by Phyllis Furdell

NLC is exploring innovative approaches that municipal governments can take to promote equity ? social, economic, racial and political. This story summarizes one of 10 city case studies and specific promising practices underway in that city.

A broad vision, rather than a specific problem, has motivated the equity agenda in Indianapolis. That vision is based on the passionate conviction of a past mayor and the present mayor who both believe that all citizens should share in the city?s economic success.

The equity agenda began in Indianapolis during the 1992-1999 mayoral administration of Stephen Goldsmith and continues today under the leadership of NLC First Vice President Bart Peterson, mayor of Indianapolis.

Engaging citizens has been an important part of Indianapolis? equity agenda, starting with Goldsmith?s Neighborhood Empowerment Initiative. His vision was to give neighborhood residents a stronger voice in improving their quality of life through neighborhood-level governance structures.

With a nearly even partisan balance among the city?s elected leaders and strong, deep traditions of limited government and fiscal restraint, Mayor Peterson works through partnerships to accomplish equity agenda goals. When Peterson came to office in 2000, he created a plan that stressed social, rather than physical, infrastructure improvements, as the means of ?building a world-class city, neighborhood by neighborhood.? His ?Peterson Plan? focuses on strengthening families, improving schools, fighting crime and celebrating diversity.

Both administrations embraced notions of promoting diversity and inclusion to increase equity for all citizens.

?I?m a believer that the strength of families will have a major impact on the strength of neighborhoods,? Mayor Peterson said, ?And the strength of neighborhoods will largely determine the strength of our city ? the success or failure of our city.?

The strategic approach underlying the city?s equity agenda is to build partnerships and coalitions to carry out virtually every piece of the agenda. The responsibility for sustaining its momentum rests with a broad array of interest groups including businesses, nonprofit groups and philanthropic organizations.

With the approach, the mayor defines a problem and invites other organizations to the table to create initiatives to address the problem. He then uses the bully pulpit to maintain public support, but works through coalitions to make progress toward solutions.

Much of the work of the extensive public-private partnerships has been institutionalized. The Coalition for Human Service Planning ? made up of members of Peterson?s team, private foundations and the United Way of Central Indiana ? meets on a monthly basis and provides a forum for the discussion of critical issues in Indianapolis. Through the coalition, the foundations and the city have collaborated to fund solutions. 

The ?Success By 6? coalition and the ?Afterschool Coalition of Indianapolis? are two other multi-group collaborations of vital importance to the mayor?s family strengthening agenda.

The United Way?s Success By 6 coalition is comprised of leaders representing many community organizations. Their charge is to ensure that the objectives of its initiatives ? that all children from birth through age 6 enjoy social, emotional and physical well-being to successfully begin school ? are met.

The Afterschool Coalition of Indianapolis, a collaborative of more than 25 organizations, including the city and school district, pursues initiatives to unite various afterschool providers into a citywide system. The coalition provides a forum to develop new initiatives and focus resources in underserved communities.

In addition to partnering with nonprofits, Peterson has developed alliances with members of the business community. One such partnership, the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise program, encourages minority and women-owned business enterprise participation (see the Promising Practices article below).

A corporate affairs discussion group, which consists of representatives of corporations with philanthropic divisions who meet to discuss city issues and initiatives, and a partnership that helps guide and support charter schools in the city are two other business-based community groups that meet in the city. Each January, Peterson?s office hosts an awards ceremony where more than 1,000 business and community leaders come together to honor the businesses that are committed to diversity. 

The equity agenda has led to tangible improvements for Indianapolis citizens and neighborhoods ? lower rates of poverty and teen pregnancy, easier access to and higher utilization of city services by minority communities, and quality-of-life gains in a number of the city?s poorer neighborhoods.

Over the years, initiatives have changed, but the underlying commitment to an equity agenda that works toward economic success for all has been constant. According to Peterson, ?No city can be successful if the disparity between rich and poor is so glaring that a fundamental sense of injustice pervades the community.?

Details: The work of NLC?s Municipal Action to Reduce Poverty Project is made possible through support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. For more details and links to NLC?s complete Indianapolis city study, go to Municipal Action to Reduce Poverty Project page and scroll down to ?Indianapolis, Indiana: City Story page.?

Promising Practices: Indianapolis

Minority and Women Business Program

The Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) program in Indianapolis provides meaningful business opportunities and productive partnerships for its participants and integrates the program?s firms into the business infrastructure of the city.

The program provides opportunities for certified minority and women-owned businesses to receive a share of city contracts and subcontracts and introduces M/WBE firms to private business opportunities.

In 2000, NLC First Vice President Bart Peterson, mayor of Indianapolis, empowered his director of administration to revamp the city?s competitive bidding process to minority and women-owned businesses after a commissioned study reported that these companies were underutilized in Indianapolis.

The city?s efforts to increase diversity among its contractor and subcontractors included assigning a key staff person to the M/WBE program, a revised application process requiring majority contracting firms to submit a subcontractor?s list containing a signed agreement with minority or woman owners in bid documents, and a free certification process.

Certified participants of Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) are given opportunities to gain technical skills to learn about competitive pricing and marketing and are included on the Certified Vendor List, used by the city and public and private organizations. The city also publishes a quarterly newsletter that promotes the Indianapolis? supplier diversity program to the business community. In 2005, communication to these businesses was strengthened by an e-mail distribution list of city contracting opportunities.

Funded entirely by the city budget, the M/WBE program helps small businesses succeed in Indianapolis. DiversityInc, a publisher providing education and clarity on the business benefits of diversity, and IndyStar.com, one of Indiana?s local media websites, have praised this success at the national and local level.

As of 2005, the program has resulted in:

? Several major contracts being awarded to MBEs and WBEs;

? An increase from 260 to 600 certified M/WBEs; and

? Increases in city contract percentages to M/WBEs from 10 percent minority-owned and 2 percent women-owned to 15 percent minority-owned and 8 percent women-owned, respectively.