Dress for Success Arizona is proud to be among 15 exceptional nonprofit organizations selected to join the 2026 Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator, a national initiative that unites youth‑serving nonprofits with business leaders to strengthen pathways from training into employment for young people across the United States.
The Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator, led by the Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC‑Education), brings together a network of 58 youth‑serving organizations across 24 states, collectively reaching more than 250,000 young people. This year’s cohort will participate in intensive training, coaching, and collaboration with employers to address the growing skills gap as one in five young Americans remains out of school or work amid rapid changes in the labor market.
Through the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator, participating organizations will benefit from a variety of supports, including:
- An all‑expenses‑paid Leadership Lab — a three‑day, in‑person working session in New York City where nonprofit and business leaders will explore workforce challenges, share insights, and develop actionable strategies.
- Ongoing learning and development sessions and one‑to‑one coaching to strengthen organizational capacity and impact.
- Reimbursement for teams to attend relevant industry events that elevate visibility and partnerships.
- Access to the Accelerator Toolkit, including resources, pro‑bono tools, and two Dell AI PCs per organization to support implementation.
- Additional support offerings from partners such as McKinsey.org, Atlassian, and Tata Consultancy Services.
“Scale and local reach matter when it comes to developing the future workforce our business depends on. Through the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator, we’re able to collaborate with a network already active in communities across the U.S.,” said Lottie A. Holland, Vice President – Diversity & Inclusion, Engagement, EEO Compliance & NA Philanthropy at Stellantis.
2026 Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator Participants:
- NPower Inc — Dayton, Ohio
- Future Plans — Newbury, Ohio
- Dress for Success Arizona — Phoenix, Arizona
- The Skills Center, Inc — Tampa, Florida
- Merit America — Washington, D.C.
- Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Inc — Jacksonville, Florida
- Better Youth, Inc — Los Angeles, California
- FilmNorth — Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Diversity Cyber Council — Houston, Texas
- Bronx Tech Hub — Bronx, New York
- The SoLa Foundation — Los Angeles, California
- National AHEC Organization (NAO) — Alachua, Florida
- Maydm — Madison, Washington
- African American Youth Harvest Foundation — Austin, Texas
- Apprenti — Issaquah, Washington
Dress for Success Arizona looks forward to leveraging this opportunity to expand its impact, deepen employer partnerships, and help more young people build lasting economic independence.
About Dress for Success Arizona Dress for Success Arizona empowers women and their families to achieve economic mobility by providing a network of support, workplace attire, and the development tools needed to help them thrive in work and in life.
About the Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator The Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator is a national leadership and network program led by the Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC‑Education) that supports youth‑serving organizations through employer‑aligned training, capacity building, and collaboration to prepare young people for the future of work.
