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News
The Hg Foundation Partners with Hopeworks to Help Young Adults Secure Long-Term Employment
$1.2M Commitment from The Hg Foundation Enables Hopeworks’ Expansion into Two New Cities
The Hg Foundation, a grant-giving charity focused on improving tech education and skills, today announced a new $1.2 million partnership with Hopeworks, a U.S. social enterprise that supports young adults into long-term living wage careers. The partnership will enable Hopeworks to expand its operations to two new cities.
Hopeworks was founded in New Jersey in 1999 to help young adults overcome barriers to economic opportunity and build sustainable futures. Most participants do not have college degrees, and 99% of them are unemployed when they join the programme. Young adults coming to Hopeworks have ambition and drive, often overcoming significant, systematic barriers as they work to change their lives.
Participants train in one of Hopeworks’ business areas, such as Web Design, Geographic Information Services (GIS), or Data Analytics and Business. This is followed by six months of work experience within Hopeworks’ business arm, aligned with their area of training, before transitioning to long-term employment. To date, Hopeworks has supported over 3,000 young adults. Among current cohorts, 95% secure employment within a year, with an average income gain of 160x.
The Hg Foundation’s $1.2 million grant over the next three years will enable the expansion of Hopeworks’ web design programme in two new cities, funding approximately half of the projected growth in this training area. Key measures of impact will include the proportion of young adults securing long-term employment in tech and their average income increase following the programme. A portion of the funding will also strengthen Hopeworks’ senior leadership capacity to ensure effective scaling. In addition, The Hg Foundation will contribute to data and impact measurement efforts, including exploring the potential for an independent evaluation.
This partnership with The Hg Foundation is a game-changer for the young adults we serve, and expanding into new cities means we can reach even more individuals who are ready to transform their lives. We are incredibly grateful for The Hg Foundation’s belief in our mission and their generous support. Their investment doesn’t just help us grow — it sends a powerful message to our young adults that they are seen, valued, and capable of building bright, sustainable futures.
Our partnership with Hopeworks goes to the heart of The Hg Foundation’s commitment to provide career opportunities in STEM for those seeking to transform their lives. We are excited to support an organization that offers a high touch, high impact program as it scales into new regions, and we look forward to seeing further growth and success in the accessibility of careers in STEM.
