Our Causes

The Institute is a credible clearinghouse for addressing and understanding critical or emerging issues and policies to uncover common ground, enabling innovation and economic growth to advance and protect the prosperity of our region.

Current Issues We're Involved With

Broadband Connectivity

We facilitate public-private engagement to institutionalize digital inclusion and achieve digital equity. The Institute's efforts to close the "Digital Divide" include serving the Los Angeles/Orange County Broadband Collaborative (LA/OCRBC) as its governing body.

Workforce Development

We unpack shifting workforce needs, employee expectations, and talent pipelines with our diverse network of thought leaders and industry experts. We also host career fairs to connect Angelenos who are ready to work with employers who are ready to hire. These boots-on-the-ground efforts will keep Los Angeles-area companies and industries globally competitive.

Housing

We convene diverse roundtables of public and private sector leaders along every segment of the development pipeline. They help pinpoint new policy solutions and cement new partnerships to address California's housing affordability emergency. We can't stop at simply building homes; we have a moral obligation to help bring unhoused Angelenos inside.

Water Resiliency

Our annual water resiliency forums aim to address California's water supply, distribution, and infrastructure issues. Our water woes are part of a complex web of challenges requiring a multifaceted fix. It begins with understanding that more rain doesn't mean less urgency to reshape how we capture, store, use, and talk about water in California.

Transportation & Goods Movement

We're committed to harnessing the power of public-private partnerships to move sensible supply chain solutions forward – from proposal to passage to practice. We cannot overstate the importance of maintaining a healthy supply chain. It's the endocrine system of the regional economy.

Artificial Intelligence & Business Technology

We're keeping close watch on the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence, plus ethical and regulatory guardrails. We're committed to helping business leaders change with the times and implement "hybrid intelligence" workflows as AI-powered tools consolidate jobs across nearly every sector.

California Jobs First

The California Jobs First Program, formerly known as the California Economic Resilience Fund, is organized and run by a community-selected steering committee. It brings together 400 community partners for multi-year planning and implementation of a framework to guide growth, training, and equity as California moves toward a carbon-neutral economy.

Life Sciences

We convene diverse business leaders, elected officials, researchers, and investors to examine the massive job growth potential of the life science sector. Our efforts include examining local success stories, major obstacles to overcome, and factors that make life science one of Southern California's fastest growing industries.

Join our Cause

Join our team and be a part of a meaningful endeavor. Together, we can make significant contributions to society.

Our Impact

Proactive Engagement

Despite controversy, convened one of the first public forums on the federal administration’s First 100 Days to confront state and federal discord head on and strategically prioritize initiatives
To address housing and workforce issues, initiated engagement with leaders from nearly 100 Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils to cultivate a unique partnership to overcome competing interests
Forum findings were presented to the BizFed coalition’s board members, Labor & Employment committee, and Land Use, Housing & Real Estate Development committee to guide advocacy and mobilization priorities

Collaboration & Accountability

Partnered on California Policy Impact Project (C-PIP) statewide survey to measure impacts and hold lawmakers accountable on policy decisions that may be detrimental to job creation and economic growth, with initial focus on minimum wage
Co-presented and moderated breakout sessions at the Housing Our Workers forum in partnership with realtors and economic development organization
Convened key state and regional thought leaders across the political spectrum, identified the most pressing issues and weighed in on opportunities and risks during convening about the federal administration’s First 100 Days

Initiate Solutions To Action

Held housing forum to build consensus and empower stakeholders to effectively advocate for local housing
Served as California Economic Summit Knowledge Partner in strategically moving the needle on the Roadmap to Prosperity initiative for 1 million more skilled workers, homes, and acre-feet of water
Leveraged public-private partnerships as catalyst to promote housing, transportation, and water infrastructure