RVA CENTER FOR JUSTICE HARVESTING HOPE RECEIVES FOUNDATION FOR THE MIDSOUTH's WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT

The Foundation for the Mid South (FMS) announced today it has awarded $550,000 to 11 community organizations across Mississippi as part of its Moving Mississippians Forward Through Employment Initiative. The initiative is supported by the Foundation for the Mid South and funded through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Workforce Development Grant Program. This marks the Foundation’s first round of grantmaking in three years, signaling a renewed commitment to tackling the barriers that keep families from steady, good-paying work.

“These grants represent the Foundation getting off the sidelines and back onto the playing field,” said Greg Johnson, President and CEO of FMS. “We’re helping to build the coalitions needed to move the region forward — not only through funding, but also by supporting networking, convening, advocacy, and communication. Every person willing to work should have the chance to build a sustainable life for themselves and their families, whether that path is college, a certification, or a blue-collar career.”

The goal of this initiative is to eliminate the most common hinderances to employment, including childcare, transportation, and training. It also invests in programs that connect participants to industry-recognized credentials in high-demand fields such as healthcare, technology, construction, and agriculture.

“What made these grantees stand out is their ability to create a true pipeline — not just training for training’s sake, but certification that leads to real jobs,” said Cassio Batteast, Vice President of Programs at FMS. “We were especially drawn to organizations serving populations that have historically been left out of opportunity: returning citizens, young people who need skills beyond high school, women who face childcare barriers, and veterans who may have years of experience but lack formal credentials. Our goal is to make sure no one willing to work is shut out of a good job.”

The 2025 Workforce Development Grantee Cohort Includes:
• 180 Career Center – Jackson, MS
• The Bean Path – Jackson, MS
• Delta Compass – Greenville, MS
• Dream Innovations, Inc. – Yazoo, MS
• Deep South Today – Jackson, MS
• Holmes County Consolidated School District – Lexington, MS

• Humphreys County School District – Belzoni, MS
• Jackson Municipal Airport Authority – Jackson, MS
• Metro Booming Training Academy – Jackson, MS
• Reuben V. Anderson Center for Justice – Tougaloo, MS
• Sipp Culture – Utica, MS

In addition to funding, grantees will participate in peer-learning and capacity-building sessions designed to strengthen their programs and share strategies across organizations. By investing in both direct training and organizational growth, FMS aims to ensure these efforts continue to serve communities long after the grant period ends. “Ultimately, this work is about more than jobs,” Johnson added. “We want a region where every child can be educated to their capacity, where families can put food on the table and save for the future, and where people are healthy enough to enjoy the benefits of their labor and the joy of being in community.