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Power in partnership: How government agencies and community partners are joining forces to fight wage theft

June 8, 2023

In the face of widespread wage violations and limited resources, some labor enforcement agencies have created community enforcement programs to bolster their reach and improve effectiveness. Such programs have been implemented at the federal, state, and local levels. In these programs, worker and community-based organizations (CBOs) receive public funding to assist labor agencies in a range of functions, including most often providing education and outreach to marginalized worker communities and referring cases to enforcement agencies.This report:Explains the concept of community enforcement programsReviews the policy rationales for such programs, both for government enforcement agencies and for worker organizations/workersExplores existing and potential roles that community organizations can play in relation to labor standards enforcementIdentifies decision points for designing publicly funded community enforcement programsExplores additional methods to ensure worker input into enforcement operations and policymakingIdentifies potential public funding sources for community enforcement programsIdentifies areas for further researchProvides snapshots of a number of existing programs (Appendix A)Provides links to sample Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and other program materials from various jurisdictions (Appendix B)

Harnessing Evaluation and Learning for Equity and Impact Insights for Foundation Executives

November 1, 2022

Grantmaking foundations are increasingly using E&L functions in diverse ways. A 2019 survey from the Center for Evaluation Innovation found that 42 percent of foundations had a dedicated E&L unit or department that functioned separately from the program department, up from 34 percent in 2015.The survey also shows that E&L staff fill numerous and evolving roles including directing and managing evaluation work within the foundation; supporting broader team and organizational learning efforts, including equity work; supporting strategy development and review; and providing advice or coaching about evaluation to other staff. Beyond the foundation's walls, many E&L teams contribute to the fields of evaluation and philanthropy by sharing actionable knowledge or learning strategies with peer organizations. Field-building increases the influence and impact of a foundation by helping to advance philanthropic thought leadership and E&L practices more broadly.But leveraging the power of evaluation and learning is easier said than done. This guide is a resource for foundation executives interested in harnessing the power of evaluation and learning for impact. It was developed by Engage R+D with support from The James Irvine Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Center for Evaluation Innovation, and Kresge Foundation. It is based on our study of the E&L function across these three diverse foundations, all of which champion the Equitable Evaluation Initiative and are on their own equity journeys.

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government (May 2022)

May 26, 2022

Every California voter has received a June 7 primary ballot in the mail and they have been weighing their election choices in the midst of disturbing news and unsettling circumstances. Inflation continues to take a daily toll on consumers and dampens their economic outlook. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has turned into a deadly and protracted military conflict. The latest omicron variant is resulting in yet another surge in COVID cases. And Californians are being asked to conserve water in response to the drought while bracing themselves for wildfire season. The one bright spot is Governor Newsom's May revision, which includes a record-setting surplus of revenues available for the state budget.This report highlights key findings of a statewide survey on state and national issues that was conducted from May 12 to 22 by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Evaluation and Learning at Foundations: A Field Guide

April 18, 2022

This brief grew out of conversations with evaluation and learning leaders working in foundations across the United States about both the value of evaluation and learning in philanthropy, and the challenges of implementing this function well across diverse institutional contexts. Our intent is to provide practical guidance that new and existing leaders can use to navigate their roles in support of more effective and equitable philanthropy. It is based on indepth case studies of the Irvine, Kauffman, and Kresge Foundations along with our own experience partnering with foundations on evaluation, strategy, and learning efforts.

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government (March 2022)

March 24, 2022

The world order was upended when the Russian military invaded Ukraine, an action that has caused widespread death and destruction. In response, the international community imposed harsh economic sanctions on the Russian government. Californians felt the shock waves through rising prices at the gasoline pump that added further fuel to inflation fears. In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases have plummeted and the omicron surge has given way to an easing of mask and vaccination restrictions. Meanwhile, statewide and legislative candidates for the California June primary made their plans known by the March 11 deadline. This report presents the key findings of a statewide survey on state and national issues conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California from March 6 to 17, 2022.

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government (February 2022)

February 2, 2022

This year began with the omicron surge, which is causing disruption, uncertainty, and stress for many Californians. Although encouraging signs of an economic recovery are present, rising prices are a worrisome trend for consumers. Governor Newsom and the state legislature are working with a large surplus of revenues for state spending, while President Biden and the US Congress are unable to pass major legislation as partisan divisions loom large following the one-year anniversary of the Capitol insurrection.These are the key findings of a statewide survey on state and national issues conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California from January 16 to 25, 2022:COVID-19, homelessness, and jobs, the economy, and inflation top the list when we asked Californians to name the most important issues for the governor and legislature to work on in 2022.Half of Californians think the state is headed in the right directionTwo in three say the worst is behind us in the coronavirus outbreakAbout half of Californians say that the state is in a recessionA majority of Californians approve of President Biden's performance in office—similar to approval ratings for Governor NewsomAbout four in ten say that the nation is headed in the right directionFifty-three percent are at least somewhat satisfied with the way that US democracy is working

A Portrait of California 2021–2022

November 10, 2021

A Portrait of California 2021–2022: Human Development and Housing Justice, the third volume in Measure of America's Portrait of California series, takes a human development approach to understanding the country's most populous and diverse state. Using the American Human Development Index (HDI), it presents a detailed picture of how Californians are doing on three key dimensions of well-being—a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. In addition to an in-depth survey of well-being levels across the state, this volume in the Portrait of California series focuses on a central prerequisite to a good life, one that far too many Californians struggle to attain: access to safe and secure housing. The Covid-19 pandemic dramatically underscored the importance of stable, affordable housing when it comes to access to education, living standards, and health. A Portrait of California 2021–2022: Human Development and Housing Justice explores the impact of California's housing crisis on all three components of the index and outlines policies that can help the state address homelessness and housing insecurity to ensure that all Californians have a safe place to call home.This report presents HDI scores for the state overall as well as by gender, by race and ethnicity, by nativity, by metro area, and by neighborhood cluster. In addition to providing HDI scores for various groups and geographies, it also delves deeper into the underlying causes of the gaps in well-being between them—structural racism, discrimination, sky-high housing costs, among others—and offers recommendations for addressing these challenges and building a fairer future for the Golden State, one in which every Californian can lead a freely chosen life of value.

For the Community, By the Community: The We Count LA Impact Story

February 10, 2021

Participation in the census is critical to the well-being of future generations of Los Angeles County. Census data plays an integral role in influencing the allocation of millions of dollars in federal funding for vital services and programs for our communities — from schools and hospitals to housing and roads. The census also determines the number of congressional members sent to the Capitol to represent our region, making an accurate count in Los Angeles County profoundly important.In a landmark effort, California Community Foundation (CCF) convened a powerful coalition of 115+ community-based organizations (CBOs) across the region to count historically under-counted populations, coordinated and united under one region-wide campaign: We Count LA. As trusted messengers with deep relationships and connections in their respective communities, these CBOs would be the faces and voices of the census, encouraging the diverse and vulnerable communities of Los Angeles County to participate in the 2020 Census. Amid the unforeseen global and national events of 2020, this task became seemingly impossible. Yet the unifying force of community resilience pushed the We Count LA campaign to become responsive, adaptive and innovative in trying to accomplish its goals.

The Working Lives and Struggles of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California

November 18, 2019

The 2019 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) California Workers Survey, a landmark survey conducted jointly by PRRI and AAPI Data, provides a portrait of the working lives of AAPI Californians via a survey of 2,684 AAPI California residents. For the purposes of this study, respondents are classified as "working and struggling with poverty" if they meet two criteria: 1) They are currently employed either full or part-time or are unemployed but still seeking employment; and 2) They live in households that have an adjusted income that is 250% or less than the U.S. Census Bureau's Supplemental Poverty Measure, adapted for regional location in California.Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are an important and fast-growing part of the California workforce. They have been the fastest-growing racial groups in California since 2000, with immigration fueling much of the growth. Although statistical averages show that AAPIs as a whole exhibit relatively high levels of employment and earning power, this report reveals significant areas of concern. Like for the rest of the population, we find a state of "two Californias" among AAPIs—one where some AAPI workers report a great deal of financial stability and one in which other AAPI workers report significant financial insecurity and struggle. This report reflects the findings of the first comprehensive survey of AAPI California residents, with a special focus on those who are working and struggling with poverty. The report provides a broad portrait of their opinions and experiences.

Weaving Successful Partnerships: When Funders, Evaluators, and Intermediaries Work Together

January 23, 2019

The aim of this report is to contribute to field dialogue and learning about how to structure complex systems change strategies involving multiple partners.

Engaging Boards and Trustees in Strategic Learning: A Toolkit

January 17, 2019

Effecting social change in a rapidly changing political environment and an increasingly interconnected world requires foundations to adopt a learning orientation. Without continuous learning, grantmakers—and thus boards and trustees—are unaware about what is working where, with whom, and why, as well as what changes or refinements are needed in order to achieve the grantmakers' desired results.This toolkit provides a fresh set of resources for grantmaker CEOs, evaluation staff, and senior leaders to use to engage their boards and trustees in conversations about the importance of strategic learning in their decision-making and deliberation processes.

Toward Equity in Guided Pathways Reforms: Lessons from California’s Career Advancement Academies

December 5, 2018

Community colleges across California are now investigating and planning Guided Pathways reforms with the goals of improving equity on their campuses and increasing the number of students completing degrees, certificates, and transfers. Some especially helpful lessons for improving equity as part of this reform effort may come from more than 30 California colleges that implemented Career Advancement Academies (CAAs).The CAAs, which were funded by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office from 2007 to 2017, aimed to reach and serve students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. They were shown to improve persistence in college and completion of system-recognized certificates and degrees among underrepresented students. This brief distills insights from that experience, aligns them with the Guided Pathways reform framework, and highlights CAA approaches that practitioners can incorporate into their reforms.