WORKFORCE MATTERS | 2026 PROGRAMMING UPDATE

At Workforce Matters, we are privileged to convene a national network of funders who share a commitment to expanding equitable access to quality jobs and education for young people and adults. As we move through 2026, we want to share an overview of our programming plans—and the member insights that shaped them—with the workforce grantmaking community.

This year’s programming reflects what our members have consistently told us: they value peer connection, practical learning, and the chance to align their strategies with colleagues across the country. The results of our 2025 Member Survey offered clear direction, and we’ve built our calendar around those priorities.

The Topics That Matter Most in 2026

Apprenticeships emerged as a top-tier priority (selected by at least half of respondents), followed by a strong second tier of interests:

Tier 1 (Top Priority): Apprenticeships

Tier 2 (High Interest): Job quality | Youth | AI & workforce equity | Multi-sector coalitions

Tier 3 (Growing Interest): Climate resilience

These priorities directly align with our Steering Committee’s guidance and are woven throughout our 2026 programming calendar.

Our 2026 Programming: Built on What You’ve Told Us

Our 2026 programs are organized around three strategic goals: Learning, Networking, and Collaboration. Here’s an overview of what’s planned across the year.

Virtual Peer Learning & Sharing

Our virtual programming creates ongoing, accessible touchpoints for funders to stay current and stay connected throughout the year.

Topical Webinars

Our quarterly webinar series spotlights emerging research, practice, and policy developments. The 2026 lineup covers:

• Q1: Apprenticeship
• Q2: AI & Workforce Equity Implications
• Q3: Climate Resilience & Workforce
• Q4: Immigration & Workforce 

Workforce Policy Briefings

Keeping funders informed on the policy landscape is core to our mission. Our 2026 briefings will focus on public workforce system investments, apprenticeship, Workforce Pell, and basic needs and wraparound supports, with sessions scheduled throughout the year. 

Our first briefing will be the EOF Budget and Tax Policy Briefing – Watch Party & Discussion, on March 31, 2026, at 2 p.m. ET. Learn more and register to participate here. 

Affinity Groups & Peer Learning

Our four Affinity Groups bring together funders working in shared areas of interest for three virtual peer learning sessions per year. Each conversation is designed for candid, peer-led sharing—with time for spotlights, round-robin updates, and collaborative planning. Our 2026 affinity groups include the list below. More information on session dates and registration can be found on our events calendar here. 

• Apprenticeship
  • These one-hour calls will provide funders with the opportunity to learn and share about grantmaking that expands and strengthens apprenticeship opportunities. This group will meet 3 times in 2026 – April 9, July 29, and December 1. Let us know more about your interests by signing up here! 

• Postsecondary Education (PSE) & Workforce Funders
  • This affinity group will explore the intersection of postsecondary education and workforce development. Members will share grantmaking strategies, best practices and innovative approaches to this intersectional work. If you’re interested in joining this group, complete this interest inventory! 

• Corporate Grantmakers
  • We are planning a series of conversations specifically tailored to our corporate grantmaker members. If you’re a corporate grantmaker and you’re interested in helping us shape conversations throughout this year, sign up here, and we’ll be in touch! 

• Worker-Centered Strategies
  • This affinity group is anchored in our definition of worker-centered strategies: policies and practices that prioritize good jobs, worker power, fair treatment, and equitable opportunities—and are designed with workers, not for them. This four-part series is intentionally designed to support collective learning and collaboration among grantmakers interested in deepening investments in workers. This group will meet 4 times in 2026 – May 13, June 10, July 8, and August 12. Sign up here to learn more, share your interests, and receive a calendar invitation to participate!

Peer Learning Strategy Sessions

Our Peer Learning Strategy Sessions convene funders and field partners around specific financing and strategy topics. In February, we kicked off with a conversation with ECMC Foundation and Jobs for the Future (JFF) exploring innovative financing models—including pay-it-forward funds—to drive sustainable social impact in a time of constrained budgets and federal loan reform. We are always looking for grantmakers to partner with us to host a Peer Learning Strategy session. Let us know if that’s you! 

Immigrant Economic Inclusion Series 

In partnership with GCIR and the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, Workforce Matters will be hosting a series of Roundtable discussions focused on Immigrant Economic Inclusion. Our first session will be hosted on advancing job quality, fair wages, workforce mobility, and access to career pathways for immigrant workers. Join us on April 30, 2026, at 12 p.m. ET for this conversation. Register here for more information. 

Learning Lab: Equitable Grantmaking Strategies

This summer, we’re launching a multi-session Learning Lab (Q2–Q3) to help funders implement equitable practices in their grantmaking. The series will run 4–6 conversations over 2–3 months, providing structured support for implementing frameworks in participants’ real-world work.

Regional Connections & Office Hours

This year, we’re excited to launch a new offering: Regional Office Hours for Grantmakers. These virtual sessions are designed for funders to connect, share what’s working, tackle common challenges, and explore regional opportunities. Sessions are scheduled across all four regions:

• Northeast – March 17, 2026 – thanks to those who joined us earlier this month! 
• Southeast – June 3, 2026
• Southwest/West – August 11, 2026
• Midwest – November 11, 2026

Interested in joining? Sign up to connect with peers in your region.

In-Person Networking & Events

In-person connection remains among the highest-value experiences for our members. In 2026, we’re planning:

Networking Dinners & Conference Presence

We’ll convene members and field partners at key national gatherings throughout the year, including NSC, NAP, Horizons, SHIFT, and GCIR—hosting dinners and regional gatherings to deepen connections alongside the broader field. Planned events to date include:

• North Texas Region Networking Dinner – April 22, 2026 @ 6pmCT (Dallas, TX) 
• Funder Networking Dinner in conjunction w/ Horizons –  July 2026 (DC)
• Funder Networking Dinner in conjunction w/ SHIFT – September 2026 (NM)
• Funder Networking Dinner in conjunction w/ GCIR – October (Baltimore) 

2026 Site Visit (Fall)

We are planning a fall site visit connecting our members to grantees and communities advancing equitable workforce development on the ground. Details on location and registration will be announced later this year. 

Collaborative Grantmaking & Pooled Funds

Workforce Matters convenes and manages several collaborative funding vehicles that allow members to pool and align their investments for greater impact:

• Fund for Workforce Equity (Round 2, 2025–2027): Ongoing grantee learning, advisory committee meetings, and evaluation activities.
• Workforce Grantmaking in Native Nations and Communities (Round 2, 2026–2027): Active fundraising, grantmaking for current and new awardees, and three funder and field learning webinars planned for the year.

You can find out more information about these funds on this website. 

Join Us

We believe the most effective workforce grantmakers are those who are well-connected, well-informed, and working in concert. Workforce Matters exists to support exactly that kind of practice.

Whether you’re a longtime member or newly exploring our network, we invite you to engage with our 2026 programming—attend a webinar, join a regional office hours session, participate in an affinity group, or reach out to learn more about collaborative funding opportunities.

We look forward to connecting with you in 2026 and beyond.