Baltimore's Promise Receives $3.6M Investment to Boost Youth Economic Mobility

Baltimore’s Promise CEO Julia Baez (center) and Deputy CEO Bridget Blount (right) listen to StriveTogether’s president and CEO, Jennifer Blatz, during a visit from StriveTogether’s Board of Directors in February 2024.

Baltimore’s Promise has received a $3.6 million investment from StriveTogether for a plan to put more than 31,000 additional Baltimore youth on a path to economic mobility by 2030.

As a member of the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, Baltimore’s Promise is part of a national movement to help every child succeed in school and in life, regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code, or circumstance. 

Over the last decade, Baltimore's Promise has helped Baltimore City become a smarter city for kids, creating data tools and systems that more equitably serve youth. Through these efforts, more than 55,000 young people, ages birth to 24, have accessed quality opportunities—from free summer learning programs to occupational skills training. Millions of dollars have also been distributed to youth-serving programs through Baltimore’s Promise’s community-led grantmaking initiatives. But there is more work to be done.

Economic mobility in the United States is declining. According to Opportunity Insights, only half of children grow up to earn more than their parents — and for young people experiencing poverty and young people of color, these outcomes are often lower. Baltimore’s Promise’s own research shows that, as Baltimore’s youth get older, less opportunities and funding are made available to them—and the programming that does exist does not necessarily align with priorities set by youth themselves, effectively cutting off earlier momentum toward a healthy life and self-sustaining career.

This research helped develop Baltimore’s Promise’s goals for StriveTogether’s investment. The work funded will focus on improving high school graduation rates, completion of postsecondary opportunities, and employment, particularly for Black, Latinx, and other intersectional youth ages 14-24, who are historically, and currently, discriminated against. The work will build on the success of Grads2Careers, a holistic occupational skills training initiative for recent public schools graduates and GED holders; expand on youth- and community-led decision-making and grantmaking opportunities; and complement existing investments in areas such as summer learning.

The vision of Baltimore’s Promise is bold: to put more than 31,000 more young people on a path to economic mobility by 2030. This funding from StriveTogether serves as a catalyst, and it will take all of Baltimore to achieve this goal. It’s time to listen to Baltimore’s young people, to celebrate and invest in them.

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About Baltimore’s Promise

Baltimore’s Promise is a data-driven collective impact nonprofit that has an audacious vision: all young adults in Baltimore City will have what they need to be healthy, and on a path to achieve economic self-sufficiency. They do this by spurring collective action, disrupting racist systemic barriers, building civic infrastructure, and accelerating positive outcomes for youth. Baltimore’s Promise cares about the wellbeing and opportunities available for all children from birth to career, and focuses on Black, Latinx, and other intersectionalities of youth ages 14-24, who are historically, and currently, discriminated against. Learn more at baltimorespromise.org.

About StriveTogether

StriveTogether is a national movement with a clear purpose: to help every child succeed in school and in life from cradle to career, regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance. The Cradle to Career Network impacts the lives of 14 million youth – including more than 8 million children of color and 5 million children experiencing poverty. Learn more at strivetogether.org.