About us
Who is WorkforceStrong?
WorkforceStrong is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides rental assistance scholarships to working families and individuals making 61% – 120% AMI (Average Medium Income).
We seek to retain, develop and grow America’s workforce through a rental assistance program tied to education, training and financial literacy.
The WorkforceStrong Rental Assistance Scholarship provides a pathway to address housing affordability and professional development for working American’s.
What is
Our Vision, Purpose and Goals?
Vision
Transformative living, not just transitional housing.
Purpose
To provide housing assistance and workforce development programs in support of working families and individuals during the process of their pursuit of traditional and non-traditional educational pathways to strengthen their earning capacity and economic viable.
Goal
To raise funds to support individuals and working families through a short-term (max 3-year) renewable housing scholarship.
What are the
Criteria’s For Pre-Qualification?
If you are:
- Ages: 21-49
- Employed for more than a year
- Making between 61-120% of your cities AMI (Average Medium Income)
- Enrolled in a degree or professional certification program (No CLE credits)
- Have (2) references, a written essay
You may qualify for a renewable WorkforceStrong Rental Assistance Scholarship.
Term limits: 1-3 Years; with one extension year based on unforeseen circumstances and/or your professional development track.
Why
Should I Care?
Because a declining workforce, rising housing costs and growing income disparities lead to an increase in poverty; the issues of poverty, unchecked become intergenerational and can lead to greater damages to our children and communities-at large. Even more pressing today, COVID -19 has led to events that will cause long-term economic hardships that can better be resolved through strategies that support income mobility. This is a step towards a real recovery.
In short, we assist you in stabilizing your rent while you work on stabilize your income.
WFS Rental Assistance Housing Fund
Return on a Smart Investment
Through the WorkforceStrong Rental Assistance Housing Fund; employers, employees, and community stakeholders are able to merge the benefits of this workforce housing fund into housing affordability, income mobility and corporate social responsibility goals. Some highlighted, catalytic returns on investing in this Rental Assistance Housing Fund are as follows.
Employee benefits
- Reduced Housing Cost Burdens
- Employment Stability
- Increase Earning Potential
Employer benefits
- Increase Revenue from a Stable Workforce
- Higher Quality Workforce
- Greater Community Brand Presence & CSR Ratings & Civil Leadership
Community benefits
- Greater Economic Stability
- Stronger Middle Class
- Stable Economic Growth
Municipal benefits
- Supports Housing Affordability Goals
- Supports Economic Mobility
- Increasing the Cities Attractiveness to Businesses & Our Talent Pool
Educational/training institutions benefits
- Increased Enrollment
- Supports Distance Learning Programs
- Supports non-traditional learning & trades
How Does it All Work?
Community family members, businesses and organizations across the country will be invited to donate money to support The WorkforceStrong Rental Housing Assistance Fund. This fund supports workforce families and individuals returning back to either traditional and non-traditional education programs, especially those most affected by the coronavirus.
WORKFORCESTRONG will put out a call for Rental Scholarship applications, which will be reviewed by a blind selection committee and awarded based on needs.
Once selected, each Workforce Rental Housing Scholar will be notified and begin their journey towards greater Income mobility and housing stability.
How can you Help
Our communities are in a crisis and we need your help
Sadly, many working families must choose between their highest ambitions and their greatest bill. With the cost of housing at almost 50 percent (and rising) of the average American’s paycheck, funds that foster housing stability and support efforts to promote income equity can change lives for generations to come.
The monetary support we provide creates a pathway to long-term housing affordability. We recognize that the global economy is changing and the need for education and training to qualify for future jobs and higher positions is more crucial than it ever has been before.
Your tax-deductible donation to the WORKFORCESTRONG Rental Assistance Housing Fund will go toward supporting an at-risk working family or individual with rental assistance as they advance their education and training. Further, because many workforce families and individuals will be slow to recover from wages lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, our scholarship fund is designed to support our award recipients far beyond a one time stipend.
We ask that you please consider at least a $20 donation; however, any amount would be a catalyst to changing the lives of many frontline workers, recent graduates, service, and workforce professionals. We also ask that you share the opportunity to support our fundraising campaign with 20 of your friends, colleagues, and family members that might be willing to join you in supporting our cause.
Join the movement and support the Fund that supports the backbone of our community: our workforce.
Our Programs
To raise capital to support working families and individuals through a short-term housing scholarship
Where Can I Apply
Application for this program will begin in 2022
Emergency Rental Assistance Is open now.
Please register for our waitlist and follow us on our Facebook Page for updates regarding the Housing Scholarship Program and our services.
