Reflections from Our Visit to Baltimore
At the National Fund, we know that the most effective solutions start with the people closest to the work. Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative (BWFC) is a powerful example of what’s possible when workforce solutions are rooted in community. During a recent visit, BWFC hosted our Board of Directors and our team for a day that showcased their deep relationships and bold worker-centered approach. From listening and learning to seeing workforce programs in action, it was clear how important deep community relationships are to the success of BWFC’s efforts to reshape the future of work in Baltimore.
Relationships are Everything
There’s no substitute for being in community. In Baltimore, the workforce system doesn’t follow a top-down model. Nonprofits are at the center—not just delivering services, but leading with intention, equity, and accountability to the people they serve. They know the neighborhoods, the history, the barriers, and the potential. They build trust because they’ve earned it.
BWFC sits at the center of this ecosystem as a connector and convener that prioritizes relationships as the foundation of systems change. BWFC brings together funders, service providers, and community voices to align efforts, deepen trust, and build a shared vision for equitable workforce development.
Whether we were walking through Civic Works’ training labs or sitting in conversation with local partners and funders, what stood out was clear: relationships fuel progress. And those relationships are built by showing up—consistently, respectfully, and with a commitment to shared goals.
Local Leadership, Systemic Impact
BWFC is a powerful example of what it means to align around equity and community voice. Their work spans multiple sectors and is grounded in what local partners say is most needed.
As participants in our Shifting the Childcare Industry initiative, BWFC is bringing together funders and providers to co-create solutions that improve job quality and working conditions for early educators. Using a human-centered design approach, they’re facilitating listening tours, Child Caregiver Circles, and trust-based engagement models to ensure the educators—those closest to the challenges—have a real voice in shaping policies and program design. This approach is not only building stronger alignment across the childcare ecosystem, but it is producing results: so much so that the state early education superintendent is now considering expanding the model statewide.
Their Energy & Infrastructure Workforce Coalition is preparing Baltimore residents for, quality jobs—especially in sectors that are growing due to upcoming major infrastructure projects and investments like the Amtrak Tunnel and Francis Scott Key Bridge. At Civic Works’ Baltimore Center for Sustainable Careers, we saw solar and EV training programs in action—developed in close partnership with local employers like BGE and Solar Energy Services. These programs do more than teach technical skills; they connect workers to good, in-demand jobs while addressing the real-life barriers that can derail progress. Participating in the National Fund’s Energy and Infrastructure Community of Practice has allowed BWFC to creatively think through and implement systems-level solutions—like improving transportation access—to ensure workers can get and stay on the job. These are not just job programs—they’re career pathways toward long-term success.
What We Heard, What We Saw
One of the most powerful moments of the visit was hearing from Chadwick, a Civic Works graduate now leading a commercial solar crew. Formerly incarcerated, he came to Civic Works seeking a second chance—and found not only a job, but a path. Now, he’s focused on building a career in solar project management. His story is just one of many, but it captures the heart of this work: creating real opportunity by investing in people and removing the barriers in their way.
Baltimore is grappling with structural challenges, from redlining and underfunded transit to the end of pandemic-era workforce funding. But it’s also a city of innovation and determination. The region is preparing for billions in infrastructure investment and aiming to connect nearly half of high school grads with pre-apprenticeship opportunities. BWFC is right at the center—convening funders, collecting data, coordinating aligned investments, and keeping equity front and center.
Why This Matters
Site visits are more than field trips. They are a reminder of what drives our work: communities, relationships, and trust. BWFC showed us what’s possible when collaboration is grounded in community. Their success is rooted in their relationships—with employers, local funders, community organizations, city leaders, and the workers themselves.
What we saw in Baltimore didn’t happen by accident. It was sparked by intentional investment, nurtured by shared learning, and strengthened through real-time problem solving. And now, those efforts are gaining momentum that offer lessons not just for Baltimore, but for communities across the National Fund network and the country. For anyone working to build more equitable systems and advance workforce equity, BWFC is a powerful example of what’s possible when you’re deeply rooted in your community and guided by the people who do the work every day.
