What Houston’s Economic Mobility Coalition is Building Next

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“Every Houston resident deserves a fair chance to succeed—regardless of ZIP code, age, gender, race, or family income. That future is within reach with partnerships, cohesive strategies, and a robust learning framework.”

Dr. Flávio Cunha, Director of the Center for Economic Mobility at Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research 

Houston has the assets to be a national leader in economic mobility, but too many residents still face barriers to opportunity.  

Following strong interest after the inaugural summit in fall 2025, a group of organizations formalized that momentum into the Houston Economic Mobility Coalition (Coalition): Good Reason Houston, Greater Houston Community Foundation, Greater Houston Partnership, Gulf Coast Workforce Board, Harris County Housing and Community Development, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, and United Way of Greater Houston. With pro bono support from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the Houston Economic Mobility Coalition has started building a draft framework to guide its work. 

At the Second Houston Economic Mobility Summit in the spring of 2026, over 250 leaders across sectors came together to better understand Houston’s mobility landscape, strengthen cross-sector relationships, and shape the Coalition’s emerging approach. 

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