By DRC Education & Workforce
Average reading time: 2.5 minutes
In 2025, Bank of America invested $1 million in job skills training programs in North Texas, connecting an estimated 86,400 individuals to livable-wage jobs and providing 265,000 people access to training and career-readiness programs. The DRC’s Education & Workforce team spoke with Jennifer Chandler, Head of Philanthropic Solutions and Dallas President for Bank of America, to better understand the bank’s long-term vision for these investments, how they define success and the impact they’ve seen so far. Chandler also serves as the DRC Board Vice Chair and Chair of the DRC’s Education & Workforce Council.
1. Bank of America has made significant investments in workforce development—nearly $40 million nationwide. What is the long-term vision behind this investment, particularly in regions like North Texas?
At Bank of America, we see workforce development as a long-term economic strategy rooted in the belief that the health of our business and the health of our communities are inseparable. Here in North Texas, that vision is very concrete. We’re investing in the industries driving this region’s future, such as healthcare, technology and advanced manufacturing, supporting training pathways aligned to where the jobs are and what employers need. A key focus for us is upward mobility, ensuring that the person who gets that first opportunity can keep climbing. When individuals move into sustainable, well-paying careers, that’s a win for their families, neighborhoods and the broader North Texas economy. That’s the ripple effect we’re working toward, and it’s why we’ll keep investing.
2. In North Texas alone, your investments have supported more than 21 organizations. How do you decide which partners to invest in?
Choosing the right partners is one of the most important decisions we make at Bank of America. We consider which organizations get people into quality employment, if they can sustain this work beyond our grant and if they are reaching the communities that need it most. But beyond the data, we’ve learned that the best partnerships are built on ongoing dialogue, shared values and a mutual commitment to the people we’re both trying to serve.
3. What metrics do you track to evaluate the impact of your investments? What success stories come to mind in North Texas?
We believe that if you’re going to invest in people, you must be rigorous about measuring progress. In North Texas, we track metrics across four key areas:
- The total number of individuals served
- Training and educational outcomes, such as credentials earned and degrees completed
- Enrollment in continued education pulled from workforce placement data
- Program structure to ensure dollars are being used effectively
The numbers that matter most are the ones tied to real economic mobility: How many people secured a livable-wage job? How many were still employed six months later? Those are the indicators that tell us whether we’ve made a lasting difference in someone’s life.
And then there are the stories that remind you why this work matters. One that stays with us is about Jessi, a young woman here in Dallas who came through the Ascend finance career pathway while juggling work, caregiving and college all at once. She came in with determination and left with confidence, industry-ready skills and a job at Bank of America earning $25 an hour, up from $2.75 an hour in a tipped position. Jessi’s career pathway created financial stability for her entire family. Behind every data point is a person, and stories like Jessi’s are what keep us accountable to this work.
4. What role should corporations play in workforce development, especially alongside the public and nonprofit sectors?
Workforce development is most effective when corporations, public institutions and nonprofit organizations work in a true partnership. Corporations bring financial capital, developmental skills, scale and institutional reach that can drive real change.
Financial investment is only part of the equation. Through programs like Leader on Loan, which embeds Bank of America leaders inside nonprofits for up to 18 months, and our support of organizations that create career pathways, we work alongside the nonprofit and public sectors to build trusted, community-rooted pipelines that move people into livable-wage careers.
One example is the work of Kay Roberts, a Bank of America employee currently serving as the Leader on Loan for United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. In her role as Director of the Southern Dallas Food Access & Security Initiative, Kay works directly with Southern Dallas residents to understand their needs, scale proven solutions, and build wraparound support systems that address food security, health and economic stability together. This kind of embedded leadership helps nonprofits build lasting capacity and ensures that corporate expertise translates into real, community-driven impact. Investing in a skilled, diverse and empowered workforce strengthens businesses, communities and the regional economy.
5. How can communities, educators or policymakers better partner with companies like Bank of America to scale this work?
The most important thing communities, educators and policymakers can do is show up to the table early and come with clarity about what their communities need. At Bank of America, our most effective partnerships are built on shared goals and mutual accountability. Through our work with the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Education & Workforce Council, we’ve seen firsthand what’s possible when business, education and civic leaders align around a common talent agenda.
When educators design curriculum in consultation with employers and policymakers create frameworks that incentivize skills-first hiring over credential-only requirements, everyone wins. The companies that want to scale this work are out there, but the partnerships that move the needle are the ones rooted in trust, transparency and a genuine commitment to the people being served.