Announcing the Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity Fund

As part of the GitLab Foundation’s mission to improve lifetime earnings through access to opportunities, we are excited to announce a new $3 million Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity Fund. Starting today, we will accept proposals from organizations working to incubate new ideas, deploy solutions, and establish a roadmap to connect individuals to high-growth green jobs. 

Despite unprecedented recent investments from the federal government and growing interest in fields such as sustainability and renewable energy, many industries face challenges in training and placing workers into green jobs. Simultaneously, individuals often face barriers, such as limited visibility and expensive training, that prevent them from connecting to careers with the potential to drive economic mobility.

“At the GitLab Foundation, we are willing to take risks on new approaches and seek solutions with a clear potential to increase the incomes of low-wage workers,” said Roger Perez, program officer at the GitLab Foundation. “This fund is based on our belief that flexible grants for early-stage and innovative ideas will help drive new climate careers while filling a gap in the funding ecosystem.”

We broadly define “green jobs” as encompassing a range of titles and job functions, including clean energy, the development of electric vehicles and batteries, weatherization, and the improvement of electrical grids and utilities. Green jobs exist across rapidly growing fields, including renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, engineering and sustainability, as well as in established industries. 

With this fund, the foundation will uplift early-stage initiatives that may otherwise struggle to raise resources to establish proof of concept and connect to other funding. To learn more and apply, visit gitlabfoundation.org/green-jobs/.