Commentary/Op-Ed - December 2021
Harness NYC’s libraries to spread equityIn this Daily News op-ed, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles urges the incoming generation of city leaders to give libraries the resources they need to keep pace with growing demand for their programs and services — and meet the challenges of the post-pandemic recovery.
Report - November 2021
Branches to Recovery: Tapping the Power of NYC’s Public Libraries to Rebuild a More Equitable CityLibraries are already among the city’s largest and most trusted providers of programs and services aligned with New Yorkers’ greatest needs. With a clear citywide strategy and a new level of investment, their impact could be even greater.
Data - November 2021
Expanding Apprenticeships in NYCWhile New York State has made significant progress in expanding apprenticeships since 2018, New York City has seen little growth. With renewed support, the city has the opportunity to leverage this high-impact training model and make apprenticeships in high-growth industries like tech and healthcare a key component of an inclusive economic recovery.
Data - November 2021
Before the Next Flood: NYC Needs More Progress Building Green InfrastructureWhile the city has made significant progress in ramping up the construction of green infrastructure, it has fallen short of state-mandated targets and struggled to finish construction on thousands of green infrastructure assets in a timely manner. The next administration needs to expand its goals and accelerate construction throughout the city.
Report - November 2021
Making Rezoning WorkThis report—a joint effort between the Center for an Urban Future and JobsFirstNYC—demonstrates the need to integrate a comprehensive workforce development strategy into future rezonings and offers a blueprint for how to do so.
Report - November 2021
The Growing Economic Impact of NYC’s Asian-Owned BusinessesA data analysis finds that Asian-owned businesses now account for nearly a quarter of all businesses in the city—a far greater share than their share of the city’s population—and drove a disproportionate share of the overall growth in businesses citywide.
Commentary/Op-Ed - September 2021
Eight Ideas to Drive New York’s Economic Recovery NowIn this Gotham Gazette op-ed, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles and Winston C. Fisher urge current and soon-to-be elected city leaders to take swift action on eight ideas that would help create jobs right now and lay the foundation for a stronger and more inclusive economy over the long run.
Report - July 2021
RE:NEW YORK CITY250 Ideas from New Yorkers to Revive NYC's Economy, Spark Good Jobs, and Build a More Equitable City
Report - July 2021
Creative Comeback: Surveying NYC’s Cultural Ecosystem in the Wake of COVID-19Drawing from a survey of 643 community-based arts organizations conducted by Americans for the Arts, this report offers new insights into the severe damage done by the pandemic to the city’s arts ecosystem. Despite the remarkable resilience of artists and organizations, city leaders, including the next mayor, will have to take further action to stabilize the city’s cultural ecosystem and strengthen it in the future.
Commentary/Op-Ed - July 2021
Upward mobility starts underground: Give community college students free MetroCardsIn this New York Daily News op-ed, CUF's Jonathan Bowles urges the city to eliminate CUNY students' transportation costs as a way to help more students remain on the path to a college credential.
Report - June 2021
VIDEO - Opportunity Costs: Affording the True Costs of College in NYCThousands of NYC community college students drop out each year. A leading cause? Their struggle to afford a MetroCard, textbooks, technology, broadband, and other expenses beyond tuition. Check out CUF’s new report video to hear from students themselves and explore solutions to tackle these non-tuition financial barriers.
Report - June 2021
Opportunity Costs: Affording the True Costs of College in NYCEach year, thousands of CUNY community college students drop out without a degree. To help many more New Yorkers earn a college credential and access quality jobs, city and state leaders should focus on helping students overcome nontuition expenses like MetroCards, textbooks, technology, and childcare that add thousands to the cost of college and are a key factor in persistently low graduation rates.
Commentary/Op-Ed - May 2021
Tech Jobs in the City are Growing; Here’s How to Make Sure New Yorkers Can Fill ThemIn this Gotham Gazette op-ed, CUF's Eli Dvorkin and Robin Hood Learning + Technology Fund's Amber Oliver urge the city's next mayor to take several steps to ensure that every New Yorker is equipped with the skills, tools, and opportunities they need to thrive in a digital world.
Report - May 2021
Preparing New Yorkers for the Tech Jobs Driving NYC’s Pandemic EconomyDespite widespread job loss and economic turmoil due to the pandemic, demand for tech occupations has remained strong. In this report, CUF examines which roles are in demand and what it will take to get more New Yorkers access to the quality tech jobs fueling NYC's economic recovery.
Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2021
Building big without breaking the bank: How New York City should fix a broken capital constructionIn this New York Daily News op-ed, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles and New Yorkers for Parks Executive Director Adam Ganser argue that reforming the city’s broken capital construction process is a huge opportunity to help the city realize significant cost savings during a period of protracted fiscal uncertainty.
Report - April 2021
Stretching New York City’s Capital DollarsInvesting in libraries, parks, and other social infrastructure will be essential to the city’s recovery, but inefficiencies that plague the capital construction process have led to unacceptable cost inflation. This report details how reforming this process could help the city potentially save hundreds of millions of dollars while enabling continued support for vital social infrastructure.
Report - April 2021
New York’s Safety Net in JeopardySince the start of the pandemic, NYC's human services nonprofits have stepped up to face the coronavirus crisis and meet new levels of demand for frontline services. But an alarming number of these nonprofits now are on the precipice of financial catastrophe—and their mounting fiscal problems have been compounded by city and state government.
Report - March 2021
Upskilling for an Equitable Recovery: Hardest-Hit New Yorkers Most Vulnerable to AutomationMany of the New Yorkers who have been hit hardest by job losses in recent months are also the workers most vulnerable to automation. New York City's next mayor should create an automation preparation plan to ensure an inclusive economic recovery.
Report - March 2021
First Out, Last Back: The Economic Impact of the COVID Crisis on New Yorkers With DisabilitiesNew Yorkers with disabilities are suffering among the steepest economic losses and hardships from the coronavirus pandemic and face an especially challenging path back to employment, while the organizations that serve them have sustained millions in lost revenue.
Commentary/Op-Ed - February 2021
Supporting NYC’s immigrant arts ecosystem through crisis and beyondIn this City Limits op-ed, CUF urges city policymakers and cultural leaders to do more to help immigrant artists and arts organizations survive the current crisis and weave new strength into the cultural fabric of New York City.
