The BlackRock Foundation Deepens National Partnership with Per Scholas, Receiving Opportunity Builder Recognition

The BlackRock Foundation continues to strengthen its national partnership with Per Scholas, a leading provider of no-cost technology training, advancing a shared commitment to expanding access to technology careers and building inclusive talent pipelines nationwide.

Since the partnership began in 2018, BlackRock and The BlackRock Foundation have granted $7.8 million nationally to support Per Scholas programs across Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, New York, Orlando, Seattle, and North Carolina. This Founder’s Circle partnership has helped scale training capacity, deepen employer connections, and expand access to high-growth technology careers for thousands of learners across the country.

In addition to financial investment, BlackRock employees have contributed through mentoring, curriculum engagement, and volunteer support, including participation in virtual software engineering roundtables and direct engagement with learners, helping align training with evolving employer needs across markets.

At scale, BlackRock’s cumulative investment has helped enable Per Scholas to train at least 5,600 learners for technology careers and is projected to generate more than $166 million in new annual earnings in low- and moderate-income communities nationwide.

That national commitment was reflected locally at Per Scholas North Carolina’s Unlocking Potential: A Celebration of People and Possibility event, where The BlackRock Foundation leaders joined staff, alumni, and employer partners to celebrate the impact of workforce development in the region. Their participation served as a visible proof point of how the national partnership is translating into community-level impact.

As part of the evening’s program, The BlackRock Foundation was recognized with the Opportunity Builder Award, honoring organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to expanding access to high-quality career pathways and investing in underserved talent.

“Being named an Opportunity Builder reflects what we aim to do every day at BlackRock and The BlackRock Foundation—expand access, invest in people, and help create pathways to economic opportunity,” said Marc H. Balizer, Managing Director, who accepted the award on behalf of The BlackRock Foundation. “Our partnership with Per Scholas shows what’s possible when employers and training organizations come together with a shared focus on impact and outcomes.”

Caitlyn Brazill, President of Per Scholas, underscored the depth and longevity of the partnership, “partners like The BlackRock Foundation are essential to everything we do,” said Brazill. “This partnership shows what it looks like when organizations not only invest in talent, but actively help build the bridges that connect learners to lasting careers.”

In North Carolina, The BlackRock Foundation’s $1 million investment is driving rural workforce development and economic recovery in communities impacted by job displacement, including Western North Carolina. The results speak for themselves. BlackRock’s support has helped more than 300 North Carolinians earn industry-recognized credentials and launch careers in cybersecurity, software engineering, and data analytics, with projected first-year wages totaling more than $9.6 million cumulatively for graduates supported through the partnership.

In western North Carolina, this investment has taken on even greater significance. When Hurricane Helene devastated the region, communities were forced to confront urgent questions about recovery, resilience, and opportunity. Because BlackRock’s investment was already rooted in expanding access to rural opportunity, it became a critical lever in the aftermath—helping rebuild pathways to economic mobility when they were needed most.

Together, The BlackRock Foundation and Per Scholas continue to demonstrate the power of aligning employer needs with accessible, skills-based training. From early investments in Atlanta and Boston to large-scale national expansion and targeted rural recovery efforts in North Carolina, the partnership reflects a sustained commitment to economic mobility and inclusive workforce development.

As both organizations continue to scale their work, the collaboration stands as a model for how employer partnerships translate into measurable opportunity—connecting talent to careers and strengthening communities across the United States.