The following is shared from the National Reentry Workforce Collaborative:
The State of the Field Report was built with one purpose: to deliver practical value to members of the reentry workforce field. It is a tool you can use to:
- Increase knowledge of the field and stay informed about national trends;
- Guide organizational and ecosystem-level strategic planning;
- Support marketing and communications; and
- Strengthen fundraising efforts by grounding proposals in a nationally informed context.
This year’s report centers on the theme of uncertainty. Specifically, how organizations are navigating federal funding disruptions, adapting to rapid advances in AI, and building resilience in a shifting environment. The State of the Reentry Workforce report is the National Reentry Workforce Collaborative’s (NRWC) first annual effort to capture the current landscape of reentry
workforce development across the United States. This year’s theme, Navigating Uncertainty in the Field, reflects the reality that providers are operating in an environment defined by rapid change, including shifting federal policies, evolving funding priorities, and disruptive new technologies. All of this impacts not just how organizations plan and deliver services, but also the opportunities available to people coming home from incarceration.
This report was built with the field, for the field. A workgroup of NRWC members was formed to think through the focus, design, and structure of the report. The bulk of insights contained in this report were gathered from a survey sent to NRWC members and other reentry workforce stakeholders across the country. NRWC received 153 responses to the survey. Respondents included nonprofit organizations, government agencies, employers, faith-based organizations, and academic/ research institutions, among others. The majority of responding organizations focus primarily on workforce development and case management, though they collectively represent a diverse spectrum of services within their communities. Interviews were also conducted with several national philanthropic organizations. Insights from the survey and interviews were supplemented with secondary research when appropriate.
What follows is a report meant to be an actionable document, including an overview of where we are today, takeaways, and recommendations for weathering the uncertainty.