The DC Upward Mobility Project is an interagency initiative from the District of Columbia Government to increase upward economic mobility and make pathways to prosperity more accessible for our residents. Washington, DC, is recognized as a regional and national leader for its commitment to equity. But progress can still be made on pronounced disparities across race and ethnicity. For example, in 2019, Black residents were three times more likely than white residents to experience poverty; Latinx and Asian residents were about twice as likely.

In early 2021, the District government was selected for the inaugural Upward Mobility Cohort, hosted by the Urban Institute. Eight counties were selected from nearly 30 applicants for this new program. The DC Upward Mobility team worked with agency and community partners to develop an inventory of District mobility programs, identify key mobility metrics, and establish a new Stability-MobilityProsperity framework to guide program alignment. The DC Upward Mobility Project focuses on three priority policy areas: housing, financial well-being, and workforce development and adult education. Building on existing District agency efforts, this work produced a cross-agency Mobility Action Plan that will align District programs and improve the systems that help residents achieve greater financial security, stronger self-determination, and deeper connections to the community.

Explore the DC Upward Mobility Project and read DC's mobility action plan.