Anchor institutions are essential to driving economic mobility outcomes forward. These institutions – universities, hospitals and other large, place-based employers – are uniquely positioned to do just that. Unlike companies that may relocate or downsize, anchor institutions remain rooted in their neighborhoods, employing thousands, purchasing billions of goods and services and controlling numerous public spaces.
This combination of stability and scale allows them to deploy workforce investments strategically, creating tangible pathways for low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents to access well-paying jobs, vocational training and entrepreneurial opportunities. Across the US, multiple anchor institutions have launched programs that combine workforce training, community engagement and economic development.
Their efforts show that when anchors intentionally design workforce investments, the impact can ripple far beyond individual hires. This strengthens the local economy and builds long-term mobility.
Brown University: Anchoring Career Pathways in Rhode Island
In 2026, Brown University committed $50 million over ten years to workforce development in Rhode Island, exemplifying how universities can act as engines for community economic mobility at a local level. As part of this initiative, Brown awarded two anchor grants totaling $3 million. The first grant supports the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) in launching a certificate program for early childhood education by offering scholarships and wraparound services for low-income, first-generation and multilingual students. These supports include mentoring, tutoring, transportation assistance and flexible class scheduling. The services are designed to ensure that participants not only complete their training but successfully enter the workforce.
The second grant went to Building Futures, a nonprofit scaling registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs across high-demand sectors, including the healthcare, IT, construction and manufacturing industries. With incentives for employers and targeted support for populations like returning citizens, Building Futures aims to place more than 250 participants into career pathways over the next three years.
Brown’s model illustrates how anchor grants can serve dual purposes: building workforce pipelines in critical industries while embedding equity into program design. By aligning financial support, training and employer engagement outcomes, universities can translate their economic clout into lasting mobility opportunities in their local communities.
Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals: Health Systems Driving Local Employment
Hospitals are another powerful type of anchor institution. In Cleveland, both the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals have leveraged their size and stability to implement workforce development initiatives with a strong local focus. These programs target LMI populations through career ladder initiatives, certified training programs and pre-apprenticeship opportunities in healthcare and allied industries.
Beyond direct training and hiring, these hospitals incorporate workforce development into broader economic strategies, such as supplier diversity and procurement from minority-owned businesses. This integrated approach ensures that workforce gains are reinforced by opportunities in local business development, creating multiple pathways for residents to build income and assets. These hospitals demonstrate that anchor institutions can align internal employment, supplier strategies and community partnerships to create comprehensive, scalable economic mobility frameworks.
West Side United: Collaboration Across Anchors
Some communities are taking the anchor institution approach even further by creating multi-institution collaboratives. In Chicago, West Side United partners with several hospitals and partner organizations to implement coordinated workforce development programs in historically disinvested neighborhoods. The collaborative works with local residents to provide training, apprenticeships and placement into healthcare and related sectors, with a focus on measurable outcomes and equitable access.
West Side United illustrates the potential of collaboration among anchors when they pool their resources, share best practices and align their workforce investments for scale and impact.
Lessons for Economic Mobility
Anchor institution workforce initiatives across sectors and regions demonstrate how place-based investment can translate institutional presence into measurable community outcomes. These examples highlight several key principles for effective anchor-driven workforce development:
- Intentionality matters. Programs that explicitly target LMI populations and embed equity considerations achieve more impactful results than those designed solely to fill workforce gaps.
- Wraparound supports improve outcomes. Mentoring, transportation assistance, flexible schedules and targeted financial support help participants complete training and secure employment.
- Integration amplifies impact. Linking workforce programs to procurement, small business development and sector partnerships multiplies benefits across communities.
- Collaboration enhances scale. Multi-anchor efforts demonstrate that coordinated approaches reach more residents, diversify opportunities and create replicable models for other regions.
By investing strategically in workforce development, anchor institutions are creating pathways that connect training, employment and economic opportunities for those who need it the most. These programs show that meaningful economic mobility is built not through isolated efforts, but through coordinated action, intentional design and long-term commitment to the communities that anchor institutions call home.
Doug Mollett is the Economic Mobility Manager for NCRC’s Economic Mobility team.
Photo credit: Jay Brand via Pexels.
