National Fund for Workforce Solutions

What National Fund for Workforce Solutions does

Shift Work Forward, formerly the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 that operates a nationally powered, locally driven workforce-equity platform. The organization convenes, coaches, and amplifies a dynamic network of regional workforce leaders who deliver programs addressing three focus areas: dismantling systemic barriers to workforce participation, transforming career navigation and training systems, and activating industry leaders to improve job quality and workplace equity. Its served audiences are workers facing racial and systemic barriers, employers seeking more equitable talent pipelines, the communities those workers belong to, and the regional workforce organizations that execute on the ground.

The organization's product surface is built around three program focus areas (Address Systemic Barriers, Transform Career Navigation & Training, Activate Industry Leaders), a coaching and training service line for network partners, an annual SHIFT Conference (with the 2026 edition scheduled for September 24-26), the State of Our Workforce Podcast, and research outputs such as the Breaking the Triple Bind report on the childcare industry. The technology stack is non-proprietary: there is no commercial platform, no disclosed API or SDK, and no AI/ML capabilities in evidence; delivery is content-, convening-, and partnership-driven rather than software-driven.

As a nonprofit, the organization does not operate a commercial revenue model. Funding flows are not disclosed in detail, but at least one corporate capital event is on record: a $2,000,000 contribution from Prudential Financial in 2020. The disclosed partnership with Ooredoo Kuwait (April 2026) extends the partner base beyond U.S. borders. Headcount is modest at 11-50 employees, and the March 2026 rebrand from National Fund for Workforce Solutions to Shift Work Forward reflects an effort to reposition the brand around a broader, more action-oriented workforce-systems mission.

Name

National Fund for Workforce Solutions

Legal name

Shift Work Forward

Website

https://nationalfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shift Work Forward (formerly National Fund for Workforce Solutions) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes a national network of regional workforce leaders to dismantle systemic barriers, transform career navigation, and activate industry leaders, serving workers, employers, and communities across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development, Employment Readiness & Job Placement (BPADAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Nonprofit consulting services
• Career navigation programs
• Job training programs
• Community workforce partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

National Fund for Workforce Solutions (now operating as Shift Work Forward) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes, coaches, and amplifies a national network of regional workforce leaders to dismantle systemic barriers, transform career navigation and training, and activate industry leaders to improve job quality. Its core deliverables include coaching and training for network partners, the annual SHIFT Conference, the State of Our Workforce podcast, and research reports such as Breaking the Triple Bind on the childcare sector.

Product overview

Shift Work Forward (formerly National Fund for Workforce Solutions) is a nonprofit organization operating as a platform-and-network model. The core offering consists of a dynamic network of regional workforce leaders paired with three strategic focus areas: addressing systemic barriers, transforming career navigation and training, and activating industry leaders. The organization provides coaching and training services, produces research reports and podcasts, and hosts the annual SHIFT Conference. It functions as a nationally powered, locally driven organization that convenes, coaches, and amplifies effective workforce development practices to advance racial equity in workforce systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ooredoo KuwaitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026Strategic partnership between National Fund for Workforce Solutions and Ooredoo Kuwait to support entrepreneurs. This partnership aims to leverage the expertise of both organizations to foster entrepreneurial development and workforce opportunity expansion.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Jobs for the Future: National nonprofit driving workforce development, education, and economic mobility initiatives across the US — directly comparable in mission, network-based operating model, and equity-centered framing.
• National Skills Coalition: National policy and advocacy organization focused on skills training and workforce development for all workers, especially those left out of economic prosperity — directly comparable in mission and systems-change approach.
• Opportunity@Work: Nonprofit focused on expanding access to career opportunity for workers without bachelor's degrees, using a similar equity-centered framing of workforce systems — closely comparable in mission and target population.
• Year Up: Large national workforce development nonprofit providing training and pathways to corporate careers for young adults from underserved communities — comparable in target population and employer-engagement model, though more program-direct-delivery focused.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free technology training and career pathways to individuals from underrepresented communities — comparable in equity-centered workforce training mission.
• Corporation for a Skilled Workforce: National nonprofit advancing workforce systems change through research, policy, and practice — directly comparable in the systems-strengthening lens applied to workforce development.
• EMPath (Economic Mobility Pathways): Nonprofit focused on breaking cycles of poverty through coaching, career navigation, and economic mobility research — comparable in coaching/training service model and equity-centered mission.
• MDRC: Social policy research organization evaluating programs that promote economic mobility, including workforce development — comparable as a research-and-evidence partner in the workforce systems space.

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: Large historic civil rights and social services organization with significant workforce development programming — comparable in equity-centered mission but operates at a much broader scale across multiple service areas.
• Aspen Institute (Economic Opportunities Program): National policy and leadership organization whose Economic Opportunities Program advances workforce systems change — comparable in policy and convening role, though housed within a much broader think tank.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@shiftworkforward
• Xx.com/National_Fund
• Facebookfacebook.com/NFWorkforce

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Fund for Workforce Solutions