$100M Fund to Connect 20M Americans to Better Jobs

America's workers are getting a massive boost, and it's coming from an unexpected alliance of leaders betting big on forgotten communities.

The Rockefeller Foundation announced a $100 million, three-year commitment to connect Americans in 250 distressed communities to good jobs in healthcare, clean energy, food systems, and AI industries. The initiative aims to benefit up to 20 million people and help create roughly 1.6 million additional jobs across the country.

The announcement came during Big Bets for America: Baltimore, where over 250 leaders from government, nonprofits, and businesses gathered to tackle economic inequality. Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joined foundation president Dr. Rajiv Shah to unveil partnerships designed to turn struggling regions into hubs of opportunity.

"For 250 years, America's promise has been that hard work leads to a stable, dignified life," Shah said. "Too many communities have been left so far behind that this promise feels out of reach."

The strategy focuses on sectors experiencing strong growth, targeting industries where jobs are both available and sustainable. Rather than temporary fixes, the initiative builds infrastructure that helps communities adapt to rapid economic and technological change.

Maryland immediately put action behind the words. Governor Moore announced $1.5 million in philanthropic funding for nine Maryland communities with high childhood poverty, supporting programs from safe school transportation to afterschool literacy programs.

The Foundation also named 10 new Big Bets Fellows working across 11 states, from California to West Virginia. These innovators will receive four months of tailored programming and resources to expand workforce pathways and unlock capital for underserved communities.

The Ripple Effect

The Baltimore event built on momentum from Oklahoma City's inaugural gathering last November, creating a national movement of cross-sector collaboration. When foundations, governments, and businesses combine resources, they can move faster and reach farther than any single entity working alone.

The Foundation doubled down on clean energy jobs too, pledging an additional $12 million to Invest in Our Future, a fund that's already unlocked hundreds of millions in philanthropic dollars for clean energy deployment. Since 2023, the initiative has proven that pairing capital with strong partnerships can rapidly transform climate investments into real paychecks.

New tools launched at the summit make it easier for innovators to scale their impact. The Engine introduced the Tough Tech Map, connecting startups in climate, health, and advanced computing to the labs, test beds, and incubators they need to grow.

The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator expanded its City Climate Innovation Challenge to Baltimore and 15 other cities, helping local governments identify climate solutions that create jobs while fighting environmental challenges.

Twenty million workers in communities that have waited too long are about to get their shot at America's promise.