BridgeYear wins $100K grant to certify Houston youth for living-wage careers through its Career Cohort program

Houston, United States – May 23, 2026 / BridgeYear /

HOUSTON, TX — 23 May 2026 — BridgeYear, a Houston-based workforce development nonprofit, has secured a $100,000 grant from the Greater Houston Community Foundation’s (GHCF) High-Impact Grantmaking Initiative. Following a rigorous, months-long vetting process, BridgeYear was chosen as one of only two organizations selected by the Community Foundation’s Community Grants Advisory Committee and Governing Board.

In a strategic partnership with Good Reason Houston, BridgeYear will utilize this three-year investment to certify underserved young adults in high-demand fields and place them directly into living-wage careers through its proven Career Cohort program.

Bridging Houston’s Stark Economic Paradox

Despite strong regional high school graduation rates, the Greater Houston area presents a significant economic challenge for young adults entering the market. Research from Good Reason Houston reveals a stark paradox: only 1 in 5 Houston high school graduates goes on to earn a living wage within six years of graduation.

The most effective, immediate catalyst for changing this trajectory is professional certification. Students who earn industry-recognized credentials are three times more likely to reach a living wage, generating an average of $1,000 more per month in earnings. This substantial increase often represents the critical difference between generational poverty and long-term financial stability.

A Proven, Scalable Model for Workforce Readiness

BridgeYear’s Career Cohort model is specifically designed to dismantle the financial and logistical barriers between local talent and economic opportunity. Participants receive tuition-free, accelerated training leading to industry-recognized certifications, connections to prominent employer partners like Gulf States Toyota, and a built-in peer-support structure designed to ensure accountability and belonging.

The impact of this approach is already clear. In BridgeYear’s most recent cohort, 70% of participants secured immediate employment upon completing the program—a placement rate that significantly surpasses traditional youth workforce interventions and validates the model for regional expansion.

“This investment from the Greater Houston Community Foundation is a regional signal that industry-recognized certification works. When we remove the financial and logistical barriers to earning a credential, students don’t just find jobs; they build careers. Our partnership with Good Reason Houston gives us the data infrastructure to prove that this model is replicable, so that every foundation, employer, and civic leader in Houston can see the return on investment.”

– Victoria Chen, Executive Director of BridgeYear

Over the course of the three-year grant period, BridgeYear and Good Reason Houston will meticulously track both the short- and long-term economic outcomes for every cohort participant. This rigorous measurement layer will establish a data-driven, replicable blueprint for workforce investment that employers, foundations, school districts, and community leaders across Greater Houston can confidently adopt and fund at scale.

About BridgeYear

Founded in 2016 and based in Houston, Texas, BridgeYear is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting underserved youth to high-growth career and educational pathways that foster economic mobility, stability, and independence. BridgeYear operates its flagship Career Test Drive®, MorePathways®, and Career Cohort programs in close collaboration with local employers and training program providers. To date, BridgeYear has served over 50,000 students across the Greater Houston area.

Learn more at www.BridgeYear.org.

Media Contact:

Jocelyne Trevino

BridgeYear’s Senior Communications Manager

Phone: (832) 579-0294

Website: www.bridgeyear.org

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