Only one-third of NC children born into families making less than $25,000 annually manage to climb into middle and upper income levels as adults. In April 2016, MDC, in partnership with our sister foundation the John M. Belk Endowment, published North Carolina’s Economic Imperative: Building an Infrastructure of Opportunity. The report focuses on eight communities across the state with particular analysis on the education-to-career continuum. The report puts forth scalable actions that cities can take to strengthen economic mobility. Additionally, the report highlights existing, promising initiatives that prepare more people for jobs that pay family-supporting wages.