July 2009: Innovations We're Working On

From Our Portfolio:

• Workforce Development. Supporting ACT, Inc. in the implementation of their National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) across multiple states, as a standardized work readiness credential.  The NCRC was recently endorsed by the National Association of Manufacturers as their “foundational” skill credential in their Skills Certification System.
• Published a Network Health Scorecard, developed by Madeleine Taylor, lead entrepreneur for nuPOLIS's Center for Network Impact. 
• Urban Sustainability. Completed "climate justice" study for the Barr Foundation; continued working with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network to support network development; finished report on Sustainable Economic Development, written by nuPOLIS partner James Nixon and to be posted soon on the new Web site for Urban Sustainability Associates (coming in July); continued work with Graham Richard on the "Broadband is Green" project.

Recent Blogs:

• For Closing the Climate Gap--The Rise of "Climate Justice"  
• Sorting Out Education Innovation: There's Something Happening Here, But Do We Know What It Is?
• Car Sharing in Chicago: Extending the Transit System
• Community Development at a Crossroads
• Net-Centric Social Impact: Decentralized Organizing for Change