The National Urban League is a non-profit, nonpartisan, civil rights, and community-based movement that serves over 2 million people, providing direct services, research and policy advocacy to help individuals and communities reach their fullest potential. Primarily working with African-Americans and other emerging ethnic communities, its network of over 100 professionally-staffed affiliates in over 35 states helps to close the equality gap for people at all economic levels and stages of life.

Established in 1910, the Urban League movement responded to the migration of hundreds of thousands of African Americans to the urban and industrial areas of the North. For over 95 years, the Urban League has pioneered and excelled in the field of Diversity Recruitment and Employment (DRE). Through research and advocacy, its DRE programs have addressed discriminatory hiring and improved workplace opportunities for Americans across the country.

In its early years, the Urban League grew into a nationally recognized organization, operating in 29 cities and finding jobs for nearly 65,000 African Americans. Today, eighty-five percent of the Urban League affiliate network provides employment-related programming for over 200,000 youth and adults, placing over 16,000 individuals into jobs.

Urban League employment-related services encompass job training, recruitment, screening, placement, outplacement, leadership development, diversity training and auditing, job coaching and development, job fairs and job bulletins. Nearly all Urban Leagues engage in labor exchange where employers forward unsolicited vacancy notices to the local Urban League offices. Urban League affiliates allow jobseekers to review and apply for openings independently or with UL support.

The Economic Opportunity Institute

The League has also extended its expertise in economic development to the nonprofit world. The Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI) is NUL's strategic initiative to interject and cultivate social entrepreneurship throughout the Urban League movement and other nonprofit organizations.

With the financial support of the Prudential and Marriott Foundations, EOI graduated its first EOI Executive class of twenty-three affiliate CEOs in 2003. The interactive seven-day EOI course offers nonprofit leaders both the theoretical understanding and practical techniques needed to explore, establish, and expand social enterprises. More than 65% of the first EOI Executive class have launched or expanded their social entrepreneurship activities (see sidebar). EOI graduates have successfully launched recruitment, screening, and placement services with corporations, nonprofits, small businesses among their target purchasers.

The EOI is committed to a strong nonprofit sector, emphasizing the importance of advancing mission while generating income. The 2005 Urban League Census showed 47% of NUL affiliates generated income of over $10,408,755. In addition to Executive classes, EOI achieves its goals by providing Urban League executive leadership with tailored executive training, year-round technical assistance, and access to social investment capital, an internal complement to the National Urban League's Economic Empowerment Agenda. Based on the Urban League's mission, programmatic expertise and market needs, the EOI promotes six themes of revenue generation: Supplemental Education Services; Diversity Recruitment and Employment services; Business Support Services; Customized Training; Large Audience Event Management; and Affordable Housing Development.

In 2006 EOI focused on developing and strengthening affiliates in the area of Recruitment and Employment services, leveraging the League's experience in fair employment practices, workplace diversity issues and links to the African-American community.

Economic Opportunity Institute Graduate: Houston Area Urban League

After completing the EOI Executive Course, Sylvia Brooks, President of the Houston Area Urban League (HAUL), reviewed and revamped their low earning career fair, Career Connection. Initially managed and coordinated by a California based event-planning company, Career Connection generated more income for the event planning company than for HAUL. Under the leadership of Carmen Watkins, Senior Vice President, and Eric Goodie, Director of Workforce Development, this signature event is now a 'must-attend' for employers serious about diversity in Houston.

With nearly 100 sponsors, HAUL's career fair provides over 6,000 job seekers an opportunity to explore, apply for and secure positions in a cross section of corporate, federal, state, and local government agencies. Firms find a diverse pool of professional and entry-level candidates from a variety of industries including Engineering, Health, Service, Energy, Financial, and Government.

Complete with on-site live media coverage, Career Connection enhances HAUL's workforce development and diversity mission while simultaneously applying social enterprise principles to generate unrestricted revenue. Coinciding with Black History Month, this annual event anchors HAUL's other diversity recruitment and employment activities and nets over $150,000.

National Urban League. To learn how your company can participate in the HAUL Career Connection, contact Eric Goode.