With more than half already committed from Ballmer Group, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Per Scholas’ goal is to deepen infrastructure, expand program offerings and train 4,000 students annually by 2023.

New York, NY, January 16, 2019 – Per Scholas, a national tech training non-profit, announced today a $31 million-dollar growth capital campaign, with initial support from Ballmer Group, Laura and John Arnold Foundation and The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation. This campaign will help secure the additional philanthropic investments Per Scholas needs over the next five years to achieve its strategic expansion goals. Specifically, the nonprofit is looking to expand its programming to serve 4,000 new technology career students a year across at least 10 locations.

In its 23-year history, Per Scholas has propelled 9,000 individuals from often overlooked communities into sustainable careers through tuition-free tech training. Fueled by data driven outcomes and two third-party randomized control studies, Per Scholas’ aggressive goals are designed to increase its impact on entire cities and regions, by substantially increasing the number of skilled technology workers to achieve regional economic development goals.

Specifically, these goals include:

• Train 4,000+ new students a year by 2023 (+200% growth), by growing employer-paid, customized training for large-volume employers and adding new training tracks in new markets
• Foster a more equitable and diverse tech sector and open more accessible pathways to tech employment by further demonstrating the quality and impact of Per Scholas training through a third randomized control study and leading original industry and public policy research to highlight best practices for employers to increase diversity
• Build the foundation for future sustainability and growth, through the increase of earned income from employers to 50% of annual revenue, doubling the return on every philanthropic dollar

When paired with growing employer-paid, customized training, scaling employer-informed training, and investing in service quality and innovation, Per Scholas will be able to revolutionize its business model and boost enrollment 200+%. What’s more, in meeting these student growth goals Per Scholas will be able to inject into the economy through new training locations and $468 million in cumulative wages earned by graduates in their first year on the job. Donors who invest in the growth capital campaign will realize a $1.5 billion social return through savings from graduates increased tax revenue, reduced public benefits, increased earning and local economic activity.

With this end goal in mind, Per Scholas has started fundraising, having already reached the halfway point at $15.8 million. Generous donors, including Ballmer Group, Laura and John Arnold Foundation, and The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation, have been instrumental in making this possible.

“We support high-impact, evidence-based approaches that are ready for scale. Per Scholas’ proven model has been shown to help adults from overlooked communities significantly increase their income, while providing businesses a pipeline of diverse, motivated, and skilled tech talent,” said Connie Ballmer, Co-Founder of Ballmer Group. “Ballmer Group has committed to Per Scholas’ growth because the ability to earn a living wage is an important step toward economic mobility.”

“Per Scholas has demonstrated a level of effectiveness rarely seen in social programs, with two ‘gold standard’ scientific studies showing that it produces large, sustained earnings gains for low-income adults. Based on this evidence, we are pleased to make a major investment to help scale this model nationally, and fund further evaluation to see if the sizable effects can be replicated in new U.S. locations. Successful replication would represent a signal achievement in American workforce policy, and demonstrate the power of evidence to move the needle on important national objectives such as economic mobility”, said Jon Baron, Vice President of Evidence-based policymaking at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.

“The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has contributed to Per Scholas for nearly a decade, watching it grow from a small, local nonprofit into a national leader producing strong outcomes for unemployed and underemployed adults. We are proud to invest in its new goals, and encourage others to do the same,” said Marci Hunn, Program Director, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

“This capital campaign is based on a founding truth for Per Scholas: talent is ubiquitous, but opportunity is not. We’ve found success relying on partnerships across sectors and industries to inform our work and support our mission to expand opportunity to communities across the country. With the continued support of partners, both new and old, we look forward to serving thousands of more families and providing a qualified and diverse talent pipeline for corporations supportive of the neighborhoods where we live and work” said Per Scholas CEO and President Plinio Ayala.

“When we opened in our first warehouse in the Bronx in 1995, we knew talent was all around us, but it was our responsibility to find it and provide an opportunity for individuals to succeed. Sustainability has always been the key and sustainability for this nonprofit means a sustainable talent pipeline for corporations and sustainable career options for thousands of technologists of the future. I am proud to see the impact we’ve demonstrated over twenty-four years, and what will be achieved in the next twenty-four to come” said Lewis Miller, Board Chair, Founding Board Member, Per Scholas.

Significant hiring partners, Cognizant and TEKsystems have both invested in Per Scholas training curriculum and expansion.

“At TEKsystems, we deliver full-stack technology services, including talent services, to our clients across the country. That talent includes more than 350 Per Scholas graduates, and we’ve found them to be committed, capable and passionate team members — so much so that we funded a Per Scholas training pilot in our hometown of Baltimore. We look forward to growing our partnership in all the communities where we live and work”, said Faith Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources at TEKsystems.

“Partnerships between businesses and organizations like Per Scholas are vital to ensuring workers have the training and reskilling resources they need to compete for in-demand technology roles, and employers have ready access to a strong talent pipeline. Cognizant is committed to building the digital workforce of the future, and is proud to partner with Per Scholas, which knows how to find, foster and advance talent that might otherwise be overlooked,” says James Lennox, Chief People Officer of Cognizant.

Through the support of private foundations, Per Scholas hopes to reach its growth capital goal, thus increasing its services two fold and building a pathway to earned revenue and sustainability. With more support comes more students taught, more partnerships made, a better talent pipeline solidified for the future, and more lives impacted. With a 4-star accolade from Charity Navigator, Per Scholas promises to work closely with all donors to help them achieve their philanthropic goals.

Read the full campaign document, here.

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About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers as technology professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today we provide our solutions in eight cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Greater Boston, MA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; Newark, NJ and New York, NY. To date, Per Scholas has trained 9,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life changing skills and careers in technology.

About Ballmer Group

Ballmer Group works to improve economic mobility for children and families in who are disproportionately likely to remain in poverty. We support the use of data and strong partnerships among public, private, and nonprofit organizations at the community level to more effectively serve families. Ballmer Group was co-founded by philanthropist and civic activist Connie Ballmer and her husband Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts, and chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers. For more information, please visit www.ballmergroup.org or follow us @BallmerGroup

About Laura and John Arnold Foundation

Driven by a desire to improve people’s lives, we harness objective data, along with the brightest scholars and experts, in order to tackle inequities in our social, governmental, and economic systems. We study pressing issues in public safety, criminal justice, health, education, and governance, and develop solutions that lead to systemic change.

About The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the United States, is dedicated to meeting the basic needs of vulnerable people and families experiencing poverty. In 2019, the Foundation will provide approximately $125 million in grants to nonprofits that provide direct services in the areas of Housing, Health, Jobs, Education, and Community Services. The Foundation’s priority communities include Baltimore, Chicago, Hawaii, Israel, New York City, Northeastern Pennsylvania, San Francisco, and Rural Communities (primarily surrounding other priority communities). The Foundation’s trustees include Robert T. Kelly, Jr., Board Chair; Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.); Paula B. Pretlow; and Gordon Berlin. Rachel Garbow Monroe continues to serve as President and CEO. For more information, please visit www.hjweinbergfoundation.org.

On Wednesday, October 24, 2018, Per Scholas and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) hosted Diverse by Design Dallas, the sixth in a conversation series about building diversity and inclusion in the workforce.

Over 100 leaders representing organizations across the tech, finance and nonprofit sectors gathered at the home of Per Scholas’ Dallas training site to promote diversity in the workplace. Speakers and panelists shared best practices in uncovering unconscious biases and tactics for C-suite leaders to identify, coach and retain diverse talent across all levels of their organizations.

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

The afternoon kicked off with Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala, who shared a story about Tara Fuller, a mother who recently graduated from Per Scholas and was able to secure her first job in technology. The narrative captured both the challenges and opportunities for individuals, often overlooked by employers, and their capacity to succeed in the Dallas technology community.

Following Plinio’s remarks, Montreece Smith, Board Chair of Per Scholas’ Dallas board of advisors who offered remarks on the state of affairs in the Dallas technology community and spoke to her personal experience as a recruiter and hiring manager sourcing women talent in the Dallas Fort Worth region.

Faith Rottmann Johnson, Vice President, of Human Resources, at TEKsystems, a Platinum level sponsor for the event, followed with an Ignite presentation and shared her twenty year history in HR recruiting and strengthening diverse talent pipelines for an IT Consulting firm.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson offered attendees a historical perspective on the work she has pioneered in Texas for more than forty years. The Per Scholas Dallas location is centered in her voting district, and the Congresswoman commented on the cross-sector leadership that is critical to strengthen STEM education in primary, middle and high schools. The Congresswoman also called on men as allies for supporting women to advance and succeed in their careers. The Congresswoman ended her remarks by drawing attention to “tech literacy” and how continued education and life long learning needs to be reinforced for people in at-risk industries that may be overtaken by future advancements like automation.

KEYNOTE CONVERSATION

Moderated by Viola Maxwell Thompson, Co-founder, CEO, ITSMF (Right) with Corey Anthony, VP & Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T (Left)

On stage representing one of Diverse by Designs’ Platinum level sponsor Corey Anthony of AT&T engaged in a fireside chat with Viola Maxwell-Thompson of ITSMF. During the discussion, Corey stressed the importance of being an effective manager and providing guidance to your team. “There’s a big difference between managing work and leading people” said Mr. Anthony who also touched on the sentiments made by congresswoman Johnson and supported the notion that men should be called on as advocates to build opportunities for women in the workplace.

After the fireside discussion, all attendees split into breakout sessions facilitated by thought leaders in different industries including talent development, finance, IT consulting and food service. Each session tackled a different challenge facing women in technology including:

Dismantling the Corporate Boys Club – Franklin Reed, Director of Inclusion and Diversity, TEKsystems

Re-engaging Women in the Workforce: Pipelines Driven by Partnership – Eric Westphal, Senior Director, Global Corporate Affairs, Cognizant

Developing the Brand of “You” in a Corporate Environment –Jyoti Lynch, Chief Information Officer, Jamba Juice

Diverse Teams Perform Better: Making the Business Case for Diversity at Work – Mithra Kosur Venuraju, Senior Manager Software Engineering, Capital One

After the Session concluded Diverse by Design facilitators and attendees reconvened in the main hall for a report back to the entire group.

NETWORKING RECEPTION

The night did not end after the panel. There was a networking portion to the evening that provided guests the opportunity to engage with speakers and other members of the crowd. Several remarks were offered during the networking reception by Rukus Esi, Sr. Director, Software Engineering, Auto Consumer & Refinance Technology, Capital One who spoke to the importance of presenting your best self in all aspects of your life. “Be intentional about building diverse teams and diverse organizations… Bring your whole self to work.”

Martin Fogelman, Co-Founder, and CEO of the app Pluto gave demos of his product which is a transparency & analytics platform for companies to leverage data to measure, discuss and improve their D&I efforts.

The night capped off with Ty Bledsoe, AVP of External Affairs at AT&T who announced a national $300K grant to Per Scholas on behalf of AT&T to support new training tracks and future technologists at several Per Scholas sites including Dallas.

On Wednesday, October 24, 2018, Per Scholas and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) hosted Diverse by Design Dallas, the sixth in a conversation series about building diversity and inclusion in the workforce.

Over 100 leaders representing organizations across the tech, finance and nonprofit sectors gathered at the ho

me of Per Scholas’ Dallas training site to promote diversity in the workplace. Speakers and panelists shared best practices in uncovering unconscious biases and tactics for C-suite leaders to identify, coach and retain diverse talent across all levels of their organizations.

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

The afternoon was kicked off by Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala, who shared a story about Tara Fuller, a mother who recently graduated from Per Scholas and was able to secure a new job. Not only was this a testament to alternative hiring pipelines but also a great way to start an afternoon about Women in Tech off.

Following Plinio’s remarks was Montreece Smith, Board Chair of Per Scholas’ Dallas board of advisors. Montreece offered the audience of state of affairs in Dallas and spoke to her own experience sourcing and recruiting quality talent in the Dallas Fort Worth region.

Faith Rottmann Johnson, Vice President, of Human Resources, at TEKsystems followed with an Ignite presentation. Faith has been in HR for over twenty years and shared a personal mission to support her companies growth and strategy to recruit, retain and promote women in technology.

CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON REMARKS

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson shared a historical perspective on the work she has pioneered in Texas for more than forty years. The Per Scholas Dallas location is centered in her voting district, and the Congresswoman commented on cross-sector effort needed to strengthen STEM education in primary, middle and high schools. The Congresswoman also called on men as allies for strengthening women’s careers. The congresswoman ended her remarks by drawing attention to “tech literacy” and how that needs to be reinforced for people in at-risk industries that may be overtaken by future advancements like automation.

EXECUTIVE ADDRESS/FIRESIDE CHAT

Moderated by Viola Maxwell Thompson, Co-founder, CEO, ITSMF. Corey Anthony, VP & Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T.

On stage representing one of Diverse by Designs’ Platinum level sponsors Corey Anthony of AT&T engaged in a fireside chat with Viola Maxwell Thompson of ITSMF. During his talk, he stressed the importance of being an effective manager and providing guidance to your team.

“There’s a big difference between managing work and leading people” – Corey Anthony

Mr. Anthony also touched on the sentiments made by congresswomen Johnson by saying men need to be advocates in supporting women in the workplace. The role of education was also a big point of conversation for Mr. Anthony. He urged the audience to consider incorporating alternative talent pipelines in their hiring process. Programs like Per Scholas and even community colleges are some of the areas AT&T is looking into for new talent to hire or even bring into their internship program where students are given “real work” to help their development. This real work approach is extremely successful in getting the most out of their interns. It not only shows who has the drive to compete in real-world situations, but it increases production and development which ultimately leads to a promotion and full-time role within the organization.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

After Corey and Viola’s fireside chat, all attendees split into breakout sessions facilitated by thought leaders in different industries including talent development, finance, IT consulting and food service. Each session tackled a different challenge facing women in technology including:

• Dismantling the Corporate Boys Club – Franklin Reed, Director of Inclusion and Diversity, TEKsystems
• Re-engaging Women in the Workforce: Pipelines Driven by Partnership – Eric Westphal, Senior Director, Global Corporate Affairs, Cognizant
• Developing the Brand of “You” in a Corporate Environment –Jyoti Lynch, Chief Information Officer, Jamba Juice
• Diverse Teams Perform Better: Making the Business Case for Diversity at Work – Mithra Kosur Venuraju, Senior Manager Software Engineering, Capital One

 
 
After the Session concluded Diverse by Design facilitators and attendees reconvened in the main hall for a report back to the entire group.

NETWORKING RECEPTION

The night did not end after the facilitator panel. There was a networking portion to the evening that provided guests the opportunity to engage with speakers and other members of the crowd.  Several remarks were offered during the networking reception by Rukus Esi, Sr. Director, Software Engineering, Auto Consumer & Refinance Technology, Capital One who spoke to the importance of presenting your best self in all aspects of your life

“Be intentional about building diverse teams and diverse organizations… Bring your whole self to work.”

Martin Fogelman, Co-Founder, and CEO of the app Pluto gave demos of his product which is a transparency & analytics platform for companies to leverage data to measure, discuss and improve their D&I efforts.

The night capped off with Ty Bledsoe, AVP of external affairs at AT&T who announced a national 300K grant to Per Scholas on behalf of AT&T to support new training tracks and future technologists at several Per Scholas sites including Dallas.

On Thursday, September 27th 100 guests gathered for Diverse by Design’s 2nd Annual Jeffersonian Dinner hosted at the home of Tony Spinelli, Per Scholas National Board Member and Chief Operating Officer & President, Cyber Division at Fractal Industries Inc.

The tradition of a Jeffersonian dinner began at the home of Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800s. Gathering together thought leaders and influencers across a broad range of issues, then President Jefferson posed a challenge for the group, and encouraged spirited debate throughout the evening.

In accordance with the tradition, Diverse by Design invited voices across a number of technology industries that included C-Suite leaders, recruiters and hiring managers in cybersecurity, IT and talent development to discuss actionable solutions employers can leverage to build more diverse and inclusive workplaces. The dinner was a starting point to a conversation and a network to foster substantive changes powered by an employer network in the National Capital Region.

The dinner’s host, Tony Spinelli, challenged the group to commit to strengthening their workforce through intentional sourcing, recruiting and hiring practices. Jeff Senne, Managing Director, PwC followed with remarks that included concrete examples for how PwC is challenging their existing structures from leadership to entry-level positions. According to Jeff, each person is responsible for championing inclusion in the workplace. The spirited discussion that followed continued late into the evening. The culminating moment was a “report out” where individual employers and corporate representatives reflected aloud to fellow employers in the room about reframing a “can’t do” attitude into an actionable strategy moving forward. Partners were encouraged to visit Per Scholas’ Silver Spring location following the event to have the opportunity to meet individuals trained in both cybersecurity and IT Support.

Thank you to everyone involved in the event. The evening was made possible by Platinum Level Sponsor Fannie Mae, as well as Silver Level Sponsors Kudelski Security, Synchrony Financial and Farm Credit Financial. For more information about the evening, Diverse by Design or Per Scholas, please reach out to diversebydesign@perscholas.org or visit the website www.diversebydesign.org.