Proudly announcing our first round of grants in our Workforce Development Strategic Initiative

Our founders believed that hard work combined with access to the right opportunities opened doors for people to achieve personal success and economic stability. Unfortunately for many in our community, there is a misalignment between the two. However, well-designed workforce training programs can bring these two elements into alignment.

By providing individuals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and social support, workforce training programs, like the ones highlighted below, can help individuals secure better jobs, build career pathways, improve earning potential, and remain competitive in an ever-changing job market.

Through our Workforce Development initiative, we aim to support organizations that create opportunities for low-wage, underemployed, and marginalized adults by helping them to overcome employment barriers such as incarceration, criminal records, lack of transportation, and childcare challenges. We focus on supporting participation in well-structured, industry-aligned workforce development programs that offer job placement, retention services, and essential supportive services, such as soft skills training and counseling, to enhance their prospects for long-term success.

Today, we are pleased to announce our first round of our Workforce Development initiative grants, totaling $840,000 (payable over three years) to four Baltimore-based organizations.

Workforce Development Awards:

Drink at the Well: $180,000 grant over three years ($60,000/year) to support the general operations of Hon’s Honey, The Well’s Curtis Bay-based social enterprise providing workforce development opportunities and holistic healing to women survivors of trauma

NPower Maryland: $210,000 grant over three years ($70,000/year) to support this technology focused training program’s signature Tech Fundamentals program, providing free-of-charge real world technology training to low-income and unemployed young adults (ages 18-26), veterans, and other military-connected individuals, with the opportunity to earn one or more industry-recognized certifications

Project JumpStart: $225,000 grant over three years ($75,000/year) to support the general operations of this pre-apprentice training program, offering intensive classroom and hands-on training in carpentry, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing to under- and unemployed residents in Baltimore City

Vehicles for Change: $225,000 grant over three years ($75,000/year) to support the general operations of this multi-faceted program (Halethorpe), which engages formerly incarcerated and low- and moderate-income populations in hands-on and Virtual Reality (VR)  based auto mechanic training, building economic and personal independence for participants and families in need of transportation

Participation in our strategic initiatives grantmaking is by invitation only.  We look forward to sharing what we learn from this and our other initiatives – Youth Empowerment and Catholic schools – over time.

For a complete description of the program, please visit our Strategic Initiatives webpage.  And to read more about the Foundation’s journey to develop these initiatives, click here.