As CSW celebrates 35 years of impact, we are hosting several events and activities, including this webinar series that is bringing leaders from across the field together to explore a central question: What does a strong workforce development ecosystem require as technology, the economy, and the needs of workers and employers rapidly change? Help us shape our vision into 2035!
“Funding What Works: The Future of Philanthropy, Workforce & Economic Mobility,” will bring together national and regional funders for a conversation about why investment in workforce and economic mobility matters right now and where philanthropy is heading next.
We’ll explore what funders are prioritizing, economic mobility as a long-term investment strategy, supporting innovation and scalable models, flexible funding and systems change, and how philanthropy can better align investment with measurable impact and community voice.
Featured panelists include:
Kermit Kaleba | Strategy Director, Credentials of Value | Lumina Foundation
“Policy & Possibility” will bring policymakers and systems leaders together to explore the policies, partnerships, and public investments shaping how communities prepare workers and employers for what comes next. Panelists will discuss emerging workforce policy trends and priorities, the evolving role of AI and automation in workforce development, and opportunities for public and private partners to work together to strengthen economic mobility.
Panelists will explore how leaders can advance equity, strengthen accountability, and build workforce systems that are responsive, adaptable, and center workers and learners.
“The Practitioner Reality” will center the voices of workforce practitioners and explore how organizations are adapting to funding constraints, supporting staff sustainability, and using human-centered approaches to strengthen outcomes. The conversation will also highlight emerging practices for serving young adults, advancing economic mobility, and creating the organizational capacity practitioners need to adapt, innovate, and continue delivering meaningful results in a changing workforce landscape.
“The Human & AI Workforce” will explore which jobs and skills are being affected by AI, what workers need to understand to remain prepared for an evolving labor market, and how workforce organizations can use AI to expand capacity, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen talent pipelines.
Throughout the discussion, panelists will consider how workforce systems can embrace the potential of AI while protecting equity, access, and human dignity.
