By Ebonee Johnikin, Communications Director, Foundation for the Mid South

Jackson and the Mississippi Delta are no strangers to tough odds.  Generations of families have weathered poverty, limited job opportunities, and a stubborn lack of resources.  But this fall, the Foundation for the Mid South (FMS) is putting serious muscle behind a new effort to turn the tide.  With $550,000 in fresh grant funding, eleven organizations have been tapped to tackle the region’s most persistent barriers to employment, from childcare to transportation, while opening doors to good-paying, credential-backed careers.

“This marks the Foundation getting off the sidelines and back onto the playing field,” said Greg Johnson, President and CEO of FMS.  “We’re helping to build the coalitions needed to move the region forward, not only through funding, but also by supporting networking, convening, advocacy, and communication.”

A Pipeline, Not Just a Certificate

For Cassio Batteast, FMS’s Vice President of Programs, what stood out about the grantees wasn’t flashy language or lofty promises.  It was practicality.

“What made these grantees stand out is their ability to create a true pipeline, not just training for training’s sake, but certification that leads to real jobs,” Batteast explained.  “We were especially drawn to organizations serving populations that have historically been left out of opportunity: returning citizens, young people who need skills beyond high school, women who face childcare barriers, and veterans who may have years of experience but lack formal credentials.”

In other words, this grant isn’t about resume-padding.  It’s about helping people cross the bridge from the classroom to the paycheck.

The 2025 Workforce Development Grantee Cohort includes the following organizations:

• 180 Career Center – Jackson, MS
• The Bean Path – Jackson, MS
• Delta Compass – Greenville, MS
• Dream Innovations, Inc. – Yazoo, MS
• Deep South Today – Jackson, MS
• Holmes County Consolidated School District – Lexington, MS
• Humphreys County School District – Belzoni, MS
• Jackson Municipal Airport Authority – Jackson, MS
• Metro Booming Training Academy – Jackson, MS
• Reuben V. Anderson Center for Justice – Tougaloo, MS
• Sipp Culture – Utica, MS

From VR Headsets to Farmers’ Markets

While each organization is tackling barriers in its own way, here are a few stories that show the heart of this work.

The grantees themselves are a mixed bag, in the best way.

• In Yazoo City, Dream Innovations is using Virtual Reality to train participants in everything from IT to construction.  Over 50 students have already completed more than 25 immersive career simulations each.  One participant even walked away with both an electrical wiring and a heavy construction certification.

• In Utica, the Mississippi Center for Cultural Production, better known as Sipp Culture, is planting seeds for the future.  Their workforce program integrates food, agriculture, and hospitality certifications with stipends and community support.  As co-director Carlton Turner put it:

“This program is about more than just training for jobs.  It’s about creating pathways for our community to thrive.  We’re building opportunities that honor our culture while preparing residents for meaningful, sustainable work.”

• In Jackson, Metro Booming Training Academy is equipping young adults with HVAC and electrical skills, paired with OSHA safety and ACT WorkKeys certifications. Their mission says it plainly:

“MBTA exists to empower individuals from underserved and underrepresented communities through industry-aligned workforce training, life skills development, and credentialed career pathways.”

• In Belzoni, the Thomas C. Randle Career and Technical Center is launching an HVAC and construction training program built on the NCCER Core Curriculum, preparing adults for entry-level construction jobs and future pathways in HVAC specialization.

It’s a roster that spans industries like healthcare, technology, agriculture, and construction, but shares a common denominator—giving folks a shot at careers that can pay the bills and change lives.

Tackling Barriers Head-On

Anyone who has lived in the Delta knows it’s not just about getting skills.  It’s about removing the everyday roadblocks that keep people from showing up in the first place.  Cassio didn’t mince words:

“Transportation, childcare, housing, those are barriers, especially in rural communities,” he said.  “If I’m in training, where do I take my kid?  I’m not making money during training.  That’s why wraparound services matter.  It’s those little supports that make all the difference.”

Evaluator Rodney Washington, who is leading program evaluation for the initiative, echoed the point, adding that the stakes are generational.

“I grew up in the Delta.  I know firsthand how families are impacted by what is oftentimes generational poverty,” Washington said.  “These employment opportunities lead to not only jobs, but insurance, retirement, and savings.  For a family that’s never had a savings account or health plan, this is bigger than just a paycheck.”

A Different Way of Doing Philanthropy

The Foundation hasn’t launched a grantmaking initiative in three years, and that gap became an opportunity to reimagine the process.

The application was intentionally streamlined to reduce the burden on organizations.  Instead of focusing on polished proposals, FMS looked for real work, real relationships, and real impact.

Applicants were supported along the way, ensuring their submissions reflected the full scope of what they do in communities.

This “coaching while funding” approach, paired with two planned peer-learning convenings, is designed to build staying power.  As Batteast noted, “We don’t want organizations to rely on us forever.  Capacity-building is about helping them become self-sustaining so we can bring in new groups in future cohorts.”

The Bigger Picture

For Greg Johnson, the heart of this initiative isn’t just workforce training.  It’s dignity.

“We need to recenter certifications and blue-collar work as a pathway to creating a good life for you and your family,” Johnson said.  “For 20 years, we only pushed a ‘just college’ framework.  But there’s no hierarchy in human value and no hierarchy in work.  Anyone who’s willing to work a full-time job should have access to the ability to build a good life.”

He added:

“Ultimately, this work is about more than jobs.  We want a region where every child can be educated to their capacity, where families can put food on the table and save for the future, and where people are healthy enough to enjoy the benefits of their labor and the joy of being in community.”

The Road Ahead

The grants are just the first inning of a long game.  Projects officially launched in September 2025 and will run through mid-2026, with an eye toward sustainable models that can outlast the funding.

“It really doesn’t take a massive investment to make change,” Batteast reflected.  “It takes an intentional one.  That’s what this is, intentional investment in the people of Mississippi.”

If the initiative delivers on its promise, the payoff will be more than certifications and job placements.  It will be a future where Mississippi families can not only get by, but get ahead.  And in a place where “making do” has been the norm for too long, that’s a game-changer.

Moving Mississippians Forward is not only about this moment, it’s about shaping the future.  The Foundation for the Mid South will continue to explore new opportunities for grantmaking and partnerships that open doors for families across the Delta.  If you’d like to stay connected or learn more about how to get involved, visit https://fndmidsouth.org/economic-opportunities/.

Photos provided by Workforce Development Grantees through the Foundation for the Mid South.