The GitLab Foundation Awards Grants to GRID Alternatives, SkillUp Coalition and Tech Impact to Drive Economic Mobility
December 19, 2023 — The GitLab Foundation today announced three new grants, awarded to GRID Alternatives, SkillUp Coalition and Tech Impact in support of each organization’s innovative work to train individuals for lucrative, in-demand careers.
This support comes at a critical juncture for a rapidly shifting labor market. In 2022, employers added an unprecedented 4.5 million jobs — however, many of these jobs go unfilled as the overall share of the population participating in the labor force drops. These three grantee organizations are working to solve this issue, providing new opportunities for individuals to upskill into upwardly mobile careers.
“We are excited to support the work GRID Alternatives, SkillUp Coalition and Tech Impact are spearheading to offer workers from all backgrounds opportunities to develop the skills that lead to economic mobility in today’s changing economy,” said Ellie Bertani, CEO of the GitLab Foundation. “As part of our rigorous review process, we were impressed by each organization’s work to date and potential to scale their impact moving forward.”
Empowering Energy Resilience
GRID Alternatives, a national leader in renewable energy solutions, received funding to support the expansion of solar panel installations in eight Native American communities across the United States and pilot new training operations in Puerto Rico. As part of this project, GRID Alternatives will hire a data analyst to bolster its income tracking system, leveraging an additional $600,000 in Federal clean energy development funding.
"At GRID Alternatives, we believe in a rapid, equitable transition to renewable energy that benefits all communities," said Erica Mackie, CEO of GRID Alternatives. "We are grateful for this grant that will enable us to advance economic and environmental justice in Puerto Rico and tribal communities across the country by providing clean energy solutions and high-quality jobs."
Remote Jobs Catalog for Workers Disconnected from Strong Economies
SkillUp Coalition, which is dedicated to helping workers access in-demand jobs in high-growth industries, received funding to surface high-quality remote jobs for rural workers without a college degree. The organization aims to immediately identify 7,000 remote jobs — and 50,000 remote jobs over the course of year one — that fit SkillUp's quality framework and align to its career pathways. They plan to recruit 10 partner employers committed to promoting remote jobs and hiring SkillUp workers.
"At SkillUp, we believe that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. Remote work can be the great equalizer. But if we're honest, the benefit largely accrues to those with the means, opportunity and pedigree to explore remote work,” said Steve Lee, CEO of SkillUp Coalition. “Remote work has the opportunity to level the playing field between rural and urban areas when it comes to high-paying and high-skilled work. The important question is how do we provide access for historically marginalized populations, and specifically, for job seekers in rural communities — that's what our remote jobs catalog aims to do."
Middle-level IT Career Training
Tech Impact received funding support for its ITWorks 2.0 and 3.0 pilot program, which will provide upskilling and career advancement for entry-level IT help desk associates. The program removes barriers to employment, offers career coaching and builds robust tech talent pipelines by helping new workers and learners access entry-level positions.
All three grants align with the GitLab Foundation’s North Star metric to drive more than $100 in lifetime earnings gained per dollar spent by creating opportunities for individuals, improving labor market efficiency and strengthening collective action among key stakeholders.
Return on Investment
GRID Alternatives
111x ROI
This project is estimated to increase annual earnings by $18,400 per person, for a total additional lifetime earnings of $531,800 per person
Total lifetime earnings increase across all participants: $173,366,696
$370,000 invested
SkillUp Coalition
105x ROI
This project is estimated to increase annual earnings by $12,879 per person, for a total additional lifetime earnings of $385,965 per person
Total lifetime earnings increase across all participants: $164,421,123
$400,000 invested
Tech Impact
150x ROI
This project is estimated to increase annual earnings by $20,193 per person, for a total additional lifetime earnings of $551,260 per person
Total lifetime earnings increase across all participants: $138,917,470
$200,000 invested
We estimate this project will impact 252 people
