FRESNO IMPACT ECONOMY

Fresno Impact Economy (FIE) is DRIVE’s larger scale effort to ensure that economic growth translates into real benefits for residents. Rather than focusing only on the number of jobs created, the initiative emphasizes the quality of those jobs and whether they provide pathways to prosperity for people across the community.

 

Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, working in partnership with Harvard Business School, is developing a Fresno Impact Economy Scorecard. The Scorecard is being co-designed with the Resident Leaders for Equitable Economic Development (RLEED) advisory group, which is working closely with Fresno EDC, ensuring that community voices shape how job quality and business impact are measured.

 

Ultimately, community members don't just want more jobs, they wants better jobs. The Scorecard will help track whether businesses are offering higher wages, stable benefits, safe and supportive workplaces, and real opportunities for advancement. By setting standards and making business impact visible, Fresno is creating accountability for the kind of economy it is building. Through this initiative, Fresno DRIVE is positioning the region as a national model for inclusive, resident-driven economic development. By creating future local policies, setting standards, and making business impact, the Fresno Impact Economy Initiative demonstrates how local economies can grow stronger and more equitable at the same time.