We see a future where no high school graduate hits a dead end.
The network has mobilized
$8M
across
10
projects
since the beginning of 2019
Recent Investments
Quality Assurance Standards Board
The board is an independent nonprofit which created a set of five outcomes-based quality assurance standards for education, working with a nationally-recognized, bipartisan 40-person task force between 2016 and 2018.
Amount Funded
$960,000
Funders
Funders
Amount Funded
$1,200,000
The Workforce ISA provides access to certificate programs in fast-growing technology fields that can be completed in 9–12 months. The programs focus on career readiness, mentoring and job placement support, and cost nothing upfront.
San Diego Workforce Partnership ISA Program
Data for the American Dream
The Data for the American Dream initiative funds innovative efforts to expand access to education and career data through public and private partnerships. Current funding supports pilot projects in Colorado, Michigan, and New Jersey.
Amount Funded
$1,500,000
Funders
We actively transform systems through:
Our Process
OPeN brings together participants to design, validate, and fund solutions to critical challenges. We call this process an “Innovation Cycle.”
“
The path to economic mobility and meaningful jobs starts with a great K-12 education. That is why it is critical we work with higher education and workforce partners to break down the barriers between education and work, and establish new pathways for children, communities and cities to thrive.
—Marc Sternberg, Walton Family Foundation
”
“
Philanthropies tend to coalesce around the idea that K12, higher education, and workforce systems need to work together to improve lives through education. But this hasn't necessarily translated into action, or how foundations and social impact organizations actually work together. With initiatives like OPeN, we hope to create the systems change that will enable millions more Americans to navigate the future of work.
—Michelle Weise, Strada Education Network
”
The Opportunity Pathways Network (OPeN) is a group of experts and funders redesigning education and work pathways so that all people can achieve economic stability.