Let’s make a difference—together.

This year’s Inspire Awards challenge aims to improve resources and wraparound services for workers seeking reskilling, upskilling, and career transitions to uplift themselves—and their families.

For workers looking to develop skills to help them adapt to industry changes, career navigation and workforce development solutions can make an impact. These tools can aid smoother career transitions, foster economic mobility, and empower workers to pursue personal growth. 

The celebration of success

Following the completion of the program, each of the finalists will present their unique solutions to Truist Foundation. During an exciting one-night-only event, finalists will have the opportunity to share their innovative idea with the community—and a live audience where we will announce the grant recipients.

Here are the grants for this challenge:

  • First place: $250,000
  • Second place: $150,000 
  • Runners-up: $25,000
  • Audience favorite: $75,000

Here’s a look at the timeline:

  • September 23, 2024: Challenge opens
  • January 8, 2025: Deadline for applicants to submit a solution
  • March 3 - 7, 2025: Semifinalists announced
  • March 26 & 27, 2025:  Semifinalists invited for interview session with Truist Foundation and advisory council members
  • April 2025: Finalists announced
  • May 2025 - November 2025: Finalist support program
  • September 2025: Finalists film pitch videos with production team
  • October 23, 2025: Finalists invited for interview session with Truist Foundation and advisory council members
  • November 2025: Pitch event for finalists and winner announcement

 

Here’s a recap of the 2024 Inspire Awards.

Centro Community Partners was the first-place recipient of the second Inspire Awards—with a $250,000 grant award. The organization also was named the Audience Favorite by attendees of the event, earning an additional $75,000 grant. Their solution is to provide an AI-generated journey through a virtual hub of resources for low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs.

Immigrants Rising received second place and a $150,000 grant. Their solution employs a gamification learning hub to help remove barriers to traditional employment for those who want to earn a sustainable income through small business ownership. The five runners-up each received a $25,000 grant to help implement their solutions.

Check out some of the exciting moments here.

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(Visual description: An image of the front of Knight Theater slides in.)

(Uplifting music plays softly.)

Greg Olsen:

“Welcome to the 2024 Truist Foundation”

(Visual description: side-by-side videos of a diverse group of professionally-dressed people mingling in the lobby of Knight Theater play.)

Greg Olsen:

“Inspire Awards, celebrating change makers”

(Visual description: Signs celebrating finalists for the Inspire Awards. A group of people takes a selfie in front of them.)

Greg Olsen:

“brought together from all across the country.”

(Visual description: Greg Olson, former NFL player and current FOX NFL Analyst, is delivering this speech to the crowd at the Inspire Awards.)

Greg Olsen:

“Successful small businesses”

(Visual description: Videos of small business owners on the job, in blue-collar and white-collar settings.)

Greg Olsen:

“not only invigorate communities”

(Visual description: A small business owner walks in with a clipboard. Another small business owner claps and laughs at a meeting.)

Greg Olsen:

“but transform local economies and lay the groundwork”

(Visual description: A woman gestures in conversation. A computer shows the Just Economy Pledge screen on the NCRC website. A man speaks at a meeting.)

Greg Olsen:

“for a better future for all.”

(Uplifting music grows louder.)

(Visual description: A group of professionals put their hands together and raise them excitedly.)

(Visual description: A man illuminated by stage lights speaks into a microphone in front of a wall with the logo of the Truist Foundation and the Inspire Awards.)

(Visual description: A producer sits behind a switchboard showing camera views of Greg Olson speaking to a man.)

(Uplifting music grows quieter.)

Lynette Bell:

“Our goal with the Truist Foundation”

(Visual description: Close-up of the word “Inspire,” the logo for the Truist Foundation Inspire Awards.)

Lynette Bell:

“has always been to empower these nonprofits”

(Visual description: Lynette Bell, President of the Truist Foundation, is delivering this speech to the crowd at the Inspire Awards.)

Lynette Bell:

“to lead both within their communities”

(Visual description: A woman wearing safety goggles holds an onion up in a kitchen.  Another woman is engaged in conversation.)

Lynette Bell:

“and beyond.”

(Visual description: In an office setting, a woman shares information as she gestures with her hands.)

(Visual description: A computer displays the Community Partner Resources page on the Start Small Think Big website. A man wearing a backpack walks outside.)

(Uplifting music grows louder.)

(Visual description: Greg Olson shakes Lynette Bell’s hand onstage at the Inspire Awards.)

(Visual description: Lynette Bell fist-bumps Bill Rogers, Chairman and CEO of Truist.)

(Uplifting music grows quieter.)

Bill Rogers:

“Together, we believe”

(Visual description: Bill Rogers fist-bumps Greg Olson.)

Bill Rogers:

“providing resources”

(Visual description: Bill Rogers is delivering this speech to the crowd at the Inspire Awards.)

Bill Rogers:

“and encouraging innovation, we can help build career pathways,”

(Visual description: A man raises his arm and smiles. A man looks on as a woman shows him her computer.)

Bill Rogers:

“we can strengthen small businesses,”

(Visual description: Side-by-side in the frame, videos of a man and a woman smiling at people off-screen.)

Bill Rogers:

“and we can create thriving communities.”

(Visual description: Two women embrace tightly. One woman shows another her phone.)

(Uplifting music grows louder.)

(Visual description: Greg Olson shakes the hand of a man. The man enters a room backstage at the Inspire Awards as a group of people rise to greet him.)

(Visual description: A man speaks to Denea Joseph of Immigrants Rising.)

Denea Joseph:

“Thank you so much. It is an honor, a privilege.”

(Visual description: Denea Joseph is delivering this speech onstage at the Inspire Awards after receiving a second-place grant of $150,000 and a trophy.)

Denea Joseph:

“This makes us that much more viable to continue this work”

(Visual description: A computer displaying the ImmigrantBizHub.)

Denea Joseph:

“and to continue to serve our community”

(Visual description: Denea Joseph shows a man her phone in a meeting room setting.)

Denea Joseph:

“so thank you.”

(Uplifting music increases in volume.)

(Visual description: A man visits ImmigrantBizHub Course Trainings on his computer and phone.)

Arturo Noriega:

“First, I’m incredibly grateful.”

(Visual description: A woman dances in a restaurant kitchen and winks at the camera.)

Arturo Noriega:

“Thank you, Truist, for stepping up and supporting the entire”

(Visual description: Arturo Noriega of Centro Community Partners gestures towards Bill Rogers as he delivers this speech on stage at the Inspire Awards after receiving a $250,000 first-place grant.)

Arturo Noriega:

“ecosystem of innovators.”

(Music increases in volume.)

(Visual description: A backstage room full of people claps for Arturo Noriega and a woman pats him on the back.)

(Music decreases in volume.)

Arturo Noriega:

“It should be in everybody’s reach,”

(Visual description: Arturo Noriega smiles as he’s led to the stage by a producer at the Inspire Awards.)

(Visual description: Arturo Noriega wipes away tears as Bill Rogers hands him a trophy on stage.)

Arturo Noriega:

“and if you come from a family”

(Visual description: Arturo Noriega speaks on stage at the Inspire Awards with Greg Olson, Lynette Bell, and Bill Rogers.)

Arturo Noriega:

“of entrepreneurs or immigrants that started generations ago,”

(Visual description: Arturo Noriega is overcome by emotion as he exits the stage following a producer. Cheering people await him.)

Arturo Noriega:

“or just started yesterday, we all share the same journey.”

(Visual description: Arturo Noriega walks through a group of applauding people.)

Arturo Noriega:

“This is what makes our country so amazing.”

(Visual description: Title animation with Truist Foundation Inspire Awards and Truist Foundation.)

(Uplifting music fades out.)

(Visual description: Screen fades to black.)