Grant funds City of Gainesville’s new economic mobility position

Grant funds City of Gainesville's new economic mobility position

Published on May 12, 2026

Ask Eric Estevez, the City of Gainesville's new economic mobility program manager, to define economic mobility and he replies: "It means opportunity for all - a key issue that America stands for. I want to see more families from neighborhoods suffering from economic challenges be better off."

Helping residents in underserved areas climb the economic ladder - through better access to job training and employment opportunities, healthy food and healthcare, small business development, and money management skills - is Estevez's top priority. He started in the role April 27.

A former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives with experience at local, state and federal levels of government, Estevez understands the value of robust dialogue between residents and elected officials and will draw on his work in the private and nonprofit sectors to strengthen relationships with community partners.

"I want to start at the local level and keep building and moving forward so Gainesville becomes a model for other communities across the state of Florida and the United States to follow," said Estevez.

The position is funded by the Gates Foundation through a grant administered by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) as part of its Economic Mobility and Opportunity Special Assistants Program. ICMA selected the City of Gainesville in 2025 as one of 16 communities nationwide to host a senior-level leader dedicated to advancing economic mobility and opportunity efforts across departments and among local stakeholders.

"Eric brings a wealth of talent and skills to the city to help us build on our current transformational projects in East Gainesville and downtown," said Interim Gainesville City Manager Andrew Persons. "This grant builds on our investment in our community and with our community to create lasting pathways to opportunity for our neighbors."

The $354,000 ICMA grant funds the position's salary and program implementation through June 30, 2028; the city is required to provide employment benefits during the grant period.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to move the needle on local priorities over the next two-plus years," said ICMA CEO/Executive Director Julia D. Novak. "We look forward to seeing how local governments across the country use these funds to develop innovative solutions that address significant issues in their communities."

Estevez earned both a doctorate in law and public policy and a Master of Science in leadership, global studies and international affairs from Northeastern University, as well as a bachelor's degree in political science from Barry University. He serves as an adjunct instructor of law and government at Harvard University and Master of Public Administration at Flagler College. He also was appointed to serve on the Dana Farber/Harvard Breast Cancer Center Advocacy Board.

Creating an equitable community for all is a key tenet of the city's strategic plan.

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