From Advocacy to Outcomes

As local governments across our region finalize their budgets, many are recognizing the role workforce programs play in helping low-income residents build long-term stability through living wage employment.

These outcomes follow months of coordinated advocacy from staff, partners, employers, and participants who shared a consistent message: Employment programs are foundational to housing stability, economic mobility, and community well‑being.  

City of Portland

Through Prosper Portland, the City has long supported workforce programs that serve Portlanders facing significant barriers to employment, including low-income residents and disconnected youth. Two programs—the Portland Economic Opportunity Program (EOP) and NextGen youth career coaching—were originally slated to be cut from Prosper’s budget. Together, Portland EOP and NextGen served more than 1,100 people last year, supporting both adult and youth pathways to employment and stability.

Thanks to strong advocacy from our Board, community partners, and participants, funding was partially added back into Propser Portland’s proposed budget, and Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney bolstered the investment with an additional $100,000 from her office.

These programs connect Portlanders to career coaching, paid work experiences, and training that lead to family‑wage jobs. They also reflect a broader understanding that workforce development is a key part of the City’s approach to housing stability, public safety, and economic growth.

Summerworks, which provides paid work experiences in local businesses for young people ages 16 to 24, was also slated for a large cut before Councilor Loretta Smith introduced an amendment to restore funding. Smith has long been a champion for Summerworks and employment programs. Thanks to her, City funding will continue to support work experiences for more than 100 youth.

Multnomah County

At Multnomah County, the focus has been on protecting employment services within homelessness response—especially the A Home for Everyone Economic Opportunity Program (AHFE EOP), which pairs housing stabilization efforts with relationship-based career coaching, training, and employment supports. These programs were originally slated to be cut in the Chair’s proposed budget.

Throughout the budget process, partners, participants, and community members emphasized that employment is a critical component of the region’s homelessness response. Employment services help people not only find work, but maintain housing and reduce long‑term reliance on public systems.

In a recent Oregonian article, Commissioner Shannon Singleton expressed “When we end somebody’s homelessness, we don’t end their poverty.” She thinks the goal of workforce programs should be “’getting people employment so they make enough money that they don’t have to rely on county safety net services.”

Thank you to Commissioners Singleton, Julia Brim-Edwards, and Vince Jones-Dixon, who joined together to pass an amendment to partially restore funding for employment programs within the Homeless Services Department. This is a huge win for residents who will continue to receive the support they need to break down barriers and obtain living-wage jobs.

Washington County

Washington County continues to invest in workforce strategies that connect residents to opportunity, including Career Start. Career Start connects housing and employment services through a coordinated partnership with Supportive Housing Services (SHS), supported by SHS funding. The model facilitates direct referrals from case workers to trusted career coaches, helping ensure people receive timely, relevant support as they work toward financial stability.

Through short-term training, paid work experiences, and career coaching, the program is already showing strong results. Since launching, Career Start has helped more than 120 participants take steps toward securing jobs that support their ability to stay housed and build toward longer-term career pathways.