Fund Ambassadors Grow a Community of Philanthropic Giving at WES: Announcing New Donations
Monday December 5, 2022
In 2019, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund launched the Fund Ambassador program, which engages staff from across WES to develop skills in philanthropy and identify mission-aligned organizations to receive Fund donations. This month, we celebrate the accomplishments of the third cohort of Fund …
Building the New High Road: Report on U.S. Immigrants and Workforce Development
Tuesday November 22, 2022
Immigrants and refugees play a crucial role in the U.S. workforce, especially in growth industries including tech and healthcare, yet they continue to be overrepresented in low-wage occupations. With a desire to learn more about the efforts to address this gap by supporting …
Fund for Workforce Equity Selects Inaugural Grantees to Center Workers and Learners of Color
Thursday November 17, 2022
Today, the Fund for Workforce Equity, a new pooled investment fund led by Workforce Matters, announced 15 organizations that will each receive grants of up to $75,000 for initiatives that center the perspectives of workers and learners of color in designing or implementing …
Tips for Funders Beginning Their Participatory Investing Journey
Friday October 21, 2022
This piece is co-authored by Smitha Das and Katheryn Witt and is the result of a partnership between the WES Mariam Assefa Fund and Common Future. In March 2022, Common Future launched the Action Lab: Participatory Investing, a partnership with the WES Mariam Assefa Fund. …
New Workforce Initiative Will Connect Immigrants and Refugees in Rural Areas with Employment Opportunities
Thursday October 13, 2022
BOSTON (OCT. 3, 2022) – Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national non-profit driving transformation in the American workforce and education systems, today announced an ambitious two-year initiative for economic advancement for immigrants, refugees, and migrant workers in rural areas. The Rural Immigrant …
Reflections on the Fund’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Journey
Friday September 30, 2022
In 2021, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund team set out to specify how we center justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in our work. We asked ourselves what our priorities and philanthropic practices looked like, and the steps we could take to put …
NASH Announces $230,000 Grant from the Fund to Catalyze Leadership Role for Public University Systems in Refugee Resettlement
Thursday September 22, 2022
Funding will enable public higher education systems across the nation to support their campuses in serving as communities of welcome for refugees in both urban and rural areas as U.S. ramps up refugee resettlement efforts Washington, D.C. – The National Association of System …
Five Ways Employers Can Invest in Untapped Immigrant Talent
Tuesday August 23, 2022
This blog piece was originally published by JFF (Jobs for the Future). At JFF’s 2022 Horizons summit, experts from across sectors offered insights on how to engage, support, and upskill an overlooked talent pool—and boost your company’s bottom line. With more open roles …
How Six Community Organizations are Bridging Economic Gaps for Newcomers in the Peel Region of Ontario
Wednesday August 3, 2022
Originally published on the Future of Good website, this post was written by Neha Chollangi. The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is partnering with Future of Good on a series of digital stories to highlight the Fund’s first ever participatory grantmaking project. Developed in …
Fund Announces $1M in Grants to Advance Inclusive Employer Practices and Career Pathways for Immigrants in the U.S. and Canada
Friday July 22, 2022
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund today announced US$1 million in grants to eight organizations in the United States and Canada working to shift employer practices and develop career pathways that support the economic mobility and success of immigrants and refugees. In the U.S., …
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