Western Union Foundation Announces Commitment to Drive $500 Million in Wage Gains
- The Foundation's commitment to drive $500 million in aggregate wage gains for disadvantaged individuals is a positive move that can improve economic mobility.
- Investments in workforce readiness, job creation, and equitable access will enable individuals to qualify for higher-paying jobs and increase their earning potential.
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- Through Prosperity Beyond Borders, the Foundation aims to increase wages and earning potential for disadvantaged, high-potential individuals who currently lack access to economic mobility
“The Foundation’s goal of driving
To achieve the
- Workforce Readiness: Scholarships for international students from low-income countries, market-driven skill building courses and business boot camps
- Jobs Creation: Fellowships, seed funding and small business development empowering leaders and entrepreneurs
- Equitable Access: Support for inclusive access to jobs through safe and fair systems that create pathways to the formal labor market for people who have migrated
Programs providing these services function as powerful wage multipliers, enabling people to qualify for higher-paying jobs that offer upward mobility. The Foundation’s
“We are excited to launch Prosperity Beyond Borders and partner with innovative nonprofits that are creating durable, positive impact in people’s lives,” said Lauren Bell, Executive Director of the Western Union Foundation. “By focusing on aggregate wage gains as a key indicator of success, we are honing in on programs that have a long-term, measurable impact and can help aspiring individuals achieve their own version of prosperity and transform their lives as well as future generations.”
In addition to supporting nonprofits providing effective solutions that drive economic mobility, Prosperity Beyond Borders will be anchored by the Foundation’s two successful signature programs:
Western Union Foundation Global Scholars
The Western Union Foundation launched the Global Scholars program in 2017 to provide funding for international students struggling financially to complete their final years of college. Western Union Scholars are selected based on their academic standing, personal goals and level of financial need. The Foundation works with the Institute of International Education to accept nominations, select awardees and distribute scholarships. To date, the Foundation has funded more than 500 scholarships with plans to provide more than 130 additional scholarships through Prosperity Beyond Borders.
Western Union Foundation Fellowship
The Western Union Foundation Fellowship was launched in 2021 to further develop business and community leaders who have experienced displacement themselves, or are serving those that have been forcibly displaced, with leadership training and seed funding to launch ventures that serve a social purpose. Powered by Watson Institute, this Fellowship program has directly supported more than 75 burgeoning entrepreneurs and community leaders to date, with plans to support more than 130 Fellows throughout Prosperity Beyond Borders.
Prosperity Beyond Borders is the evolution of the Foundation’s successful completion of Opportunity Beyond Borders, through which
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About the Western Union Foundation
The Western Union Foundation’s mission is to be a catalyst for economic opportunity for people who migrate in pursuit of a more prosperous future. With more than two decades of impact, we continue to deliver on our mission with Prosperity Beyond Borders, a multi-year commitment to drive
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Media contacts:
Claire Treacy (media@westernunion.com)
Robyn Burns (robyn.burns@wu.com)
Source: The Western Union Company