Community leaders collaborating in first of its kind Connect for Impact event.
Nearly 100 attendees gathered on November 4, 2026, for the ATI Foundation Connect for Impact, an event designed to bring organizations together around a shared purpose: strengthening communities through collaboration.
The gathering connected current grantees and organizations with proposals in reserve for potential future funding. Rather than focusing solely on financial support, the event created space for organizations to exchange ideas, explore common challenges, and identify opportunities to move workforce development initiatives forward.
Why the ATI Foundation Brought Organizations Together
The ATI Foundation organized Connect for Impact to strengthen relationships among organizations advancing education, workforce readiness, and career opportunities.
Each organization brought its own experience, perspective, and understanding of the communities it serves. By creating opportunities for these representatives to meet and exchange ideas, the ATI Foundation encouraged connections that extend beyond individual grant awards.
The distinction matters. While grant funding provides resources to advance specific initiatives, relationships between organizations can create additional opportunities for shared learning and coordinated action.
This approach reflects the ATI Foundation's broader commitment to trust-based philanthropy by removing barriers, building connections, and unlocking potential.
Through its workforce development grant program, the ATI Foundation invests in organizations working to strengthen education and employment pathways. Connect for Impact brought that commitment to collaboration into the same room.
How ATI Foundation Connect for Impact Encouraged Collaboration
The November 4 event combined opening remarks from leadership with focused discussions among representatives of participating organizations.
Chris Van Metre, the ATI Board Chair, opened Connect for Impact with heartfelt and inspiring remarks that set the tone for the gathering.
Following his address, representatives moved into table discussions centered on workforce development challenges and opportunities.
Rather than simply listening to presentations, attendees had the opportunity to share their own perspectives and learn from others working in related fields.
ATI Board Chair, Chris Van Metre, speaks to attendees at the Foundation’s inaugural Connect for Impact event.
The format encouraged three important activities:
Sharing experience: Organizations could discuss the challenges and opportunities they encounter in their respective areas of work.
Building connections: Representatives could meet others whose initiatives or experience relate to their own.
Exploring collaboration: Participants could consider where shared interests might create opportunities to move initiatives forward.
The conversations reflected the range of work represented among participating organizations.
Which Workforce Development Topics Were Discussed?
Connect for Impact included discussions on re-entry and workforce reintegration, foundational literacy and numeracy, and career exposure and employer pathways.
| Discussion Topics |
|---|
| Re-entry & Workforce Reintegration |
| Student Stability & School-Based Support |
| Youth & Family Support Connections |
| Foundational Literacy & Numeracy |
| Education Systems & Career Pathways |
| Skills Training & Workforce Entry |
| Economic Mobility & Workforce Support |
| Career Exposure & Employer Pathways |
These subjects represent different but related aspects of workforce development. Workforce development refers to efforts that prepare people with the knowledge, skills, experience, and connections needed to pursue meaningful employment and long-term career opportunities.
The ATI Foundation's work recognizes that strengthening career pathways can require attention to multiple barriers and opportunities. Its recent workforce development grant awards illustrate that range, with funded initiatives addressing education, career exploration, workforce preparation, and employment access.
What Attendees Said About Connect for Impact
The response to Connect for Impact was enthusiastic, with attendees praising both the event and the opportunity to connect directly with other organizations.
The prevailing sentiment captured by attendees:
“Funders never do things like this!”
It reflected attendees’ appreciation for an event that brought funded organizations and potential future grantees together, not simply to discuss individual proposals, but to exchange knowledge and build relationships.
For the ATI Foundation, the gathering demonstrated the value participants placed on having dedicated time for those conversations.
Funding is one way to move initiatives forward. Creating opportunities for organizations to connect is another.
Why Connections Matter Beyond Grant Funding
Connect for Impact reflected the ATI Foundation's role as both a grant-maker and a connector among organizations working to strengthen communities.
Grant funding can provide resources for a defined project. Collaboration can create opportunities for organizations to learn from one another and identify common priorities.
Both have a place in advancing workforce development.
The ATI Foundation's approach brings together several connected priorities:
The intimate and informal structure made for a conversational atmosphere.
Removing barriers that can limit access to education, training, and employment.
Building connections among organizations working toward related goals.
Unlocking potential by investing in initiatives that create stronger career pathways.
The Foundation's grant program also recognizes that organizations with proposals in reserve may remain candidates for future funding consideration. By welcoming both current grantees and organizations with proposals in reserve, the ATI Foundation created an opportunity for relationships to develop across different stages of the funding process.
Connect for Impact: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | Connect for Impact |
| Host | ATI Foundation |
| Date | November 4, 2026 |
| Location | ATI Headquarters in Summerville, SC |
| Attendance | Approximately 100 attendees |
| Participants | Current grantees and organizations with proposals in reserve |
| Opening Speaker | Chris Van Metre, ATI Board Chair |
| Focus | Workforce development, community collaboration, and organizational connections |
| Discussion Topics | Re-entry and Workforce Reintegration; Foundational Literacy and Numeracy; Career Exposure and Employer Pathways; additional topics |
Frequently Asked Questions About ATI Foundation Connect for Impact
What was ATI Foundation Connect for Impact?
Connect for Impact was a gathering hosted by the ATI Foundation on November 4, 2026. It brought together approximately 100 attendees to discuss workforce development priorities, exchange ideas, and build relationships among participating organizations.
Who attended Connect for Impact?
Attendees represented current ATI Foundation grantees and organizations with proposals in reserve for potential future funding. Their participation provided opportunities to connect with organizations working on related community and workforce initiatives.
What topics were discussed at Connect for Impact?
Discussion topics included Re-entry and Workforce Reintegration, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, and Career Exposure and Employer Pathways, among others. These subjects address different aspects of education, workforce readiness, and access to employment opportunities.
Does participation in Connect for Impact guarantee ATI Foundation funding?
No. The event included current grantees and organizations with proposals in reserve, but participation did not constitute a grant award or funding commitment. Organizations interested in funding opportunities can review the ATI Foundation's official grant program information.
How does the ATI Foundation advance workforce development?
The ATI Foundation funds workforce initiatives, builds connections among organizations, and supports efforts to remove barriers to education and employment. Its work focuses on expanding opportunities for meaningful careers and strengthening communities.
Continue the Conversation
Interested in learning how the ATI Foundation funds workforce initiatives and connects organizations working to expand opportunity?
Explore the ATI Foundation Grant Program to learn about its approach, eligibility requirements, and future funding opportunities.