Our global economy continues to rapidly change and evolve. As our region grows and adapts to this changing economy, local employers increasingly demand a higher level of skill and knowledge from workers, yet thousands in our region lack the necessary tools and training. The impact on our workforce is clear—today average firms employ fewer workers with less opportunities for workers with no postsecondary education or training. Especially for black and brown workers in our region impacted by systemic racism, the result is a widening gap between rich and poor that is keeping many of our neighbors under-employed, stagnating in low-wage work, or struggling to meet the demands of multiple part-time positions.
Established in 2007, the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative brings together local foundations, individual philanthropists, and businesses around a shared vision for our region where every individual has an opportunity to realize their full potential, secure a family-sustaining job, and both benefit from and contribute to our regional economic prosperity.
A Decade of Impact
Since 2007, the Collaborative has helped more than 6,000 workers in the region earn credentials, get promotions and raises, and ultimately launch family-sustaining careers. Our investments in workforce systems change and policy efforts have leveraged more than $50 million in state and federal workforce funding in the region, contributed to regional efforts to increase the minimum wage, fostered stronger accountability for our government partners, and enabled legislative successes on issues ranging from paid family and sick leave to transportation subsidies for individuals in workforce training programs.
The scale and impact of the Collaborative depends on the generous annual contributions of our members. Through the Collaborative, individual donors, institutional and corporate funders are partnering to produce lasting, systemic changes that expand opportunity and reward hard work. If you are interested in donating to or learning more about our work, contact our team.