Nine Pioneering Initiatives Awarded Funding Through The GitLab Foundation’s $3M Effort to Boost the Green Economy

Jul 23

The GitLab Foundation announced nine inaugural grantees as part of its $3 million Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity Fund. Launched in March 2024, the fund supports organizations and multisectoral partnerships exploring early-stage initiatives that harness the momentum of public and private investments in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and infrastructure — sectors projected to create up to nine million jobs over the next decade.

The World Economic Forum reports that green skills are in high demand, but training and placing workers remains a challenge. Studies point to a lack of diverse representation and workforce participation due to limited visibility, disconnected and expensive training, and nascent green industries. The nationwide fund was developed to overcome these barriers and support innovative approaches to improve economic mobility.

More than 115 applications were submitted in response to the foundation’s call for novel ideas to solve these issues. A cross-sector advisory board selected nine groundbreaking initiatives working to enhance economic mobility and increase wages for workers. In keeping with the foundation’s North Star ROI, each of these grants is expected to generate $100 in additional lifetime earnings for every $1 spent — the total predicted increased earnings will be $470,546,083 for 3,135 people.

“This cohort represents a rich cross-section of emerging industries and positions,” said Roger Perez, program officer at the GitLab Foundation who oversees the fund. “These organizations will collectively advance our goal of fostering economic mobility, sustainability, resilience, and paving the way for a greener and more equitable future.”

Below is a list of the nine organizations and a high-level overview of their funded projects:

Apprenti will expand registered apprenticeship pathways, including structured on-the-job training and classroom instruction, for underrepresented groups to attain careers in industries across the green economy. 162x projected return on investment.
Community Development Technologies Center will empower South LA communities by exposing and engaging residents to the full range of green jobs and the requirements to obtain and retain employment, and ensure access to culturally appropriate education, information and resources to create more sustainable and thriving communities. 155x projected return on investment.
Lawndale Christian Development Corporation will develop affordable housing and aims to create 1,000 green homes by 2028 to generate jobs and intergenerational wealth and, ultimately, combat systemic poverty and structural racism in North Lawndale, Chicago. 114x projected return on investment.
Salish Kootenai College and Accelerate Montana’s Green Jobs Initiative will offer green jobs training and career pathways for Montana's tribal nations, focusing on renewable energy, weatherization and green manufacturing. 161x projected return on investment.
Texas Small Farmers & Ranchers will support Black farmers with comprehensive training in regenerative agriculture and business management to overcome historical barriers and enhance economic sustainability. 121x projected return on investment.
US Water Alliance and Jewish Vocational Service will develop and implement innovative efforts that attract new and diverse talent into family-sustaining water careers, driving both local impact and promoting an equitable water workforce nationwide. 142x projected return on investment.
The Semilla Project will accelerate long-term and large scale workforce development in New Mexico by opening climate resilience workforce pathways to safe, sustainable and well-paying jobs for the communities most disenfranchised by current workforce inequities: rural, low-income, and immigrant BIPOC communities. 137x projected return on investment.
UAW Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy will launch a pilot project to create a workforce training program for 1,000 workers at a lithium ferrophosphate battery manufacturer in Sacramento — the first of its kind in the battery industry. The program will build a robust and diverse recruitment pipeline for young people, women, communities of color, and underserved communities through pre-employment training, a skills-based apprenticeship, and wraparound services. 112x projected return on investment.
Organized Power in Numbers will leverage federal infrastructure funds to ensure that the green transition prioritizes working people of color in the Southwest by conducting mass outreach, worker-focused immigration legal support, and scaling accessible green workforce development pipelines in collaboration with local unions and community organizations. 162x projected return on investment.

In the months ahead, the cohort will receive technical assistance and have opportunities to collaborate and learn from each other. The foundation will also support data management and documentation to help advance the field and improve the implementation of green job initiatives.

Learn more about the Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity Fund.