Economic Mobility Initiative

New community partnerships support Utah families

Beginning May 6, 2026, Utah creates the Raising Expectations through Accountability, Community, and Hope initiative. It supports community partnerships that coordinate education, health, job, and housing services to improve youth and family outcomes. Goals include better school readiness, graduation, employment, household income, and housing stability, and less poverty. Communities qualify by meeting at least one of four tests: limited services in a county with fewer than 10 people per square mile; a high school serving a substantial share of secondary students with a four-year graduation rate of 85% or lower; priority measures more than 10% below the state average; or gaps greater than 20% between groups. Utah's economic opportunity office must choose a qualified assistance provider to administer the program. The provider must have at least 20 years of grantmaking experience and five years supporting cross-sector partnerships in Utah. It must also have fundraising ability, data and evaluation skills, community engagement experience, and expertise in developing lead organizations. The provider helps partnerships form, plan, build skills, raise private money, learn from peers, and measure results. Each partnership must include a lead organization, local government, a school or school district, service partners, parents, youth, and residents. Partnerships must involve residents, coordinate resources, and write plans covering goals, timelines, responsibilities, budgets, data sharing, community engagement, and lasting support. When requested, state agencies serving children, youth, or families must share relevant group-level and individual-level service, outcome, and demographic data. Sharing must follow privacy laws, approved uses, and standard formats and schedules; identifying details cannot be disclosed unless legally allowed. The program uses data to find service gaps, track progress, recommend improvements, and publish combined findings with privacy protections. Partnerships may accept private grants, gifts, and donations, and the provider must raise philanthropic support. The law provides no state appropriation, direct household payment, or new benefit entitlement. Upon request, the office and provider must report to legislative committees on participating communities, results, private investment, and recommendations for continuing or expanding the work.