Forefront
The Forefront Fellowship is dedicated to cultivating emerging leaders in urban design, development, policy, and advocacy.
Our sixth Forefront Fellowship explores how to foster food equity in every New York City neighborhood through the built environment.
Our fifth Forefront Fellowship explores how to support MWBEs and workers of color, expand worker cooperatives, and democratize economic resources to build a more inclusive economy.
Our fourth Forefront Fellowship explores how urban practitioners can advance climate justice principles across New York City.
Our third Forefront Fellowship explores how we can design shelters, intake centers and supportive housing to turn the tide on homelessness in New York City.
Our second Forefront Fellowship explores how urban design can strengthen historic and emerging immigrant communities in New York City.
Our inaugural Forefront theme explores how new civic technologies are transforming the management and operations of the public realm.
On June 16, join Kate MacKenzie and the 2021 Forefront Fellows to discuss new work on neighborhood food systems.
On March 18, Forefront Fellows hosted a discussion on creative strategies to support business conversions to employee ownership.
On June 17, join Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Tonya Gayle and the 2020 Forefront Fellows for a discussion on building a just, green economy in New York City.
On June 23, candidates interested in the 2021 Forefront Fellowship, Neighborhood Fare, are welcome to attend an information session to learn more about the program.
On February 18, Forefront Fellows hosted a workshop investigating how the 15-minute neighborhood framework can build community power and support a resilient recovery in New York. As New Yorkers face the triple threat of COVID-19, the climate crisis, and economic inequality, planners, designers and policy-makers are exploring solutions for a just, green recovery. The 15-minute […]
On February 18, Forefront Fellows hosted a cross-sectoral discussion on building a pipeline for green careers through investment in public infrastructure. Historically in moments of economic downturn, the investment, construction, and maintenance of public infrastructure has been leveraged as a key mechanism for job creation and workforce development — from the New Deal of the […]
This collection of original projects developed by the Urban Design Forum’s Forefront Fellows addresses how climate investment can spur an equitable economic recovery in New York City. Through Cooperative Works, our Fellows explored how to develop innovative financing for green cooperatives, build community power through hyper-local networks, and scale green entrepreneurship. In the Fall 2020, in […]
Posted — June 17, 2021
Cooperative worker ownership is a critical tool to empower BIPOC workers by democratizing economic resources. Planners, architects, and policymakers can accelerate new ways of thinking around equitable and non-extractive financial products for new and emerging BIPOC-majority cooperatives.
Posted — June 17, 2021
Rooted Resiliency explores ways to build community power through connected hyper-local networks. Strengthening local community and infrastructure networks can greatly empower bottom-up initiatives to succeed and give them staying power in the long run.
Posted — June 17, 2021
Creating and sustaining green careers — not just jobs — requires supporting entrepreneurship and grassroots businesses alongside a holistic and long-term approach to training and workforce development. A cooperative mindset will lead traditionally independent entrepreneurs to become influential through creating and sustaining long-term careers and services.
Posted — June 17, 2021
