Fayetteville City Council authorizes grant to advance economic mobility for residents

By Staff Report, posted Jan 14, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

Logo courtesy of the City of Fayetteville

The Fayetteville City Council accepted a $354,000 grant from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) to advance community-wide strategies that will improve economic mobility and opportunities in the City.

The City would receive $250,000 in salary support over 30 months, as well as $104,000 in supplemental program and engagement resources. The grant would support the creation of a senior-level special projects manager who will lead, coordinate and accelerate cross-departmental and cross-sector strategies that advance economic mobility for Fayetteville residents.

The Economic Mobility and Opportunity Special Assistants (EMO SA) Program grant program, funded by the Gates Foundation and administered by ICMA, aims to support local governments in hiring senior-level professionals who will champion holistic and sustained economic mobility strategies.

“While Fayetteville has made significant strides in community and economic development, persistent challenges remain,” Economic and Community Director Chris Cauley stated in a press release. “The EMO SA program offers a rare opportunity to bring focused leadership and coordination to address these issues equitably and strengthen outcomes for residents across our community.”

The EMO SA will work across City of Fayetteville departments and in partnership with the community to co-design implementation plans that address workforce development, housing affordability, household financial security and other key determinants of upward mobility.

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