The subjects of economic mobility and the well-being of workers have gained serious traction in American discourse, often emphasizing the need for comprehensive and accessible career navigation resources for workers. Households across the country are facing heightened costs of living, career uncertainty, and conflicting messaging about the future of work. These trends are particularly concerning when considering that 44% of all U.S. workers are low-wage earners. A clear need remains for worker-centric resources to support the present and future of work, and many assert that the time is ripe.

Although offerings to support youth have grown, those later in their careers face different challenges and have not received the same support, particularly those who are unemployed or underemployed. Nonprofits are stepping up to fill this gap, playing a pivotal role in advocating for and providing services for these workers. Additionally, nonprofits are critical to coordinating with business and government, often supporting knowledge exchange, improving best practices and breaking down siloed stakeholder engagement. Nonprofits have deep expertise for workers, offering direct assistance and broad coalition-building efforts.

Truist Foundation and MIT Solve seek innovative nonprofit solutions that improve resources and wraparound services for adults who are in the middle or late stages of their careers seeking reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation support, including: 

• Wraparound Services – Supporting unemployed and underemployed individuals on their journey to economic mobility through innovative and comprehensive resources including transportation support, childcare, mentorship, mental health services, and more.

• Coalition Building – Generating greater buy-in and support for workforce navigation efforts through coalitions, promoting communication and collaboration across diverse sectors and stakeholders including businesses, nonprofits, and government entities. 

• Career Navigation – Enabling workers to navigate their career choices more easily, helping to facilitate informed decisions about which high-quality jobs and career trajectories best suit them.

• Upskilling and Reskilling – Providing accessible, high-quality, skill-building and training opportunities for those transitioning between careers or facing unemployment.