Introduction

Communities across the country want to help residents exit poverty, achieve economic success, and live in a more equitable society. Many local leaders are committed to the hard work of dismantling barriers and building systems that advance upward mobility and racial equity, but they often lack the information they need to reach those goals and understand if their efforts are working.

The Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Initiative helps communities fill the gaps. Through our Upward Mobility Framework, we show communities how to define and measure upward mobility.

The framework includes a three-part definition of upward mobility, a focus on racial equity, five pillars of support people need from their communities to achieve mobility, and 24 predictors that measure the strength of these pillars in a community and can be influenced to help more people achieve social and economic mobility.

We also provide local data for cities and counties across the US, planning resources, and training and technical assistance to help communities apply the framework to their local contexts, establish priorities, mobilize action, and assess progress.

Together with the framework, these resources support the initiative’s mission to help communities advance upward mobility and racial equity, especially for residents excluded from prosperity.