JPMorganChase Expands Investment in Ohio’s Workforce with New Philanthropic Investments
Ohio’s growing sectors face a shortage of skilled workers; new funding will expand career pathways and advance a more coordinated workforce system
April 7, 2026 (Columbus, Ohio) — JPMorganChase today announced new philanthropic funding in Ohio’s three most populous cities—Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati—to advance career pathways, strengthen regional workforce pipelines, and support economic mobility for all Ohioans.
More than $4 million in philanthropic investments supports 12 organizations and builds on JPMorganChase’s multi-year history of investing in career-connected education, skills training, and work-based learning experiences—including in emerging industries that demand highly technical skills.
“Ohio’s future depends on a prosperous job market that enables all residents to access the essential skills and experiences needed to meet the evolving demands of the economy,” said Opal Brant, Vice President and Program Officer of Global Philanthropy at JPMorganChase. “By supporting cross-sector collaboration and investing in both skilled workers and critical industries, JPMorganChase is helping Ohio build a more resilient and future-ready workforce for all.”
With 75% of job growth in Ohio projected to occur in occupations requiring at least a postsecondary non-degree credential, and 58% of growth estimated to be in occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher, the firm’s investments will help more Ohioans access high-growth, high-quality careers.
To meet this growing demand, JPMorganChase’s latest efforts will support innovative programs in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and construction —industries that are growing and vital to the state’s long-term success and resilience. The funding will also help improve job matching and expand access to individualized coaching, credential programs, and wraparound support services.
Regional investments include:
Northeast Ohio (Cleveland):
Team NEO and Greater Cleveland Partnership ($350,000): The organizations are partnering to build a business-led, data-driven workforce upskilling strategy for Greater Cleveland that aligns talent supply with employer demand. Greater Cleveland Partnership will lead a pilot focused on AI and other emerging skills, ensuring training is shaped by business needs. Team NEO will provide the data and accountability backbone through Vibrant Economy Indicators (VEI 2.0) and map the Cuyahoga County workforce ecosystem. The shared goal is a coordinated roadmap to improve training outcomes, job placement, and the region’s long-term economic competitiveness.
Greater Cleveland Career Consortium ($300,000): This funding will help bolster a coordinated, regional career readiness ecosystem comprised of both industry and education leaders, aiming to provide sector-specific career pathways for students, across 11 Greater Cleveland school districts, giving them hands-on experience.
Greater Cleveland Works ($150,000): This funding supports the launch of Arena, an AI-powered platform that improves job matching between job seekers and employers and enhances the capacity of career coaches, helping connect people in Cuyahoga County to quality employment opportunities, training and skills development.
Southwest Ohio (Cincinnati)
Cincinnati Regional Chamber ($500,000): This funding advances a coordinated, employer-aligned regional workforce strategy, helping local public, private and nonprofit leaders work together to make it easier for people to find good jobs and get the training they need to benefit from the region’s growth.
Central Ohio (Columbus)
National Center for Urban Solutions Tec. ($450,000): This funding will help expand high-quality job training and credential programs for justice-involved and underrepresented workers in Central Ohio while also enhancing support services to address employment barriers.
Columbus Urban League ($450,000): This funding will help expand employer-informed workforce development programs using real-time insights to build an adaptive talent pipeline that meets evolving labor market needs and improves long-term retention outcomes, with a focus on ensuring low-to-moderate income Franklin County residents gain skills, credentials and access to sustainable, high-growth careers.
Jewish Family Services ($450,000): This funding will help Jewish Family Services expand its integrated workforce development model, offering individualized career coaching, sector-based training, and wraparound supports services such as digital access and transportation to help Central Ohio residents attain in-demand jobs.
Godman Guild Association ($450,000): This funding will help Godman Guild offer job training and paid work experiences by engaging employers alongside peer providers to present a more comprehensive solution to workforce needs at scale.
Impact Community Action ($450,000): This funding will help expand the Skilled-Up initiative, offering sector-based training, stackable credentials, individualized coaching, and wraparound supports to help low-income Franklin County residents secure jobs in high-demand fields.
Goodwill Industries of Central Ohio ($450,000): This funding will expand job training and paid work-based learning for low-income adults and youth in Central Ohio. It will also support education, coaching, and wraparound services, while strengthening partnerships to help participants overcome employment barriers.
Ohio Excels, a statewide partner, will receive a $500,000 philanthropic investment and coordinate efforts across regions, align employers and educators, and drive innovation to ensure these initiatives deliver lasting impact.
“Ohio’s workforce thrives when business, education, and community leaders work together,” said Lisa Gray, president of Ohio Excels. “We applaud JPMorganChase for its longstanding dedication to investing in Ohio’s workforce and for supporting innovative solutions that will benefit communities across our state for years to come.”
This new effort builds on JPMorganChase’s support for the Regional Workforce Collaborative, an initiative led by One Columbus to modernize Central Ohio’s workforce system. Since 2024, the Collaborative has brought together business, education, and community leaders in Central Ohio to address employment barriers and align workforce strategies with the needs of emerging industries—ensuring all residents have access to quality job opportunities and can benefit from the region’s economic growth.
“Ohio is at the heart of JPMorganChase’s mission to create a stronger economy,” said Kate Donovan Morgan, Head of Ohio for J.P. Morgan Private Bank and Chair of the Ohio Market Leadership Team at JPMorganChase. “By investing in workforce development, we are helping create lasting economic opportunity for Ohioans, ensuring that the state and its residents remain competitive in industries critical to our future.”
JPMorganChase in Ohio
For more than 210 years, JPMorganChase has helped advance an economy that works for all Ohioans by leveraging its expertise, insights, and resources, to help residents, businesses, and communities achieve their goals. As one of the state’s largest private employers, the firm serves nearly 3 million consumer customers and over 207,000 small business clients. Since 2019, the firm has provided more than $56 million in philanthropic capital to strengthen local communities, increase opportunity and drive long-term economic growth.
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 Goodwill Columbus
Goodwill Columbus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has served the Central Ohio community for nearly 85 years. With more than 1,000 employees, Goodwill Columbus is one of the region’s largest job providers, employing individuals with diverse backgrounds. Goodwill Columbus has 12 retail stores, a last-chance outlet, an ecommerce facility, 8 attended donation centers, 5 I/DD service locations, and free job training services at The South Front Street Job Training Center, The Jerry Hammond Center, The Reeb Center, and 14 Columbus Metropolitan Library locations. The organization is a proud member of Goodwill Industries International, a network of over 150 community-based organizations throughout the United States and Canada that sell donated goods to create job opportunities and training in local communities.
