This year, America Forward celebrates 10 years of collective advocacy work. As we celebrate this important milestone and lay the foundation for what the next 10 years hold, we are chronicling the impact that America Forward and our Coalition of 70 organizations have had using our practical experiences to shift federal policy to reward results, incentivize innovation, catalyze cross-sector partnerships, and advance equity. Here are five of the top 10 ways America Forward has shaped workforce development policy over the past decade and helped transform #Practice2Policy.

  • In 2012, America Forward launched the America Forward Coalition Workforce Development Task Force.
  • America Forward moved to advocacy and action to influence the inclusion of a Pay for Success pilot in the Workforce Innovation Fund (WIF) grant program.
  • America Forward was directly involved in developing, advocating for, and ensuring the ultimate passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in 2014.
  • America Forward and the America Forward Coalition secured key provisions in WIOA, including authorizing Pay for Performance contracting; prioritizing and supporting career pathways and many more.
  • Since passage of WIOA, America Forward has been at the forefront of educating Governors, state workforce leaders, and local workforce boards about the changes made by the law, and has presented at conferences on the changes in WIOA.

Read the rest of the list about shaping workforce development at America Forward.