving the SDGs. Key strategies include:

1. Data-Driven Decision-Making: In line with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), counties use disaggregated data to identify geographic and demographic disparities. This allows for the efficient targeting of resources to address inequalities, directly supporting SDG 10.
2. Fostering Cross-Sector Partnerships: Counties convene schools, employers, nonprofits, and community groups, embodying SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). These collaborations address the root causes of economic stagnation and create integrated support systems.
3. Removing Systemic Barriers: Through policy reforms in zoning, housing, and education, counties actively work to create more inclusive communities. These actions are vital for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 4 (Quality Education), ensuring equitable access to essential resources.

Case Studies in SDG Advancement

Urban County Initiatives

Urban counties leverage existing resources to ensure equitable access and opportunity, aligning their policies with global sustainability targets.

• Mecklenburg County, N.C.: Used data to target investments in under-resourced neighborhoods, expanding early childhood education and small business support, which contributes to SDG 4 and SDG 8.
• King County, Wash.: Embedded equity impact assessments into all policy decisions and expanded apprenticeships and affordable housing near transit, advancing SDG 10 and SDG 11.
• Alameda County, Calif.: Invested in cooperative business ownership and channeled procurement dollars to historically excluded communities, promoting SDG 8 and SDG 10.

Rural County Initiatives

Rural counties demonstrate that strategic, data-driven planning can deliver measurable gains in economic mobility and contribute significantly to the SDGs.

• Union County, Ore.: Identified neighborhoods with the lowest economic outcomes to create targeted workforce pipelines and microgrants, fostering SDG 8.
• Dubuque County, Iowa: Aligned workforce and housing policies to increase participation in apprenticeships and lower eviction rates, supporting SDG 8 and SDG 11.
• Boone County, Mo.: Expanded broadband into underserved areas to improve access to online education and job placement, a direct contribution to SDG 4, SDG 8, and SDG 10.
• Garrett County, Md.: Coordinated wraparound support for families, improving long-term employment outcomes and addressing interconnected goals like SDG 1, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 8.
• Carteret County, N.C.: Diversified its economy into sustainable industries like ecotourism and marine science, creating training programs that increase youth workforce retention in support of SDG 8.
• Greene County, Ill.: The Recovery Corps Program breaks the cycle of substance use and recidivism by providing targeted support for health, housing, and employment, contributing to SDG 3, SDG 8, and SDG 16.

Data-Driven Tools for Monitoring SDG Progress

Counties are increasingly using advanced data tools to design, implement, and monitor policies that advance the SDGs through economic mobility.

Economic Mobility Catalog

This resource from Results for America provides evidence-based strategies and programs that have demonstrated positive results, enabling counties to adopt proven practices for achieving goals related to poverty, inequality, and economic growth (SDG 1, 8, 10).

Upward Mobility Data Dashboard

The Urban Institute’s dashboard provides metrics across five key areas, including rewarding work (SDG 8), quality education (SDG 4), and healthy environments (SDG 3, 11). San Mateo County, Calif., is adapting this tool to create a local Equity Dashboard to track progress on SDG 10 by highlighting demographic and geographic disparities.

Opportunity Atlas

This tool maps economic mobility data by census tract, allowing policymakers to identify neighborhoods with the greatest needs. Jackson County, Mo., used the Atlas to site affordable housing in a high-opportunity area, a tangible action toward SDG 11 and SDG 10.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • The article’s central theme is economic mobility, which is defined as the ability of individuals to improve their economic status and move out of poverty. It directly quotes a county supervisor discussing how to deal with poverty by providing tools for individuals “to be able to raise themselves up.”
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The case study of Greene County, Ill., and its Recovery Corps Program explicitly addresses substance use challenges. The program provides targeted support to improve mental and physical health, which is a core component of this SDG.
3. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article mentions several initiatives aimed at improving education and skills, including expanded early childhood education (Mecklenburg County), apprenticeships (King County), workforce training programs (Dubuque County), and improved access to online education through broadband expansion (Boone County).
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The entire article focuses on strategies for economic development and mobility. It discusses attracting business, supporting infrastructure, creating workforce pipelines in various industries (healthcare, manufacturing), supporting small businesses with microgrants, and improving employment outcomes.
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • A key strategy highlighted is the use of disaggregated data by demographics, income, and geography to identify and target resources to under-resourced neighborhoods and historically excluded communities. This directly addresses the goal of reducing inequalities within a country.
6. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article discusses county-level governance, land use policies, zoning reform, and investments in affordable housing. It provides examples of counties planning for community prosperity, expanding infrastructure like broadband, and making neighborhoods more inclusive and opportunity-rich.
7. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article emphasizes the importance of “cross-sector partnerships with schools, nonprofits, employers, community groups and philanthropies to address root causes.” The Greene County program is cited as a success due to its coordination between law enforcement, the county jail, local nonprofits, schools, and employers.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 1 (No Poverty):
   • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty. The article’s overarching goal of economic mobility aims to provide individuals with the tools to “raise themselves up” from poverty.
   • Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources. This is addressed by initiatives to remove barriers through zoning reform, expand access to affordable housing, and channel procurement dollars to historically excluded communities.
2. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. The Greene County Recovery Corps Program is a direct implementation of this target, providing support for individuals with “persistent substance use-related challenges.”
3. Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education. This is reflected in the expansion of apprenticeships (King County) and the creation of workforce training programs (Union County, Dubuque County).
   • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills… for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The creation of workforce pipelines in healthcare and manufacturing and training programs in ecotourism and marine science directly supports this target.
4. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support… decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. This is seen in the support for small businesses through microgrants (Union County, Carteret County) and investment in cooperative business ownership (Alameda County).
   • Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. Carteret County’s creation of training programs specifically aimed to increase “youth workforce retention.”
5. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… race, ethnicity… or economic or other status. The article highlights using disaggregated data to target investments in under-resourced neighborhoods (Mecklenburg County) and channeling procurement to “historically excluded communities” (Alameda County).
6. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
   • Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing. This is directly addressed by counties expanding affordable housing near transit (King County), aligning housing policy with workforce needs (Dubuque County), and using data to site new affordable housing (Jackson County).
7. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article explicitly states that counties can “foster cross-sector partnerships” and gives the example of Greene County strengthening coordination between law enforcement, courts, nonprofits, schools, and employers.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Income and Wealth: The article defines economic mobility as an improvement in economic status, which is “measured through income, wealth, education or quality of life.” This serves as a primary indicator for progress on SDG 1 and SDG 8.
2. Employment and Job Placement Rates: The article mentions using “employment status” as a data point and cites improved “long-term employment outcomes” in Garrett County and boosted “job placement” in Boone County as measures of success.
3. Participation in Training/Apprenticeships: Dubuque County and Union County measured “greater participation in apprenticeships” and “increased participation in training” as positive outcomes of their programs, relevant to SDG 4.
4. Eviction Rates: In Dubuque County, the alignment of workforce and housing policy led to “lower eviction rates,” a concrete indicator for housing stability under SDG 11.
5. Recovery Capital Score: The Greene County program uses a specific metric, the “Recovery Capital Score,” which “measures progress individuals make across various dimensions of recovery, including mental and physical health, housing and employment.” This is a direct indicator for SDG 3.
6. Disaggregated Data Dashboards: The use of tools like the Opportunity Atlas, Upward Mobility Data Dashboard, and custom equity dashboards (San Mateo County) implies the use of numerous disaggregated indicators (by demographics, geography, income) to track progress on reducing inequalities (SDG 10) and targeting interventions.
7. Business Creation: The provision of microgrants to startup businesses in Carteret County implies that the number of new local enterprises is an indicator of economic diversification and growth (SDG 8).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: naco.org