Good Jobs, Good for Your Community
Each community has its own environmental challenge. That's why solutions and jobs are local.
Jobs for the Future launched the Quality Green Jobs Regional Challenge in 2022 as part of the CREST initiative. The Challenge is a direct investment of roughly $5 million in diverse communities to develop and implement regional strategies for expanding quality green jobs.
As part of JFF’s mission to drive equitable economic advancement for all, the Regional Challenge focuses on two foundational priorities: disrupting persistent occupational segregation and developing innovative solutions to eradicate the longstanding wealth gap.
It prioritized proposals that identified strategies for addressing these challenges, which currently curb the impact and growth of the green economy. And it elevated proposals for serving rural and Indigenous communities.
- In Phase 1 of the Regional Challenge, 20 regional leaders, representing 75.5 million people, were selected to participate in a national learning network. Each region received $10,000 in Participation Grants.
- Earlier this year, the Regional Challenge moved into Phase 2 with ten members, each receiving $75,000 in Planning Grants.
- In October 2024, the Challenge moved into Phase 3 in which each of our six finalists receiving $750,000 Implementation Grants.
Jobs for the Future and all the Regional Challenge members who participated continue to learn from each other.
Here are some of the takeaways from the initiative so far.
Meet the CREST Regional Partners
6 Regions. 6 Plans. 1 Goal.
JFF is partnered with six Challenge Members finalists to address climate risk and equity and build green, resilient, and inclusive local economies. These Quality Green Jobs Regional Challenge finalists are focused on building a green workforce that is combating environmental and societal issues unique to their diverse communities.