Year Up, a workforce development nonprofit committed to ensuring equitable access to economic opportunity, education, and justice for young adults, has announced a $25 million gift from the Meg and Bennett Goodman Family Foundation. 

The gift includes a $15 million grant to fund innovative pilot programs and $10 million to endow a fund in honor of former Year Up president and current board member Garrett Moran. The Garrett Moran Scholars initiative will provide funding for 40 young adults selected annually who have shown significant leadership potential. The donation will enable Year Up to achieve its goal of reaching 10 times more young adults annually by 2030 than it does today. 

“Our foundation’s primary mission is to improve social mobility,” said Bennett Goodman, who made his fortune in the investment management industry. “Matching diverse talent to opportunity is the quickest path to sharing economic prosperity. Connecting more young adults to impactful jobs builds careers and communities.”

“We are grateful for Meg and Bennett’s generous support of our mission to close the Opportunity Divide in this nation. Their gift will allow us to serve thousands more young adults who deserve access to opportunity and economic mobility,” said Year Up founder and CEO Gerald Chertavian. “This transformative gift will make a difference across the nation for years to come as we continue building and improving our organization, while helping to build inclusive and diverse pipelines of talent to the nation’s leading employers.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/fizkes)