THE NASHVILLE CHAMBER PUBLIC BENEFIT FOUNDATION

EDUCATION AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT:THE AVAILABILITY AND PREPAREDNESS OF THE NASHVILLE AREA'S LABOR FORCE IS THE NUMBER ONE DRIVER OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. THE FOUNDATION'S WORK HELPS ENSURE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, OPPORTUNITY YOUTH, TENNESSEE RECONNECT ADULTS, AND CURRENT WORKERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY AND PREPAREDNESS OF NASHVILLE AREA TALENT.NEW SKILLS READY IN OCTOBER 2020, JPMORGAN CHASE SELECTED NASHVILLE AS ONE OF SIX U.S. SITES FOR THE NEW SKILLS READY NETWORK, A $7 MILLION INVESTMENT OVER FIVE YEARS TO SUPPORT THE SEAMLESS TRANSITION OF UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS FROM METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS (MNPS) INTO POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIALS, DEGREES, AND HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND CAREERS. THE FOUNDATION SERVES AS SITE LEAD AND FISCAL AGENT. PARTNERS INCLUDE MNPS, NASHVILLE STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TCAT NASHVILLE, MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY, THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE TENNESSEE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION, THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE TENNESSEE COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS NETWORK, THE SCARLETT FAMILY FOUNDATION, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.DURING FY25, THE GRANT ENTERED AN EXTENSION PERIOD THROUGH OCTOBER 2025, WITH THE FOUNDATION INVITED TO APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE A SUBSEQUENT NO-COST EXTENSION RUNNING THROUGH MARCH 2027. SUSTAINABILITY DEFINED THE YEAR'S WORK, WITH PARTNERS EMBRACING SHIFTS THAT POSITIONED THE COLLABORATIVE TO CONTINUE BEYOND THE ORIGINAL FIVE-YEAR TERM.CAREER-BASED LEARNING AT MNPS EXPANDED FROM 55 STUDENTS IN 20212022 TO 360 STUDENTS BY THE CLOSE OF FY25, SUPPORTED BY GROWTH IN EMPLOYER PARTNERS FROM 15 TO 23. WHILE NEW SKILLS READY ANCHORED THE MODEL, WORK-BASED LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE SCALED DISTRICT-WIDE BEYOND THE ORIGINAL FOUR NSR HIGH SCHOOLS. DUAL ENROLLMENT CONTINUED TO GROW AS INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS ASSUMED SUSTAINED ROLES IN COORDINATION AND DELIVERY, WITH TCAT NASHVILLE CONTINUING ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH MNPS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL DUAL ENROLLMENT FOR ACADEMIES OF NASHVILLE STUDENTS.COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS COACHES ORIGINALLY SEEDED BY THE NSR INVESTMENT WERE SUSTAINED THROUGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL FUNDING AT ALL FIVE PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING GLENCLIFF HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WAS ADDED DURING FY25 AND RETAINED ITS NEWLY PLACED COACH. A FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED PILOT AT OVERTON HIGH SCHOOL PLACED A SECOND COACH TO TEST WHETHER EXPANDED CAPACITY COULD ADDRESS ACUTE STUDENT NEEDS; OVERTON SUSTAINED ONE COACH FOLLOWING THE PILOT, WITH LEARNINGS ABOUT COACH CAPACITY INFORMING BROADER STRATEGY. A SEPARATE PILOT TESTED A VIRTUAL WORK-BASED LEARNING MODEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HARI MEDICAL COLLEGE, COMPLETING ONE COHORT OF APPROXIMATELY EIGHT STUDENTS; WHILE THE DISTRICT DID NOT SUSTAIN THE VIRTUAL MODEL, LEARNINGS ABOUT VIRTUAL WORK-BASED LEARNING INFORMED GO-FORWARD STRATEGY.ACROSS THE GRANT PERIOD, THE NEW SKILLS READY COLLABORATIVE BROUGHT TOGETHER MORE THAN SEVENTEEN PARTNERS SPANNING K-12, POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS, STATE AGENCIES, PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS, AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, ALL WORKING TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC INEQUALITIES AND BARRIERS TO POSTSECONDARY ACCESS AND PERSISTENCE. THE FOUNDATION'S ROLE AS BACKBONE ORGANIZATION CONVENING AND COORDINATING ACROSS THE COLLABORATIVE HAS BEEN A KEY DRIVER OF PROGRESS AND A FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY. THE FOUNDATION ALSO CONVENES THE ACADEMIES OF NASHVILLE PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL, THE DISTRICT-WIDE ADVISORY BODY FOR THE ACADEMIES MODEL. DURING FY25, THE COUNCIL'S FOCUS CENTERED ON CONTINUED GROWTH OF WORK-BASED LEARNING AND EMBEDDING THE H3 (HIGH-SKILL, HIGH-WAGE, HIGH-DEMAND) PATHWAY DEFINITION INTO MNPS'S PATHWAY APPROVAL PROCESS. TWENTY-ONE OF MNPS'S THIRTY-NINE CAREER PATHWAYS ARE NOW ALIGNED WITH H3 SECTORS, INCLUDING HEALTHCARE, IT, AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING.SOCIAL CAPITAL GRANT THE SOCIAL CAPITAL GRANT FROM THE GATES FOUNDATION, ADMINISTERED BY EDUCATION STRATEGY GROUP, CONCLUDED IN THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR. DURING FY25, THE FOUNDATION CONNECTED THE MNPS TEAM WITH GATES AND ESG PARTNERS FOR FINAL REPORTING AND HIGHLIGHTING. THE NEXT PHASE OF THE SOCIAL CAPITAL WORK FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING PARENT-FACING MATERIALS A TRAINING SERIES TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE MNPS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICE, GROUNDED IN THE PREMISE THAT STUDENTS' CAPACITY TO BUILD SOCIAL CAPITAL IS SHAPED BY THEIR PARENTS' CAPACITY TO SUPPORT AND MODEL IT. MATERIALS WERE UNDER DEVELOPMENT AT GRANT CLOSEOUT; NO PARENT COHORT WAS PILOTED BEFORE THE WORK CONCLUDED.NASHVILLE RECONNECT NASHVILLE RECONNECT AND THE NASHVILLE TALENT HUB CONTINUE TO SERVE ADULTS RETURNING TO EARN A DEGREE OR CREDENTIAL, WITH A FOCUS ON NASHVILLE PROMISE ZONE RESIDENTS. THE PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH THE FAMILY COLLECTIVE, PART OF UNITED WAY OF GREATER NASHVILLE, TO CONNECT STUDENTS AT RISK OF BECOMING UNHOUSED, OR CURRENTLY UNHOUSED, WITH INTENSIVE SERVICES AND RESOURCES. BANK OF AMERICA FUNDING SUPPORTED THE NASHVILLE RECONNECT NAVIGATOR ROLE DURING FY25.FY25 BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS TO THE PROGRAM. A REVISED STATE DATA-SHARING AGREEMENT CHANGED HOW THE NAVIGATOR COULD IDENTIFY AND ENGAGE PROSPECTIVE RECONNECTORS, MOVING FROM A MODEL IN WHICH THE NAVIGATOR RECEIVED DIRECT, SYSTEMATIZED CONNECTIONS TO STUDENTS BASED ON THEIR TENNESSEE RECONNECT APPLICATIONS TO A REFERRAL-BASED MODEL LED BY PARTNER INSTITUTIONS. THE NAVIGATOR'S ACTIVE CASELOAD NARROWED AS A RESULT, AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR FY25 DUE TO THE CHANGE IN HOW PARTICIPANT INFORMATION IS COLLECTED UNDER THE REFERRAL-BASED MODEL. STUDENTS WITHIN THE NAVIGATOR'S COHORT CONTINUED TO PROGRESS, EARNING CREDENTIALS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD.AS NASHVILLE STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S STRATEGY FOR STUDENT SUPPORT EVOLVED DURING FY25 AND WITH THE RETIREMENT OF ONE OF NASHVILLE STATE'S RECONNECT NAVIGATORS THE CHAMBER AND NASHVILLE STATE BEGAN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TRANSITIONING THE FOUNDATION'S NAVIGATOR ROLE INTO THE COLLEGE TO ALIGN WITH NASHVILLE STATE'S BROADER STUDENT SUPPORT STRATEGY. THAT TRANSITION WAS COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER 2025, WITH THE NAVIGATOR MOVING INTO A STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST ROLE AT NASHVILLE STATE SERVING ALL STUDENTS RATHER THAN ADULT LEARNERS EXCLUSIVELY.TENNESSEE SKILLS COALITION THE CHAMBER LEADS A STATEWIDE COALITION FOCUSED ON POLICY ISSUES IMPACTING WORKFORCE ACCESS PART OF A NATIONAL EFFORT LED BY THE NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION. DURING FY25, THE COALITION FORMALLY REBRANDED FROM TN BUSINESS LEADERS UNITED (BLU)-SKILLSPAN TO THE TENNESSEE SKILLS COALITION, REFLECTING BOTH THE MATURATION OF THE COALITION'S IDENTITY AND ITS EXPANDED REACH. THE COALITION NOW INCLUDES MORE THAN SIXTY-FIVE CHAMBERS, EMPLOYERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, TRAINING PROVIDERS, AND PUBLIC SECTOR RESOURCE PARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS POLICY BARRIERS THAT KEEP EMPLOYERS FROM FILLING MIDDLE-SKILLS JOBS. THE COALITION CONTINUES TO BE CO-LED BY THE CHAMBER AND MARTHA O'BRYAN CENTER.FY25 PRIORITIES FOCUSED ON EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, ACCESS TO SHORT-TERM CREDENTIALS, AND ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CHILDCARE. CHILDCARE EMERGED AS THE CENTRAL ORGANIZING FOCUS FOR THE YEAR, WITH SUBSTANTIAL COALITION ENERGY DEVOTED TO BUILDING SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF RESOURCES, SUPPORTS, AND POLICY LEVERS. THE NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT THE COALITION'S GROWTH AND DIRECTION.IN FY25, THE COALITION WAS AWARDED A $100,000 GRANT FROM THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT ADVOCACY LEARNING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING. THE FOUNDATION EXPENDED APPROXIMATELY $46,000 OF THE AWARD DURING FY25, WITH THE REMAINING BALANCE CARRYING INTO FY26 UNDER A NO-COST EXTENSION RUNNING THROUGH DECEMBER 2026. THE GRANT SUPPORTED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOCUSED ON EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ADVOCACY STRATEGIES DRAWN FROM PEER COMMUNITIES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THINKTENNESSEE, THE COALITION CO-DEVELOPED THE "LET'S GET TO WORK" POLICY BRIEF PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2025 SURFACING THE TRUE COST OF POSTSECONDARY ATTENDANCE FOR TENNESSEE STUDENTS AND ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO TENNESSEE PROMISE AND TENNESSEE RECONNECT, INCLUDING ALLOWING BOTH PROGRAMS TO OPERATE AS "FIRST DOLLAR" SUPPORTS, CLOSING THE AGE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS, AND EXPANDING PROMISE TO PART-TIME STUDENTS. THE BRIEF DREW ON OUTCOMES FROM LOCAL PILOTS INCLUDING NASHVILLE GRAD, NASHVILLE FLEX, AND KNOX PROMISE TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL STUDENT SUPPORTS ON RETENTION AND COMPLETION.THE COALITION ALSO PURSUED LEGISLATION IN THE SHORT-TERM CREDENTIAL SPACE, SPONSORED BY REPRESENTATIVE MARK WHITE, THAT WOULD HAVE PILOTED A TRI-SHARE MODEL TARGETING HIGH-GROWTH, HIGH-WAGE INDUSTRIES. AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION PROGRESSED, THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS, TENNESSEE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION, AND TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ALL SIGNALED FORTHCOMING DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH TENNESSEE WORKS THAT WERE EXPECTED TO ADDRESS SHORT-TERM CREDENTIAL SUPPORT. FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH THESE PARTNERS,