Founded in 1991, Living Cities is an innovative philanthropic collaborative of 21 of the world’s largest foundations and financial institutions. Living Cities members participate at the senior management level on the organization’s board of directors and contribute the time of more than 80 expert staff toward crafting and implementing the Living Cities agenda, which is focused on improving the lives of low-income people and the urban areas in which they live. Over the past 18 years, Living Cities members have collectively invested over $600 million which has, in turn, leveraged more than $16 billion in tangible community assets—a remarkable leverage ratio of 29:1. This funding has helped build homes, stores, schools, child care, health care and job-training centers and other community assets.

The National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS) is a five-year, $30 million effort to strengthen and expand high-impact workforce development initiatives around the country. NFWS is dedicated to moving America’s low wage workforce into higher paying jobs, while providing employers with the skilled workers they need. NFWS is supported by the Annie E. Casey, Ford, Hitachi, John S. and James L. Knight, Prudential and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundations, Microsoft Corp., and the U.S. Department of Labor. Jobs for the Future and the Council on Foundations are national partners with the National Fund for Workforce Solutions.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is charged with preparing the America’s workers force for new and better jobs in the 21st Century work force, and ensuring the adequacy of America’s work places. The Department enforces Federal statutes which cover a wide variety of workplace activities to include protecting workers’ wages, health, safety,employment, and pension rights; promoting equal employment opportunity; and administering job training, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation programs. The Department also collects, analyzes, and publishes labor and economic statistics; helps develop international trade and economic policies affecting American workers; promotes improved conditions for women in the work place; and devises programs to provide veterans with training and employment services.