Allentown, PA; Beaverton, OR; Little Rock, AR; Philadelphia, PA; Spokane, WA; St. Louis, MO; and Tacoma, WA Awarded Grants from the United States Conference of Mayors’ DollarWise Campaign
Washington, D.C.— The United States Conference of Mayors’ (USCM) DollarWise Economic Mobility Campaign awarded its 2025 DollarWise Innovation Grants during USCM’s 93rd Winter Meeting to mayors representing seven cities: Allentown (PA) Mayor Matt Tuerk; Beaverton (OR) Mayor Lacey Beaty; Little Rock (AR) Mayor Frank Scott, Jr.; Philadelphia (PA) Mayor Cherelle Parker; Spokane (WA) Mayor Lisa Brown; St. Louis (MO) Mayor Tishaura Jones; and Tacoma (WA) Mayor Victoria Woodards
Each city was awarded a $10,000 grant to launch or expand economic mobility efforts in their communities.
Over the last 21 years, DollarWise has awarded grants to more than 100 cities nationwide to help disadvantaged communities improve their economic health and success. The DollarWise Innovation Grant Program identifies and supports substantive and impactful economic mobility initiatives that can be scaled and implemented in additional cities nationwide.
“American cities fuel our economy, and they thrive when every member of the community is empowered to succeed. These award winners are great examples of how cities are rebounding from the challenges of the Covid era to create stronger, safer and more inclusive economies,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the United States Conference of Mayors. “And with these grants, they’ll be able to further support their communities and continue to create lasting, positive change.”
The DollarWise Innovation Grants are made possible through the generous support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, DollarWise’s founding sponsor.
The following descriptions highlight each program and how the DollarWise grants will be used:
2025 Innovation Grant Award Recipients
- Allentown, PA Mayor Matt Tuerk will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support its Weatherization Job Training Program that will help disadvantaged residents overcome barriers like transportation and childcare. Program participants will gain hands-on experience, certifications, and jobs starting at $20/hour, addressing labor shortages and boosting local economic growth.
- Beaverton, OR Mayor Lacey Beaty will expand the West Side Works childcare worker training program, a collaborative initiative with Washington County, Worksystems, and Portland Community College. The grant will fund additional paid internships for students in early childhood education, enabling them to gain practical experience in local childcare centers at no cost to the businesses while addressing the shortage of childcare workers.
- Little Rock, AR Mayor Frank Scott Jr. will utilize the DollarWise Innovation Grant to enhance the Municipal Identification (ID) program, which provides affordable identification to residents lacking state-issued IDs such as immigrants, older adults, and individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Philadelphia, PA Mayor Cherelle Parker will enhance the Same Day Work and Pay (SDWP) program, which offers low-barrier employment opportunities to economically insecure individuals. The grant will support a pilot initiative with Mural Arts’ Color Me Back program, providing participants with daily wages and access to support services, including financial literacy and therapy.
- Spokane, WA Mayor Lisa Brown will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support the Spokane Post-Conviction Relief Pilot, which helps low-income residents with criminal convictions overcome barriers to employment, housing, and job training. The program will assist up to 100 constituents by addressing legal financial obligations, restoring driving privileges, and expunging records, while connecting participants to re-entry services such as healthcare, substance abuse treatment, and family preservation programs.
- St. Louis, MO Mayor Tishaura Jones will support a transit assistance program for newly arrived, work-authorized adults. The program will provide six-month public transportation passes to help participants access employment, healthcare, and daily necessities.
- Tacoma, WA Mayor Victoria Woodards will use the grant to support the development of a childcare and training facility in Tacoma’s eastside, a historically underserved neighborhood. The facility will provide 24-hour childcare services and classroom spaces for registered apprenticeship programs, addressing critical childcare shortages and creating career pathways for childcare professionals.
DollarWise is the official economic mobility campaign of the United States Conference of Mayors and its Council on Metro Economies and the New American City. DollarWise is dedicated to helping residents, particularly those in underserved communities, thrive economically. The program fosters and supports innovative city-wide efforts to remove barriers to economic mobility, create opportunity through education and skills development, and build intergenerational wealth. Since 2004, hundreds of cities have participated in DollarWise Campaign initiatives and programs. For more information on the DollarWise Campaign visit www.usmayors.org/dollarwise.