Goodwill Arkansas Receives $850,000 Grant from The BlackRock Foundation
Goodwill Arkansas will be receiving an $850,000 grant from an initiative of The BlackRock Foundation, the philanthropic arm of asset management firm BlackRock, to aid workers in pursuing careers in skilled trades. This is the largest privately funded grant the organization has ever received.
The funds are part of more than $13 million that The BlackRock Foundation will distribute through its national philanthropic initiative, BlackRock Future Builders. This was the foundation's first national request for proposals, and the money is intended to broaden skilled training opportunities for Arkansans through The Academy at Goodwill.
Out of over 1,000 applicants, Goodwill Arkansas was one of 15 organizations nationwide to receive the grant, and the only Arkansas recipient.
The grant will enhance and expand training in welding and construction programs at The Academy and will provide tuition-free training for 220 participants in central and Northwest Arkansas. This is expected to foster continued growth in additional skilled trades pathways aligned with employer and workforce needs across the state.
"This investment gives Goodwill Arkansas an opportunity to expand and accelerate our role in strengthening the state’s workforce," said Brian Marsh, president and CEO of Goodwill Arkansas. "Employers across Arkansas need skilled workers, and those individuals now have a greater chance to gain those skills."
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