November House Meeting
Host Packet
“Ideas for Creating Jobs in Our Communities: The Job Growth Fund”
HANDOUTS FOR PARTICIPANTS:
(please print enough copies for participants to have their own or share with a partner)
Welcome & Agenda for Participants p. 2
What is a Job Growth Fund? p. 3
This 2-pager summarizes what a job growth fund is.
Job Growth Fund Discussion Guide p. 5
Here are some key questions to explore if you’re interested in creating
a job growth fund in your state or community
MATERIALS FOR HOSTS:
Detailed Agenda for Hosts p. 6
Print two copies (for Host and Timekeeper)
Sign-In Sheet p. 8
Print enough copies so that each participant can sign in; five people fill
one sheet
To help build the movement and connect your participants to Change
Nation, please send us completed Sign-In Sheets / contact information
via email (info@joinchangenation.org) or fax (202-387-4892)
House Meeting Report Form p. 9
Please send the report on your house meeting to Change Nation via
email (info@joinchangenation.org) or fax (202-387-4892), or fill out the
online report at www.joinchangenation.org
Questions or Concerns? Please email info@joinchangenation.org
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Welcome & Agenda for Participants
Thank you so much for coming to this house meeting and taking the time to join with people in
your community to share, learn and take action together. Creating an economy that helps
people survive when jobs disappear, starts with this house meeting, right now!
Right now millions of people are struggling to find jobs, pay their bills and provide economic
stability for their families. This house meeting is designed to start a conversation to explore
how to create jobs in your state or community, using in this case a proposal being discussed
across the country, a job growth fund.
House Meeting Agenda
1. Welcome and Round of Introductions
2. What is a job growth fund?
You’ll discuss a 2-page summary of what a job growth fund is, which will set up a series
of discussion questions in the next part of the agenda.
3. Discussing and exploring together how a job growth fund could work here
You’ll share your own experience, stories and observations about what kinds of jobs need
to be created in your community, how funds might be raised to help pay for those jobs,
and how those jobs can target those who need them the most.
4. Next Steps
You’ll talk about next steps to take together, and how you can continue to support each
other and build the movement.
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Job Growth Fund
The United States is facing its worst unemployment crisis since the Great Depression, and
voters consistently identify job creation as their #1 priority. Yet the stalemate in Congress is
leaving millions to suffer across the country. Without a clear path forward at the federal level,
we must find ways to create jobs in our own communities now.
Job Growth Funds are a solution. A Job Growth Fund is a program designed to (1) create jobs
(2) targeted to people and communities who need them the most; (3) using public revenues,
including taxes and fees, paid by those most able to afford it – holders of private wealth and
corporations.
The concept is flexible: each community In 1987, Boston created the Neighborhood Jobs Trust,
can design a Job Growth Fund to best which uses dedicated revenue from a “jobs linkage fee” to
meet its specific needs, considering : fund adult education, English as a Second Language, and
the types of jobs that will meet job training services for low income, unemployed and
critical community goals and underemployed Boston adults. The money comes from a
promote sustainable economic fee assessed on commercial development projects. The
growth; NJT is administered by the Boston Redevelopment
the skills and talents of residents Authority’s Office of Jobs and Community Services (JCS),
which assesses training needs in the city and awards funds
who need jobs; and
to programs on a competitive basis. Funds must be used to
the resources that can be tapped assist Boston residents at or below 80% of the area median
and directed by law to fund the income, and can target special groups (like ex-offenders,
program. homeless individuals, and TANF recipients); at least 20% of
any jobs linkage payment must be reserved for services in
Critical Components: A proposal to the neighborhoods in or adjacent to the development
create a Job Growth Fund should identify project.
the workers and activities that the fund
will support, how it will be financed, and who will administer it.
(1) Defining Key Job Creation Activities and Goals: To ensure that funds are used to create
jobs effectively and efficiently, activities should be targeted to work that addresses real needs,
like infrastructure improvements, community
revitalization, or social supports, that can be filled What could it look like? Potential job creation
by those who are unemployed, and that can create initiatives might include:
opportunities for any special populations (like ex-
Full time jobs for young people age 18 to 24
offenders or long term unemployed) or who are out of school to work on
neighborhoods that have been especially hard hit. community improvement projects;
Assessing your community’s needs is a good place
to start. A community jobs program that puts
people to work in nonprofit organizations
providing social services in low-income
Once you have a sense of the need, think about communities, such as expanding child care
your community’s capacity to create jobs – are for low income children;
there existing programs that could be expanded
easily? Jobs that have been cut that you want Training and hiring community residents to
restored? Projects that were rejected because rehab schools and other public buildings to
make them safe and energy efficient.
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funding was limited? Long term goals around community health, education, or the environment
that could be met? This will help you set impactful and realistic goals for the number of jobs to
create, and ways to channel funds you secure.
(2) Identifying Adequate Revenue: Once you’ve established your job creation goals, assess
how much it will cost to achieve them, and what revenue sources you can secure to meet
them. The costs related to job creation can vary depending on the type of job and other
expenses related to it (like the costs of materials for infrastructure projects, for example).
The job growth fund will be defined by securing a dedicated revenue source, meaning that
the source of funding is committed by law (generally a referendum, resolution, or
legislation) to generate funds for the job growth fund.
For each possible revenue source, consider: (1) how much income the revenue source has
or will produce in any given year; (2) who collects the revenue and how is it regulated; (3)
the right process (is it legislation? A ballot initiative?) to increase the tax or fee; (4) whether
there are any legal barriers to dedicating that
Where Could We Get the Money? revenue to a specific purpose, and; (5) where
Revenue sources should target those revenues from the source would otherwise go.
responsible for the economic crisis,
and those who have been least Progressive budget and policy organizations can be
affected by it financially. Potential especially helpful in finding and evaluating revenue
sources could include: sources, and can serve as key allies to help move
1. reducing or eliminating corporate your proposal forward. To identify potential
tax credits; partners, check out
2. splitting state corporate income http://www.earncentral.org/state_groups.htm and
taxes from federal tax http://www.statefiscal.org/
calculations;
3. setting a fixed minimum (3) Planning for Success: Targeting job creation to
corporate tax; the community’s needs and getting funding are
necessary steps, but those elements alone won’t
4. increasing personal income tax
rates for high earners, and/or guarantee success. Just as critical are the nuts and
reducing or eliminating bolts of who will operate the fund, and how they
exemptions and deductions, will seek proposals and award funding. The
and/or; selection of who administers the fund may be
5. splitting the state’s estate tax influenced by the activities it will be used to
from the federal estate tax in a support or where the revenue comes from.
progressive direction.
Most importantly, the community itself should have ownership and oversight of the Jobs
Growth Fund. You can make this happen by establishing an advisory or oversight board to
advise and monitor the administrator, and by requiring reporting on the activities of the fund
and whether it is meeting established job creation and targeting goals.
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Job Creation Discussion Guide
Now that you have a sense of what a job growth fund is, it’s time to begin to imagine how such
a proposal might work in your own community. This part of the agenda poses questions to help
you get started and encourages each participant to share his/her own perspectives or ideas. (In
a large group, it may make sense to break into smaller groups to give everyone a chance to
participate.)
Questions for Discussion:
Q. What kinds of work would you like to see done in our community? (Remember, we’re
thinking about jobs that people can fill that would help to meet important social goals in our
community. Think about the examples in the 2-pager; do any apply here? Are there other ideas
folks might have?)
Q. How could we best target the use of these funds to address unemployment? Who in our
community needs jobs the most?
Q. The financial crisis hit state and local governments hard, and many have cut basic services
and programs from their budgets, even in the face of growing needs. How could revenue be
raised – through taxes, fees or other means – that could support a job growth fund in your
state or community? What parts of your community or state are still doing well? Are there
companies or groups that have received special treatment, like tax breaks, from elected
officials?
Q. What makes sense and what doesn’t make sense about this proposal? Is this something we
would want to do in our own state or community? What do you think it would take to help
make this happen?
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Detailed Agenda for Hosts
This detailed agenda is only for the Host and Timekeeper.
1. Welcome and Round of Introductions 15 minutes
Welcome everyone and quick round of introductions. (5 min.)
o Ask everyone to say their name and how many people they know
who are looking for jobs today.
(As host, you should go first and model keeping it concise and
making the image vivid, like “Welcome everyone! My name is
________, and I’m unemployed and so are five of my closest
friends and family.”)
Review agenda, agree on meeting norms and explain the timekeeper’s (10 min.)
role.
o The agenda has only four more steps and is designed for us to
finish within 90 minutes.
o Some meeting norms to propose could be:
Confidentiality (this is important to ensure full sharing)
Respect (people should be able to express differing
opinions)
Exploration Approach (want to learn and explore together)
o Agree on a signal for cutting people off if they dominate or speak
for too long.
2. An Idea for Job Creation: The Job Growth Fund 25 minutes
Run through the ‘Job Growth Fund’ 2-pager. (15 min.)
Goal: People don’t have to understand the ins and outs of the proposal, but
folks should have an understanding of the basic idea: Create jobs our
community needs by raising revenue from those who can afford to pay more
and targeting those jobs to those who need them most.
Be sure to read the 2-pager in advance, and make sure everyone has their
own copy so that they can have it to refer to.
Invite questions for clarification. (10 min.)
Rather than trying to answer every question yourself, encourage folks to
answer the questions they raise for each other.
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3. Job Growth Fund Discussion Guide 40 minutes
Give yourself ample time to allow folks to dig into these questions. In each case,
remind folks that what matters most is their own experience, what they see in
the community, and what they want to see. There isn’t a ‘right’ answer.
Remember to take notes.
If folks are confused, make an effort to be clear about what people are confused
about, and take notes on this too.
If folks are excited and eager to go, encourage them to play out scenarios and
imagine what might be possible.
Remember that folks should be raising ideas and encouraging each other to
imagine what might be possible. Discourage folks from criticizing each other’s
ideas. There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers.
4. Next Steps: Continuing to Build Our Movement 10 minutes
Set a date for the next meeting (roughly the same time next month). Open (5 min.)
up the option for someone else to host next time. Invite people to bring a
friend next time.
PLEASE make a point of capturing the ideas and questions that get raised
in your house meeting. Please also send some of your ideas or questions
to info@joinchangenation.org.
Discuss what to do/explore/learn before the next meeting. (5 min.)
Possible things to propose:
o Identify organizations, elected officials or others that can help with
research for job growth funds in your state or community.
o Identify other friends, colleagues or neighbors you would want to
bring back to continue this conversation.
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Check-In Sheet
Name:
Organization (if any):
E-mail: @
Address:
Phone: ZIP:
Name:
Organization (if any):
E-mail: @
Address:
Phone: ZIP:
Name:
Organization (if any):
E-mail: @
Address:
Phone: ZIP:
Name:
Organization (if any):
E-mail: @
Address:
Phone: ZIP:
Name:
Organization (if any):
E-mail: @
Address:
Phone: ZIP:
Send to Change Nation – Web: www.joinchangenation.org Email: info@joingchangenation.org
Fax: 202-387-4892
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House Meeting Report Form
Meeting Date: Meeting Topic:
Meeting Location:
Host Name: Email:
How many people came? How long was the meeting? When is your next meeting?
Would you be willing to speak with Change Nation staff to provide more Yes / No
feedback/advice?
Overall, how did the meeting go?
Not Well At All Extremely Well
1 2 3 4 5
Did people develop or deepen their relationships with each other?
Not At All Very Much
1 2 3 4 5
Were the handouts useful and informative for the discussion?
Not At All Very Much
1 2 3 4 5
Were the discussion questions helpful to you for keeping the conversation going?
Not At All Very Much
1 2 3 4 5
Did people leave the meeting with new information, ideas and opinions?
Not At All Very Much
1 2 3 4 5
Anything else you’d like to tell us? (i.e. feedback on materials, future topic suggestions, etc.)
Send to Change Nation – Web: www.joinchangenation.org Email: info@joinchangenation.org
Fax: 202-387-4892
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