Toolkit for Workforce Funder Collaboratives

Toolkit Publisher
Insight Center for Community and Economic Development
Toolkit Purpose

This toolkit was developed to offer insight and suggestions on strengthening existing regional workforce funder collaboratives, as well as information on creating new collaboratives. The toolkit has information on:
• The overall purpose and power of regional workforce collaboratives;
• The strength of sector initiatives and the role that the collaboratives play in strengthening these initiatives;
• Practical tips on starting, sustaining, evaluating, and growing a funder collaborative, and,
• Tips on how established collaboratives can change direction.

Summary of Toolkit Approach

The toolkit is organized under three main sections:
• A recommended step-by-step guide to starting a regional workforce funding collaborative;
• Procedures for running a collaborative, including information on recruitment of funders, involving industry partners, capacity building and learning, and fiscal management, and
• Evaluating the progress of a collaborative, with examples of industry and low-income participant outcome indicators that can be collected.
In addition, the toolkit includes a suggested two-step process that can be used by established collaboratives looking to change programmatic direction.

Toolkit Intended Audience

Existing regional funder collaboratives, and funders and organizations interested in developing new regional workforce funder collaboratives

Toolkit Based On

Experience from existing regional workforce funding collaboratives

Toolkit Target Population
Low-income and skill populations
Primary Career Pathways Element Addressed
Name
Build cross-agency partnerships and clarify roles