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Recent impact of DRIVE's
People Initiatives
An economy that works for everyone includes quality jobs, access to healthcare, quality childcare, and other critical support systems that allow people and their families to thrive. When communities invest in health, learning, and overall wellbeing, they create the conditions for people to contribute their full potential. This approach strengthens families, neighborhoods, and our economy as a whole.
Read more about the recent impact of DRIVE's People initiatives.
People Initiatives
Early Matters Fresno
Early Matters strengthens the foundation for Fresno County’s youngest children by focusing on maternal health and early learning, improving outcomes for Black women during pregnancy, expanding access to affordable, high-quality care, and training local residents as early learning professionals.
2035 Plan
Completed planning to invest in 114,600 children on path to economic mobility by 2035.
30 Doulas Trained
30 Black doulas trained and certified through the BLACK Wellness and Prosperity Center and now have hospital privileges to support families through the birthing process.
75 Residents Engaged
75 residents engaged in first-ever Resident Council. 60 percent engaged in ongoing maternal health or early learning leadership roles in their communities.
Upskilling Fresno
Upskilling offers innovative education and job training for people just starting out in their careers or current employees. The approach goes beyond traditional workforce programs by connecting learning directly to real job opportunities and helping people land meaningful careers faster.
1,000 Residents
Number of Fresno residents who have completed a paid internship as of August 2025.
360 Workers
Number of local workers receiving supportive services through Heartland Compass.
96 Employer Partnerships
86 local employers have entered into partnership agreements with Career Nexus, and 10 local employers partner with Heartland Compass.
$18,130,000
Awarded to 23 projects across five project pathways of business, education, engineering, health, and recovering with equity.
12,705 Students
Number of students supported/enrolled in a project pathway.
3,785 Educators
Teachers, faculty, and staff supported by FMK16 funding.
Executive Advisory Leadership
Established Executive Advisory Leadership of the network with founding organizations: Community Justice Center, Fresno Building Healthy Communities, Beyond Fresno Housing, Central Valley Community Foundation.
Program Leadership
Hired inaugural Director to oversee, organize, and bring the network to life.
Engaged K-12 Students
Established a comprehensive education pipeline guiding students from middle and high schools through Fresno City College, Fresno State, UC Merced, and into UCSF San Francisco medical school.
Celebrated 50 Years in Fresno
Celebrated 50-year anniversary, highlighting decades of commitment to expanding medical education and healthcare access in the Central Valley.
Launched New program
Launched the San Joaquin Valley PRIME program, creating a dedicated cohort pathway from Fresno State to UC Merced to UCSF San Francisco with internships in Fresno.