In this year's My LA2050 Grants Challenge, we received 46 submissions to the CREATE goal category. This goal category depicts a Los Angeles that is thriving creatively with innovation in all sectors, from technology to the arts, spurring inclusive and equitable economic growth. You can see a summary of every single CREATE proposal categorized by issue area here.

Here are four trends we noticed in submissions to the CREATE goal category:

1. In the CREATE category, nearly 50 percent of proposals seek to increase the number of minority- and women-owned businesses in Los Angeles. This was by far the most selected metric, which was also the case in our previous two grants challenges. Los Angeles is an incredibly diverse city, and this sustained trend tells us that Angelenos are focused on having a business ecosystem reflective of that diversity. Our vision for the year 2050 is that 50 percent of businesses will be women-owned, and 50 percent will be minority-owned. Organizations like Grid 110, Kolor Society, LA Plaza Cultura Y Artes, Refoundry, and others are trying to make this vision a reality.
2. The second most popular metric among submissions to the CREATE category was 'employment in the creative industries.'The creative industries are a massive part of the Los Angeles economy, so it's no surprise that dozens of proposals are focused on securing career pathways and employment for diverse candidates. Truthseekers Inc, the Los Angeles Center of Photography, the Alliance for Media Arts + Culture, and Las Fotos Project are just a few of the proposals hoping to impact employment in the creative industries.
3. In this goal category, workforce development is by far the most popular tactic for producing change. Whether it's creating inroads for the tech industry, media and film industries or the science and STEM fields, a majority of the 46 CREATE proposals rely on workforce development as a means of accomplishing their goal. Proposals in this goal category focus on a variety of populations - from formerly incarcerated individuals to foster youth and youth with disabilities - but ultimately share similar tactics. Examples of workforce development proposals include AltaSea, Youth Business Alliance, Lost Angels Children's Project, COOP Careers, and many more.
4. The CREATE category received more proposals from for-profit businesses than any other category. Many of these businesses recognize and acknowledge that our economy thrives when small businesses are supported and all people have access to opportunities for employment. It's inspiring to see for-profits like Kolor Society, Startup Coil LLC, and Codemarket working towards greater community benefit.