Social entrepreneur and philanthropist Andrew Wolk is calling for a national "Outcomes Movement" to measure whether working Americans can afford the basics and build stable lives. The initiative, detailed in Wolk's new pamphlet "Common Purpose," argues that traditional measures of success such as gross domestic product and the stock market often obscure the lived reality of working families. The release comes as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, yet roughly 44 percent of full-time workers earn less than they need to cover basic living costs.

The pamphlet identifies seven core domains for measurement: wages, savings, housing costs, childcare costs, healthcare costs, education, and mental health. Rather than prescribing a single partisan policy agenda, the document urges communities to set clear, locally rooted goals and publish progress through transparent public dashboards. This approach aims to provide a foundation for dialogue on necessary actions to improve economic stability.

Local Implementation and Frameworks

An Outcomes Movement is already emerging in communities and states across the country. Local groups in Kent County, Michigan, have aligned around outcomes such as kindergarten readiness and family income. Vermont utilizes a public dashboard to track progress toward goals included in the state’s economic plan. In Utah, the newly created REACH initiative — Raising Expectations through Accountability, Community, and Hope — is establishing an outcomes-based economic mobility framework.

Core Measurement Domains

The following table outlines the seven core domains identified in the pamphlet for tracking whether working Americans are thriving:

Wolk, who also founded the Finding Common Purpose Foundation, emphasized the need for honest measurement. "America does not lack ambition, innovation, wealth or global success," said Wolk. "But if working people are more often surviving rather than thriving, our national scoreboard of success is incomplete. We can’t debate what to do if we don’t measure honestly."

The Finding Common Purpose Foundation is launching an outcomes fund to support communities in selecting relevant metrics and building dashboards for real-time tracking. The foundation is a nonprofit grantmaking entity that advances the Outcomes Movement by providing funding and partnership to communities committed to sharing measurable outcomes.

The United States is reportedly working on a ban targeting Chinese energy inverters, according to sources familiar with the matter. The potential ban is part of broader efforts to secure supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign technology in critical infrastructure sectors.

Energy inverters are essential components in solar power systems, converting direct current (DC) electricity generated by solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity used by homes and businesses. A ban on Chinese-made inverters could significantly impact the solar industry, which relies heavily on imported components.

The reported move aligns with previous US actions targeting Chinese technology companies and products over national security concerns. Sources indicate that the ban is still in the planning stages, with details on implementation and timing yet to be finalized.

Industry stakeholders are closely monitoring developments, as restrictions on Chinese inverters could lead to supply chain disruptions and increased costs for solar projects. The US government has not yet issued an official statement regarding the proposed ban.