Leveraging Data and Building Trust to Make Funding Work for Communities with Bishara Addison, Director of Workforce Innovation at the Fund for Our Economic Future

In this episode, Emily is joined by Bishara Addison, Director of Workforce Innovation at the Fund for Our Economic Future and a newly appointed board member for the National Skills Coalition. During their conversation, Bishara shares insights into how we can leverage data and trust to drive funding that truly benefits communities. She highlights the crucial role of cross-sector collaboration in addressing challenges like childcare, transportation, and education—and how these intersect with workforce development. With real-world examples, Bishara emphasizes the importance of bridging communication gaps between different sectors to foster inclusive economic growth. She also shares two free-to-use, location-based talent analysis tools that workforce professionals, business owners, or community leaders can begin using today. Tune in for a valuable discussion on workforce development's role in community transformation and discover innovative tools supporting long-term impact! *** Timestamps: [00:05] - Introduction of Bishara Addison. [00:57] - Overview of the Fund for Our Economic Future's mission. [02:34] - Cross-sector collaboration in workforce development. [04:50] - The role of wraparound services in workforce development. [06:07] - Bridging communication barriers between sectors. [06:46] - How childcare challenges affect employers and employees. [12:03] - Leveraging case-making data and reactionary data. [12:37] - “Where are the Workers?” and “Where Matters” tools [17:18] - Building trust within communities you serve. [19:15] - Community immersion to strengthen relationships. [22:30] - The power of reframing perceptions. [24:18] - When community engagement revealed a project’s critical flaw. [30:17] - Certainties in workforce development during uncertain times. [34:52] - Closing Remarks *** Resources: “Where are the Workers?” tool “Where Matters” tool *** Connect with Bishara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bisharaaddison/ To learn more about the Fund for Our Economic Future, visit: https://thefundneo.org/ *** Share your thoughts or feedback: [email protected] Connect with Emily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilylfabiano To learn more about Workmorphis, visit: https://www.workmorphis.com ***