Since its launch, the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) has translated targeted investment into outsized community impact. Backed by a $30 million investment, ERC has helped communities catalyze more than $240 million in grants, public funding, and private capital. Through embedded, place-based Fellowships, ERC is not only advancing projects, but strengthening local capacity, aligning partners, and building systems that endure beyond individual funding cycles.
Over the past year, ERC Fellows worked inside real-world complexity, advancing housing, workforce, entrepreneurship, and revitalization efforts while building the relationships and readiness that make long-term economic development possible. Across communities, Fellows reflected on coordination as impact, on pacing work to align partners, and on the often invisible labor of convening, listening, and showing up. As one Fellow shared, “Impact often lives in the in-between work of convening, connecting, and staying present.”
These reflections highlight a shared understanding that progress is rarely linear. Fellows described readiness being built “through pacing, alignment, and trust long before outcomes are measurable,” and emphasized that “durable impact requires representation, trust, and care.” Whether strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, advancing housing strategies, or supporting small businesses, Fellows consistently pointed to relationships as the foundation that allows systems change to take hold.
Looking ahead to 2026, ERC Fellows will come together one final time in late February for an in-person retreat in Washington, DC. This gathering marks the last opportunity for the full cohort to be together and serves as a capstone moment for shared learning and reflection. Fellows will present their capstone experiences, connect across regions, and meet with congressional representatives to share the impact of ERC and the communities it serves, helping translate local outcomes into national understanding.
As ERC enters its next chapter, Fellows are carrying forward lessons rooted in emergence, adaptability, and community leadership. One reflection captured the momentum simply: “Places are temporary, but relationships are transformative.” Together, these insights underscore a clear throughline. Sustainable economic recovery is built not just through projects, but through people, partnerships, and the steady work of staying engaged over time.
To learn more about the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) program, visit: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/