US Economy

The Economy Forward Framework: How Midsized Cities Can Achieve Inclusive Growth in the Knowledge Economy

March 30, 2022  • Cordell Carter, II, Ross DeVol, Richard Florida, PhD, Jennifer Hankins & Nicholas Lalla

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Released in March 2022, The Economy Forward Framework is a tool designed by Tulsa Innovation Labs in partnership with the Aspen Institute, Heartland Forward and Richard Florida to guide cities in their economic development efforts. It includes a set of nine metrics, a ranking of 38 midsized cities, and analysis and goals for Tulsa. You can find the full report here. The Economy Forward Framework clearly proves that the surest way to achieve and sustain inclusive growth is for cities to build capacity at their key institutions, leverage local assets, and grow from the inside out.

“As cities consider how to strengthen their economies, they must carefully evaluate which communities these future tech economies are designed to serve. These economic transitions are occurring during a charged political climate and have accelerated the need to build more inclusive knowledge economy.” -Cordell Carter, Executive Director, Socrates Program.