Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit dedicated to transforming education and workforce systems in the U.S., has been awarded a $19.5 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to advance its Fair Chance to Advance initiative. This program, launched in 2024 and led by JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement, aims to break down persistent barriers such as discriminatory hiring practices and systemic misalignments that limit economic opportunities for the over 70 million Americans with arrest, conviction, or incarceration records.
The Fair Chance to Advance initiative supports states in scaling high-quality postsecondary education and training programs within correctional facilities. It seeks to ensure that individuals leaving prison gain valuable credentials, skills, employer connections, and comprehensive support services necessary to succeed in today’s workforce. Additionally, the initiative helps states develop data systems to monitor educational and employment outcomes post-incarceration, promoting transparency and accountability for sustained systemic change.
Maria Flynn, JFF’s President and CEO, describes Fair Chance to Advance as a transformative effort to align education, workforce, and employment systems to expand opportunities for people with records and build strong talent pipelines. With Ascendium’s funding, JFF will launch the first cohort of State Action Networks, providing up to $2.1 million per state, alongside extensive technical assistance and access to a national peer learning network over the next four years.
In each selected state, cross-sector coalitions—comprising leaders from corrections, workforce development, education, business, and individuals directly impacted by the justice system—will collaborate to remove policy barriers, expand training in prisons, and strengthen connections with fair chance employers after release. Lucretia Murphy, vice president of JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement, emphasizes that this initiative helps align previously siloed systems to create pathways to economic mobility and lasting change for people with records.
Ascendium’s senior strategy officer, Molly Lasagna, highlights the commitment to supporting learners with incarceration histories in gaining meaningful credentials leading to career advancement. The Fair Chance to Advance initiative fosters collaboration across corrections, education, workforce, and reentry systems to provide opportunities for tens of thousands of learners.
JFF has issued a request for proposals inviting states to apply to join the inaugural Fair Chance to Advance State Action Networks cohort. Interested states must submit proposals by October 14, 2025, with a nonbinding letter of intent due by August 26, 2025. Further details, including the full RFP and informational resources, are available on the Fair Chance to Advance webpage.
