Mission
Workforce Matters is a national network of grantmakers that draws on expert and practitioner knowledge and works together to strengthen workforce development philanthropy such that it empowers workers, learners, and job seekers to realize their full potential; dismantles inequities based on race, gender, ability, and other individual characteristics; and advances equitable education and employment outcomes for youth and adults.
Vision
We envision a workforce development field where funders work effectively with all workforce ecosystem stakeholders to amplify worker and learner agency and advance race-conscious and equitable workforce programs and practices, workforce policy, and employer practices in order to close disparities and improve outcomes for every worker in support of a vibrant economy.
Values
- Equity – Workforce Matters seeks to further equity in all facets of our network, including in our leadership, strategies, and goals, such that we promote programs and policies that improve educational and employment outcomes and close disparities for youth and adults, with special attention to groups impacted by policies, practices, and narratives that act as barriers to advancement.
- Collaboration – Workforce Matters works collaboratively with its members, field partners, and other networks and leaders to advance equitable access to quality education, training and employment.
- Learning – Workforce Matters is committed to creating a space where our members can thoughtfully test ideas; be honest about failures; hear from experts, practitioners, and voices of people with lived experience; embrace learning; and integrate new ideas as part of a continuous growth process.
How We Work
Strategies
Workforce Matters engages in strategies to build and support a vital and dynamic network that advances equitable access to quality education and employment for young people and adults, including:
- Provide learning opportunities about new workforce research, practice, and policy developments, with a priority on those that reduce disparities in labor market outcomes and advance equity;
- Facilitate learning networks to build connections between funders, deepen understanding of topics of interest and support leadership development opportunities for its members;
- Support peer networking and sharing among national, regional and community funders representing a diverse array of grantmaking organizations and geographies;
- Foster collaborative approaches to grantmaking;
- Leverage and extend the efforts of individual members;
- Work collaboratively with field partners in a way that honors their expertise and invites them to help shape the work and priorities of the network;
- Partner with affinity groups with shared interests; and
- Build and invest in a community of current and future workforce leaders that includes diverse viewpoints, regions, and populations.
Non-Solicitation Policy
Workforce Matters maintains a no-solicitation policy covering all of its conferences, meetings, webinars and other events. In order to provide a distraction-free environment for our members and other attendees, we do not allow solicitation of any kind during any event, including asking for business, soliciting fund management services, distributing grant proposals, or requesting grant funding. Additionally, Workforce Matters members expect that participation in our events will not result in future solicitations unless the member specifically invites future contact. Accordingly, we ask that all participants at Workforce Matters events refrain from using attendee lists or similar information for solicitation purposes without the express permission of Workforce Matters.