June 14, 2013
President Clinton Announces Record Results at 2013 Clinton Global Initiative America Meeting
President Bill Clinton and NJ Governor Chris Christie Conclude the Meeting with a One-on-One Conversation
2014 CGI America meeting to convene in Denver, Colorado
CHICAGO – This year, CGI America attendees developed
74 new commitments valued at more than $1.6 billion, which aim to
positively impact the lives of more than 2 million people in the United
States. The two-day gathering attracted nearly 1,000 leaders of
government, business, philanthropy, and NGOs dedicated to improving the
nation’s long-term competitiveness. President Bill Clinton, Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton
announced that, after three years in Chicago, the next CGI America
meeting will convene in Denver in 2014. President Clinton and New Jersey
Governor Chris Christie closed the meeting with a conversation on leadership, cooperation, and collaboration.
“Over the past few days, I’ve seen new partnerships formed and
meaningful commitments made that will make a difference in the lives of
more than 2 million people,” said President Clinton. “Thanks to these
commitments, more than $1.4 billion of new capital will be invested in
or loaned to small- and medium-sized enterprises, more than a quarter
million people will have improved access to STEM education, and more
than 1.2 million tons of greenhouse gasses will be avoided. The work of
these dedicated leaders is a great example of what’s working and why
collaboration is crucial for lasting success.”
“Over the years, there have been 2,600 concrete Commitments to Action
at CGI,” said Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. “I
traveled the world quite extensively, the last four years. One of the
lessons I took away is that this model of partnerships and commitments
is at the heart of what we need to do to meet the challenges of the
twenty-first century.”
“CGI America participants have raised the bar by developing a record
number of commitments before the meeting began, in addition to creating
50 other commitments and tangible action plans here on-site," said
Chelsea Clinton. "Over the past two days, the collective dedication to
creating the sorts of opportunities everyone in America deserves and our
future needs is truly inspiring.”
Throughout the meeting, attendees generated Commitments to Action: new,
specific, and measurable plans to address an economic challenge facing
the United States. Some of the commitments announced today will help
expand America’s advanced manufacturing sector, make Tennessee the first
state to provide comprehensive transition services for all youth who
“age out” of foster care, and launch an $11 million fund for healthy
food enterprises in rural and urban communities.
When fully funded and implemented, these new CGI America commitments will ensure that:
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More than 10,000 jobs will be created or filled. Among these, nearly 1,500 are specifically indicated as clean/green jobs.
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More than $1.4 billion of new capital will be invested in or loaned to small- and medium-sized enterprises.
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More than 4,500 small- or medium-sized enterprises
will receive non-monetary support, such as assistance developing
business plans and pro bono consulting, technical training, and access
to new markets.
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More than 250,000 people will have improved access to capital and financial services.
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More than 212,000 students will gain access to STEM education opportunities.
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More than 10,000 youth will gain access to mentoring.
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More than 10,000 teachers will be trained or gain new skills.
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More than $190 million of new capital will be invested in green initiatives.
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More than 1.2 million tons of greenhouse gasses will be avoided, mostly through building retrofits and energy efficiency efforts.
Bloomberg anchor Trish Regan hosted discussions for broadcast on Bloomberg TV on America’s energy security and getting capital off the sidelines, featuring Ellen Kullman, chair of the board and CEO of Dupont; Jim Rogers, chairman, president, and CEO of Duke Energy Corporation; Wesley Clark, chairman and CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates; Gary D. Cohn, president and COO of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; Mark Cuban, entrepreneur; and Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to the president, the White House.
In a session moderated by Ali Velshi, business anchor of Al Jazeera America, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Jessica Jackley, venture partner at the Collaborative Fund, and Bill Simon,
president and CEO of Walmart U.S., discussed what collaborations are
required to ensure the country’s global competitiveness in the twentieth
century.
For more information, including the full program, visit cgiamerica.org. Follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news and highlights. The event hashtag is #CGIAmerica.
The following new commitments and progress reports were announced today:
Aligning Educational Pathways to Jobs & Careers
Commitment By: Business Roundtable
Partners: The Joyce Foundation; Lumina Foundation for Education, Inc.; Siemens AG; ACT Foundation
In 2013, the Business Roundtable committed to develop a summary of the
U.S. job market to get a clearer picture of the current and potential
role of industry-recognized certifications in order to address the
skills gap. This summary will identify common elements among identified
credentials, occupations and skills that are in-demand. The findings of
the project will be utilized to inform the Business Roundtable’s action
and advocacy efforts. A final report will be produced to advise the
Business Roundtable’s future work on the creation of industry standards,
in sectors where they do not exist, in order to address the skills
mismatch. This work hopes to encourage industry leaders to take a
leadership role in setting competency standards.
American DreamBuilder: The Women’s Business Creator
Commitment By: Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.
Partners: Thunderbird School of Global Management; Bluedrop Performance Learning; Fresh Start Women’s Foundation
In 2013, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, The Thunderbird School of
Global Management, and BlueDrop Performance Learning committed to build
off the success of their 2011 Commitment to Action that launched the
DreamBuilder program in Latin America by bringing the program to the
United States. The DreamBuilder program consists of 12 online business
courses and a virtual support network that will be provided at no cost
to at least 4,500 women in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas,
giving these women the training and support they need to launch their
own businesses.
Serving Our Female Vets/Military Families
Commitment By: Grace Institute
Partners: Rick Miners; Jeri Sedlar; Sheila Casey; Ariela Keysar;
Eileen Lynch; Saundra Thomas; Eviction Intervention Services; Continuum
Health Partners; OC61 Salon and Spa; Goldman, Sachs & Co.; Blue
Star Families; General Belinda Pinckney; Women Veteran’s Interactive;
Linear Media
In 2012, Grace Institute committed to tackling the issues of increasing
homelessness and unemployment among female veterans. The Grace
Institute aimed to enroll, train, and place in jobs 15 female
veterans/female family members of veterans, who will be educated through
the Grace Institute’s six-month, tuition-free job training program,
offered support from Social Work staff, and provided access to numerous
programs to aid in the transition to civilian life. The Grace
Institute’s commitment to target specifically female veterans and
military spouses and families has led to a significant increase in their
representation within the program. The class that began in August 2012
admitted four female veterans and 16 military family members while the
class that began in April 2013 includes four female veterans and 11
military family members. In total, 36 women have been admitted to the
program to-date and five have been placed into employment.
Expanding Jobs to Build On
Commitment By: Consortium for Worker Education
Partners: The New York City Council; Kingsborough Community
College Association, Inc.; City University of New York (CUNY);
Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW); South Bronx Overall Economic
Development Corporation (SoBRO); East River Development Alliance; Henry
Street Settlement; Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI)
In 2011, The Consortium for Worker Education committed to scaling its
Jobs to Build On (JtBO) program, which will place 1,250 New York City
residents in full-time, living wage occupations – jobs paying $10.50 per
hour with employee health benefits and $11.50 per hour without – and
provide them with follow-up tracking and retention services for one
year. CWE’s CGI Commitment to Action ran from July 1st, 2011 to June 20,
2012, during which a total of 3,076 individuals received workforce
preparation, 1,482 individuals were placed in employment opportunities,
and 922 entered training programs. Participants gained employment in
nearly every industrial sector, including transportation, healthcare,
travel and tourism, construction and building maintenance,
administration, civil service, and the emerging green industries.
Engaging and Mentoring Youth Thru Culinary Arts
Commitment By: Emeril Lagasse Foundation
Partners: Liberty’s Kitchen, Inc.
In 2013, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation committed to investing in the
expansion and scaling of Liberty’s Kitchen. Liberty’s Kitchen will
relocate to a much larger space as part of the ReFresh Project in New
Orleans, and as a result of increased operational space they will serve
an additional 200 under resourced youth over two years in foodservice
training and employment connections. As part of Liberty’s Kitchen social
enterprise model, food prepared by trainees will provide an additional
4,000 healthy meals for school children in New Orleans.
National Database of Black Businesses
Commitment By: U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.
Partners: Dell Inc.; ESRI
In 2013, the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) committed to creating an
online database of African-American businesses in the United States. The
USBC seeks to include 10,000 businesses in the database within the next
12 months. With this commitment, USBC will leverage its membership of
over 240,000 businesses and its strategic partnership with national
organizations to become the repository for Black business statistics.
This database will serve as a resource for corporations, business
owners, consumers, and other stakeholders to make more informed business
decisions.
EMPOWERHER: Reinventing and Restoring communities
Commitment By: Dress for Success
Partners: The Fortune Society; Grace Institute; Foodbank for New York; Sanctuary for Families; Phoenix House
In 2013, Dress for Success Worldwide committed to address the
reintegration and reemployment needs of formerly incarcerated women by
creating and implementing the EmPowerHER pilot program to provide a
framework for the reentry and restoration of these women into their
communities. By collaborating with reentry programs to broaden and
deepen support networks and implementing the Going Places Network by
Walmart and the Professional Women’s Group, EmPowerHER will provide a
continuum of services to women at all phases of the journey and address
the unique circumstances facing this population while they transition
effectively into the workforce.
Creating Veteran-Owned Coops for Deep Energy Retrofits
Commitment By: Building Performance Contractors Association of NY State
Partners: Cooperative Development Institute; State of New York; Green Workers Cooperative Academy
In 2013, as a dual effort to provide sustainable career pathways for
veterans and reduce energy waste in American homes, the Building
Performance Contractors Association of New York State (BPCA) committed
to developing a veteran-owned cooperative business to perform deep
energy retrofits in New York. This pilot start-up will create 15 new
jobs and complete 24 home retrofits in one year. Through the launch of
this initial coop, BPCA will create the infrastructure, which will
include operational resources for business development as well as
training and mentor support, for a scalable and replicable model that
can be used across other communities in the U.S.
Empowering Workers to Save and Invest in their Futures
Commitment By: EARN
Partners: SaveUp; Citigroup Inc.
In 2013, EARN committed to improving savings and wealth creation for
low-income communities with incentive-based savings tools that will
foster lifelong savings habits, skill building, and secure financial
assets among low-wage workers. Through a new mobile-enabled online
platform, EARN will open 10,000 new rewards savings accounts over the
next three years for targeted individuals who have no previous history
of savings but aspire to reach short- and long-term financial goals.
This commitment is a part of a larger scaled expansion for EARN to help 1
million low-wage workers save $1 billion by the year 2022.
Preventing Summer Reading Loss with Mobile Technology
Commitment By: Kids Read Now
Partners: One Call Now; Leib and Barbara Lurie Foundation; City of Piqua; City of Vandalia; United Way of Troy, Ohio
In 2013, Kids Read Now committed to expanding a research-driven program
to address summer reading loss for first- through third-graders in
Southwest Ohio. Every Sunday
night, the family will receive a phone call or text message via One
Call Now communications technology, which the student responds to with
the title of the book he or she read and how much he or she enjoyed the
book of their choosing. When the data is received by Kids Read Now, the
next book will be mailed. If the student continues to read every week,
he or she can earn all nine books on their list. Students will be tested
as they exit school in the spring and again as they enter school in the
fall to measure summer learning loss. The short-term goal is for all
children participating in the Kids Read Now program to enter the school
year reading at grade level. The long-term outcome will be all
participating children reading at grade level by the time they enter
fourth grade. When brought to scale, this commitment will reach over
18,000 children in first through third grades by 2015.
Inspiring a New Generation of Entrepreneurs and Innovators
Commitment By: The National Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Partners: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation; Make Media; New York Hall of Science; Maker Education Initiative
In 2013, the National Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (NCEI)
committed to create an exhibition space near the National Mall in
Washington, D.C., to celebrate entrepreneurship and innovation in
America. The NCEI envisions this space opening by 2024 and reaching a
significant share of the 30 million visitors who come to the Mall each
year. Over the next three years, the NCEI will also conduct programs to
reach 50,000 youth with in-person experiences that foster interest in
entrepreneurship. Specifically, the NCEI will engage class trips to
Washington, D.C., in a unique curriculum featuring design and 3D
printing workshops as well as meetings with entrepreneurs. It will also
begin convening a Young Makers on the Mall celebration every summer.
Appalachian Community Capital
Commitment By: Appalachian Regional Commission; Kentucky
Highlands Investment Corporation; Deutsche Bank AG; Pathway Lending;
Virginia Community Capital
Partners: Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Inc.; Bank of
America Corporation; Blue Moon Fund; State of Virginia; Mountain
Association for Community Economic Development; Alternatives Federal
Credit Union; Mountain BizWorks; The Progress Fund; Access to Capital
for Entrepreneurs; Appalachian Development Corp; Appalachian Development
Corp; Natural Capital Investment Fund
In 2013, the Appalachian Regional Commission, along with local
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and philanthropic
and bank investors, committed to establish a new financial intermediary,
Appalachia Community Capital, and help capitalize it with $42 million.
Over the next 24 months, this new financial intermediary will leverage
$233 million of private bank capital and help create 2,200 jobs
throughout the Appalachian region. Appalachian Community Capital will
significantly increase business lending in Appalachia by pooling the
capital needs of its members, attracting investors at a larger scale,
and providing a simplified vehicle for impact investors; dramatically
reducing underwriting and servicing costs associated with investing in
individual CDFIs. Additionally, the new institution will facilitate
sharing of best practices between new and emerging Appalachian loan
funds and bring new and needed financial products to the region.
Ultimately, this capital will support growing loan demand in a variety
of sectors including agriculture, energy, health care, and
manufacturing.
Mobilizing STEM Professionals to Mentor Students
Commitment By: US2020
Partners: Hewlett-Packard Company; Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.; Cisco; Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation; NCTAF
In 2013, US2020 and a wide range of partners committed to the launch of
the US2020 City Competition, a contest through which cities and
counties will develop and submit plans to significantly increase the
number of local STEM professionals who mentor students. After selecting
up to five winning cities, US2020 will give those cities additional
resources to operationalize their plans as US2020 pilot cities and will
publically recognize their efforts so as to encourage others to follow
their lead. Additionally, US2020 and its partners will work nationally
to match STEM professionals with mentoring opportunities via an online
matching platform as part of a larger movement to greatly increase STEM
mentorship across the country. These efforts will enable at least 5,000
STEM field professionals to mentor a minimum of 10,000 students and
provide them with increased opportunities to develop the skills they
will need to be the inventors and technologists of the future.
Mobilizing for 20,000 Excellent New STEM Teachers
Commitment By: Carnegie Corporation of New York
Partners: American Museum of Natural History; Ashoka
Changemakers; Citizen Schools; Baltimore City Public Schools; Broad
Institute of MIT and Harvard; Creative Commons; Google Inc.; The
National Science Foundation; KIPP Houston; EnCorps; Good Corps; DSST
Public Schools; DSST Public Schools; IDEA Public Schools, and many
others.
In 2011, the Carnegie Corporation, along with a wide range of partners,
committed to identifying and funding programs that focus on recruiting
and training 20,000 new STEM teachers within three years, while
supporting existing STEM educators. To do this, Carnegie and its
partners planned to create a funding pool valued at a minimum of $20
million and invite relevant programs to apply. The commitment, now known
as 100Kin10, has progressed significantly since its launch in 2011.
After having exceeded the initial goal of $20 million by $4 million, the
campaign launched a second fund that has raised $7.5 million to date,
with a target goal of $20 million by June of 2013. In addition, the
network has surpassed 130 partner organizations. As a result of the
growing movement, over 7,000 STEM teachers have been recruited and
trained, with thousands more supported and retained to date. Partners
have committed to training more than 35,000 new teachers on the way to
their goal of training 100,000 by 2021.
Joint Wind Power Development Project on Tribal Lands
Commitment By: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; Crow Creek Sioux Tribe; Yankton Sioux Tribe; Rosebud Sioux Tribe; Oglala Sioux Tribe
Partners: Arent Fox LLP; Herron Consulting LLC; Intertribal
Council on Utility Policy; Rally; Liati Group LLC; Bush Foundation;
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
In 2013, five Sioux Tribes in South Dakota committed to the formation
of the Oceti Sakowin Power Authority, a multi-tribal Power Authority,
with the purpose of designating Tribally-owned land for a wind farm and
transmission facilities. The Sioux Tribes committed to the creation of
the Power Authority and the pre-development phase of a longer-term
project to finance, develop, and operate a 1,000 megawatt utility-scale
wind power and transmission system across the South Dakota Sioux
Reservations. The creation of the Power Authority will uniquely allow
the Sioux Tribes to own the wind and transmission assets and distribute
the surplus revenue to its member Tribes.
