New Initiative Aims to Rebuild NC Economy, Guide National Workforce Policy

SAN DIEGO, CA – April 14, 2026 – At the influential ASU+GSV Summit, national nonprofit America Achieves detailed significant progress on its Good Jobs Economy initiative, unveiling a multi-pronged strategy to connect more Americans to stable, well-paying careers. The announcements included the launch of a major regional recovery effort in North Carolina, new guidance for states implementing a landmark federal workforce grant, and nearly $3 million in new private and philanthropic funding, including a key partnership with the Best Buy Foundation.

These developments, announced less than a year after the initiative’s launch with the National Governors Association (NGA), signal a concerted push to bridge the persistent gap between employers struggling to find skilled talent and workers seeking pathways to economic self-sufficiency in an economy increasingly disrupted by artificial intelligence.

“More leaders across the U.S., including in North Carolina, are confronting the systemic disconnect between two unmet needs at large scale: employers looking for talent in high-growth sectors while workers and students seeking good jobs and sustainable opportunities,” said America Achieves CEO Jon Schnur during a main stage panel. He stressed that progress requires decisive, collaborative action from governors, employers, and philanthropy.

A Blueprint for Recovery in Western North Carolina

Central to the announcement is the launch of Good Jobs Western North Carolina (WNC), a locally driven initiative designed to build economic resilience in a region still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The 2024 storm inflicted nearly $60 billion in damages statewide and erased almost 19,000 jobs in the western part of the state, exposing the fragility of its economy.

In response, Good Jobs WNC brings together all 11 community colleges across 23 counties, regional employers, and leading foundations with two ambitious goals: connect 1,200 residents to good jobs in high-demand sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and skilled trades over the next three years, and build a more coordinated, sustainable talent system for the decade to come.

The initiative is backed by a robust funding model, having already secured over $2.5 million in early commitments. It is on track to raise $6 million in in-state funding, with a goal of matching that with another $6 million from national funders. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has signaled his strong support by proposing a $600,000 allocation for the initiative in the state budget.

“Good Jobs WNC will help create an economy that better connects people to opportunity, strengthens our communities, and ensures our employers find the talent they need to grow,” Governor Stein said in a statement. He extended an invitation for national funders to “be a part of something special” in a region focused on durable pathways to economic mobility.

The effort is anchored by deep community engagement. “At the Belk Endowment, we've learned over more than a decade that progress moves at the speed of trust,” said MC Belk Pilon, President and Board Chair of the John M. Belk Endowment, a key funder and steering committee member. “Good Jobs WNC started with showing up in communities across Western North Carolina, listening to community college presidents, employers, and local leaders, and asking what it would take to build something lasting.”

Shaping a New Federal Workforce Program

Beyond the regional focus in North Carolina, America Achieves is working to shape workforce development at the national level. The organization, in partnership with the NGA, released new recommendations for governors and philanthropies on implementing the federal Workforce Pell program. Enacted by Congress last year, the program expands Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, career-focused training programs for the first time, unlocking a massive new public funding stream for workforce education.

With states holding significant authority over which programs qualify, America Achieves is urging leaders to set a high bar for quality. Their guidance advises states to prioritize programs that lead to high-wage jobs, rigorously track job placement and wage gains, and require meaningful validation from employers.

“Workforce Pell will only be as effective as states are strategic in their implementation of the program,” said Jen Mishory, Senior Advisor at America Achieves. “These tools are designed to help governors use their authority to align funding with real labor-market demand and program outcomes.”

The recommendations also call on philanthropy to play a pivotal role by investing in states that set standards higher than the federal floor, funding the data infrastructure needed to track outcomes, and supporting pay-for-performance models that reward the most effective programs. This approach is already being tested in partner states like Maryland and Oklahoma, which are creating dedicated funds and strategies to modernize their talent systems.

“Philanthropy can play a pivotal role in shaping the success of Workforce Pell state-by-state,” Schnur said. “To do so, philanthropy will need to act quickly, effectively, and collaboratively.”

The Catalytic Role of Private and Philanthropic Capital

The success of both the regional and national strategies hinges on a powerful blend of public, private, and philanthropic investment. The announcement at ASU+GSV highlighted this with the news of a new national partnership with the Best Buy Foundation.

The foundation is contributing grant funding and executive leadership to help grow the Good Jobs Funds, underscoring the private sector's critical role in ensuring training pathways are aligned with industry needs.

“We've seen firsthand how powerful it is when young people are given the skills, support and confidence to follow a clear path to success and we're proud to collaborate with so many great organizations through this initiative to build a workforce ready to lead the future,” said Olivia Jefferson, Executive Director of the Best Buy Foundation.

This corporate commitment complements the deep philanthropic support from organizations like the John M. Belk Endowment and The Leon Levine Foundation in North Carolina, as well as national funders like Blue Meridian Partners and MacKenzie Scott who have supported America Achieves’ broader work. The model leverages private and philanthropic dollars as flexible, early-stage capital to build and scale high-quality programs, generating proven models that can then attract larger public investments like Workforce Pell.

This multi-layered approach is a hallmark of America Achieves, an “action tank” that has helped design over $2 billion in bipartisan federal programs like the Good Jobs Challenge and Regional Tech Hubs. By operating at the intersection of policy design and on-the-ground implementation, the organization is building a comprehensive framework to ensure that as the economy evolves, more people have a clear and accessible path to a good job.