New York, NY — March 26, 2026 — Seventeen New York City workforce development organizations have been selected to participate in the 2026 – 2027 Workforce Benchmarking Network (WBN) NYC Cohort, a citywide initiative designed to strengthen program performance, close equity gaps, and improve long-term economic outcomes for thousands of New Yorkers.
The selected organizations represent the breadth of New York City’s workforce ecosystem, including organizations preparing residents for careers in the skilled trades, and training programs connecting talent to growing industries, including healthcare and technology.
Together, these 17 organizations serve thousands of jobseekers each year across all five boroughs: The Boys’ Club of New York, Bridges from School to Work, BronxWorks, CPC, Emma’s Torch, The Fortune Society, Global Kids, Greenwich House, Henry Street Settlement, Jericho Project, Lehman College School of Continuing & Professional Studies, New York City Department for the Aging, OBT, Rebuilding Together NYC, RETI Center, St. Nicks Alliance, and StreetWise Partners.
Led by the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW), in partnership with the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC), the initiative provides participating organizations with resources to help them strengthen data capacity and improve long-term outcomes.
Workforce organizations today face increasing pressure to demonstrate impact while navigating shifting labor markets, fragmented funding streams, and more participant needs. Many lack the infrastructure, tools, and training necessary to use data beyond compliance reporting. According to prior cohort assessments, only a small percentage of participating organizations reported strong confidence in disaggregating demographic data.
The WBN Cohort model addresses this challenge directly. Participating organizations will:
- Submit and analyze program data through the WBN National Survey, the nation’s largest dataset of nonprofit workforce program outcomes
- Participate in four full-day peer forums annually, focused on program improvement, recruitment and retention, employer and alumni engagement, and impact assessment
- Receive individualized coaching and site visits to apply continuous improvement strategies
- Develop action plans grounded in a framework to address program-level challenges
- Build systems to better track long-term job placement, retention, and wage outcomes
The initiative will also incorporate new guidance on the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence in workforce programming.
“New York City’s workforce providers are engines of economic mobility. But mobility doesn’t just happen. It requires discipline, transparency, and a clear understanding of outcomes. The Workforce Benchmarking Network equips our members to measure performance honestly, disaggregate results, and close equity gaps that have persisted for too long,” said Gregory J. Morris, CEO, New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC). “When organizations strengthen their ability to use data with intention, they strengthen pathways into high-growth industries and family-sustaining careers. That is how we build a workforce system that delivers real opportunity for New Yorkers and real value for employers.”
Since launching WBN NYC Cohorts in 2024, the initiative has engaged 30 organizations and more than 150 practitioners, spanning frontline staff to executive leadership. Participating organizations have reported improved data capacity, stronger peer networks, and greater integration of continuous improvement practices into their operations.
“The WBN Cohorts give practitioners the tools and space to examine their data deeply and act on what they find. Through benchmarking, structured peer learning, and individualized coaching, organizations move from viewing data as a compliance requirement to using it as a driver of equity and continuous improvement,” said Alex Breen, Senior Policy Associate, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. “Teams map participant journeys, identify gaps in recruitment and retention, and test strategies to improve long-term outcomes. When providers build this kind of internal capacity, they strengthen individual programs and help create a more effective and accountable workforce ecosystem.”
The 2026 Workforce Benchmarking Network NYC Cohort is supported by a grant from JPMorganChase. The investment will go toward hosting intensive peer learning forums, individualized coaching, national benchmarking analysis, and the development of a public-facing report that will elevate insights and best practices across the city’s workforce ecosystem.
“Supporting New York City’s growth and prosperity starts with supporting the city’s workforce,” said Rafia Zahir-Uddin, Program Officer, JPMorganChase. “We’re proud to support NYCETC and Corporation for a Skilled Workforce in their work to equip organizations with the resources and information they need to continue helping New Yorkers secure well-paying jobs and meet the economy’s long-term needs.”
“The continued interest of WBN New York City from the field confirms my belief that NYC Workforce Development Training Programs know that they need to better capture what they are doing with data to make their programs more effective for their participants’ success. And I am thrilled that JP Morgan Chase has made a significant commitment to this work as well—not only for the funding– but also for the validation that this work is needed and important to sustain,” said Laurie R. Dien, VP and Executive Director for Programs at The Pinkerton Foundation.
By fortifying the internal capacity of 17 frontline workforce organizations, this initiative will directly impact the thousands of New Yorkers they serve each year, expanding access to quality jobs in skilled trades, healthcare, technology, and other growing industries.
In addition to strengthening individual organizations, the cohort helps build a resilient community that can plan for future challenges and growth opportunities. Findings and insights will inform future public-facing reports and convenings aimed at helping funders, policymakers, and workforce leaders better understand performance trends, promising practices, and areas for strategic investment across the city.
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About the New York City Employment and Training Coalition
The New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) is the largest city-based workforce development association in the country, supporting over 220 member organizations that serve more than 200,000 New Yorkers annually. NYCETC works to ensure every New Yorker—especially individuals historically excluded from economic opportunity—has access to the skills, education, and support needed to thrive in the local economy. Its members primarily serve women, young adults, public housing residents, justice-impacted individuals, immigrants, and New Yorkers of color.
About the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) is a national workforce policy non-profit that partners with government, business, education, and community leaders to cultivate good jobs and the skilled workers to fill them. Since 1991, CSW has catalyzed change in educational and labor market systems, focusing on scalable improvements in worker skills, job quality, and access to opportunity. CSW provides services across five strategy areas: Competencies & Credentials; Improving Practices & Outcomes; Federal, State, & Local Systems Change; Research & Evaluation; and Trauma & Resilience at Work. CSW advances policies and practices that increase economic mobility, particularly for people of color and others historically excluded from success.
About JPMorganChase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $4.4 trillion in assets and $362 billion in stockholders’ equity as of December 31, 2025. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.
About the Pinkerton Foundation
The Pinkerton Foundation is an independent grantmaking organization established in 1966 by Robert Allan Pinkerton, the Chairman and CEO of Pinkerton’s, Inc., then the nation’s oldest and largest security company. The foundation, which retains no ties to the firm, supports community-based programs for children, youth and families in economically disadvantaged areas in New York City.