A summary of key developments from the Workforce Matters spring policy briefing in May 2026, featuring updates from the National Skills Coalition. This blogpost has been updated to reflect the House Appropriations Committee’s passage of its 2027 Fiscal Year bill to fund Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education in Read more
What does it look like when Tribal Nations don’t just participate in workforce systems, but lead them? On April 28, Workforce Matters hosted a conversation through the Workforce Grantmaking in Native Nations and Communities Initiative featuring two compelling examples from Indian Country where collective governance, data sovereignty, and strategic philanthropy Read more
Attributed to: Nina M. Bershadker, Executive Director, Taft Foundation About the Taft Foundation In service of The Taft Foundation’s mission to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) lead fulfilling lives, we are particularly focused on expanding opportunities for young adults transitioning into adulthood and increasing access to meaningful employment Read more
Central to philanthropy at the intersection of workforce development and postsecondary education, community colleges serve first-generation learners, adult workers seeking to upskill, and young people navigating the transition from high school to career. In the second meeting of Workforce Matters’ Postsecondary + Workforce Funders Affinity Group, we invited researchers John Read more
Thanks to all members and speakers who joined us for Workforce Matters’ 2026 budget briefing and discussion on March 31. A special thanks to Economic Opportunity Funders for their always-excellent Annual Budget and Tax Briefing, which provided the foundation for our conversation, and to our speakers, Megan Evans and Melissa Read more
Interest in apprenticeship is growing across the United States—from policymakers and employers to education leaders and workforce practitioners. Yet the country’s apprenticeship system remains far smaller than those in other advanced economies. Workforce Matters members and guests explored these challenges and opportunities on our March 5 webinar, “Apprenticeship: What Funders Read more
Nina Bershadker, Executive Director, The Taft Foundation Tell us a little bit about your background and why you joined Workforce Matters. I am relatively new to workforce development and joined Workforce Matters because I’m excited to learn from this community. My professional roots are in social work – I began Read more
Donna James-Harvey, Regional Director – North Texas, Holloway Family Foundation Tell us a little bit about your background and why you joined Workforce Matters. I began my career in the nonprofit sector 15 years ago, with workforce development becoming an area of special interest about 5 years ago. Up until Read more
Nomzana Augustin, The WES Mariam Assefa Fund Tell us a little bit about your background and why you joined Workforce Matters. I’ve spent the last decade of my career funding and advancing systems that create equitable access to opportunities, especially through jobs and skills building. My interest in workforce development Read more
Meaningful and scalable workforce systems change does not happen in silos. It requires coordination across employers, education providers, funders, and community-based organizations—each bringing distinct strengths to a shared goal. This premise anchored the session Leveraging Business Intermediaries and Community Colleges to Advance Inclusive Workforce Systems, which highlighted lessons from Lumina Read more