The William Penn Foundation, in collaboration with Comcast, Connelly Foundation, Future Standard, M&T Bank, and the Philadelphia Foundation, announced $8.35 million in funding for 19 nonprofit organizations dedicated to expanding access to workforce training and quality employment across the Philadelphia region.
This coordinated philanthropic initiative is expected to benefit over 4,100 job seekers and engage 116 employers in aligning training programs with regional labor market needs, while advancing inclusive hiring practices.
The new funding forms part of a larger $20 million public-private investment aimed at improving economic mobility throughout Greater Philadelphia. Earlier this year, Mayor Cherelle Parker committed $10 million from the City of Philadelphia to support the City College for Municipal Employment.
The William Penn Foundation, with Comcast as a lead partner, organized a coalition of funders to match that commitment. The latest awards allocate these funds to local organizations that utilize data-driven approaches to eliminate barriers to employment and enhance job pathways. Additional investments will also support the Good Jobs Challenge led by Philadelphia Works.
The initiative reflects insights from research by Harvard Professor Raj Chetty and Opportunity Insights, showing that economic mobility improves when civic, business, and community leaders collaborate strategically.
The grants announced will help nonprofit partners combine paid, hands-on career training with wraparound support, including childcare, transportation, stipends, and case management. Based on findings from Pew and the Brookings Institution, the coalition has prioritized three regional sectors with significant growth potential: enterprise digital solutions, materials machining and fabrication, and biomedical and life sciences.
The 19 organizations receiving funding include: Big Picture Alliance, Chester County Opportunities Industrialization Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Drexel University, Fair Chance Institute Inc., JEVS Human Services, Opportunities Industrialization Center, Per Scholas Inc., Phase 3 Training Corporation, Philabundance, Sustainable Business Education Initiative Inc., Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine (BUILD Philly program), University City District, Variety the Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley, Walt McGill Foundation, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout, and YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School.
Each organization will utilize the funds to provide essential resources, including stipends, transportation, professional training, housing assistance, and post-placement support, to help participants successfully transition into sustainable employment.
The William Penn Foundation, established in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, continues to advance equitable access to resources that strengthen the Philadelphia region. Its funding initiatives span arts and culture, children and families, civic engagement, environmental programs, and workforce development.
KEY QUOTES:
“As the Foundation seeks to expand access to opportunities in our region, one way we do that is by helping to remove the obstacles that prevent Philadelphians from getting the skills they need to land and keep better paying jobs and achieve greater economic mobility for themselves and their families. With this set of 19 grants, training programs and employers can offer a range of supports that help participants complete training and connect to employment.”
Shawn McCaney, Executive Director, William Penn Foundation
“This is more than an investment in workforce training, it’s an investment in people. Together with partners like the William Penn Foundation, we are creating a future where every Philadelphian – regardless of zip code – can access the support, training, and opportunity they need to succeed in family-sustaining careers, including high-growth fields like technology and digital solutions.”
Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation, and President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation
