Pew Awards $2.5 Million to Advance Economic Mobility in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA-The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today that it has awarded two grants totaling $2.5 million to strengthen economic advancement opportunities in North Philadelphia and across the region, especially for those without college degrees. The grantees, North10 Philadelphia and The Skills Initiative, a subsidiary of University City District, will receive $1 million over four years and $1.5 million over three years, respectively.

Studies show that economic mobility starts with stability-being able to meet basic needs such as food, housing, safety, and health care. Only then can a family begin to save, plan for the future, and build intergenerational wealth. Despite some improvements in key economic indicators, the region has the lowest intergenerational upward mobility among the 50 largest metropolitan areas, and two-thirds of city residents lack a college degree.

Boosting stability requires a strong approach. Neighborhood anchor organizations such as North10 build connections, address basic needs, and provide critical quality of life, education, and economic resources. Concurrently, regional workforce development programs like The Skills Initiative help ensure that more Philadelphians can cover essential expenses, meet their basic needs, and save for the future.

"Pew is very pleased to support North10 and The Skills Initiative, two organizations that are committed to data-informed approaches to improving economic advancement opportunities at the neighborhood and regional levels in Philadelphia," said Elinor Haider, senior director of The Pew Charitable Trusts' Philadelphia program. "It's critical that more Philadelphians achieve stability, overcome skills gaps and barriers to employment, and access careers with growth potential. By assisting residents in these ways, the grantees are helping more local families feel financially secure while driving a stronger, more inclusive economy across the city and region."

North10 serves approximately 6,950 residents in North Philadelphia's Hunting Park-East Tioga section by offering an affordable housing program; a free food market; workforce development programs; vacant lot cleanup; recreation opportunities; and out-of-school activities for children. Pew's support will enable North10 to expand capacity of the Broad, Germantown, Erie Collaborative (BGEC), a coalition of community groups serving Hunting Park and Nicetown-Tioga that uses the collective impact approach to drive economic mobility and community well-being. With Temple University's new campus development and the School District of Philadelphia's plan to bring the Harlem Children's Zone model to two schools, BGEC will help ensure that resident needs and preferences are factored into the process.

"Everything North10 does is in response to the community's expressed priorities, and we're grateful to Pew for investing in its future," said Dr. Josh Klaris, executive director of North10. "This $1 million award, the second largest in North10's history, represents how much we've accomplished in partnership with Hunting Park East-Tioga residents since our founding in 2018, as well as how much we can achieve in the future as an organization and as part of the BGEC."

Meanwhile, The Skills Initiative will use an employer-driven, regional sector partnership model to drive economic growth and mobility. Using Pew's $1.5 million grant over the next three years, the organization will scale the impact of two industry partnerships (IPs), in health care and life sciences, using an approach designed to help employers throughout the region identify shared challenges and industry-driven solutions while they expand residents' access to careers with family-sustaining wages, benefits, and advancement potential. The health care IP will focus on establishing a regional workforce hub that streamlines collaboration between approximately 11 employers and seven training providers, reduces administrative burden, and improves the availability of job-ready talent. The life sciences IP will concentrate on attracting, developing, and retaining skilled workers across education levels while also helping industry leaders to identify and address shared workforce needs and structural barriers to growth.

"The Skills Initiative has long been at the forefront of new approaches to identifying, training, and retaining talent in the workplace," said The Skills Initiative Executive Director Cait Garozzo. "With this generous gift from Pew, we are positioned to keep building crucial industry partnerships to transform how Southeastern Pennsylvania grows and retains talent in health care and life sciences, two critically important industries."

Pew's Haider added, "Promoting more opportunity for economic advancement is part of Pew's commitment to supporting its hometown of Philadelphia. With these investments, we hope to positively impact countless lives and create thriving communities in the city and region."