Truist Foundation Inspire Awards

We’re collaborating with MIT Solve to kick off our third year of the Inspire Awards. Nonprofits from across the country are invited to pitch their solution to advance workers through career navigation and workforce development.

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.

2025 Truist Foundation Inspire Awards Challenge Question

How are nonprofits providing innovative solutions for the reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation needs of adults who are in the middle or late stages of their careers?

Challenge Dimensions

We are seeking innovative nonprofit solutions that improve resources and wraparound services for adults who are in the middle or late stages of their careers seeking reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation support, including:

Wraparound Services – Supporting unemployed and underemployed individuals on their journey to economic mobility through innovative and comprehensive resources including transportation support, childcare, mentorship, mental health services, and more.
Coalition Building – Generating greater buy-in and support for workforce navigation efforts through coalitions, promoting communication and collaboration across diverse sectors and stakeholders including businesses, nonprofits, and government entities.
Career Navigation – Enabling workers to navigate their career choices more easily, helping to facilitate informed decisions about which high-quality jobs and career trajectories best suit them.
Upskilling and Reskilling – Providing accessible, high-quality, skill-building and training opportunities for those transitioning between careers or facing unemployment.

Building a program of opportunity

Truist Foundation, with help from its advisory council, will interview 15 semifinalists. Then, Truist Foundation will narrow it down to six finalists.

The six finalists will take part in a six-month wraparound support and development program to help transform their groundbreaking ideas into tangible solutions. The program includes:

A comprehensive needs assessment to determine what resources and support will most likely accelerate impact,
Access to a network of resource partners, mentors, and coaches across industries and sectors,
Learning and development modules aimed at refining the business model, theory of change, and plans for scaling,
A peer-to-peer network to build a community with dedicated spaces to convene during the support program,
A two-day Truist Leadership Institute retreat,
Workshops focused on helping finalists prepare for the presentation and awards event, and
An invitation to participate in the annual flagship Solve at MIT event, held in May each year.

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 12, 2025: Pitch event for finalists and winner announcement

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Truist Foundation Inspire Awards

Let’s make a difference—together.

Interested in seeing the innovative solutions?

2025 Truist Foundation Inspire Awards Challenge Question

Challenge Dimensions

We are seeking innovative nonprofit solutions that improve resources and wraparound services for adults who are in the middle or late stages of their careers seeking reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation support, including:

Building a program of opportunity

The celebration of success

Here are the grants for this challenge:

Here’s a look at the timeline:

Investment and Insurance Products:

Limited English Proficiency Support:

New York City residents:

Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) needing information can use the following resources:

Truist Foundation Inspire Awards

Let’s make a difference—together.

Interested in seeing the innovative solutions?

2025 Truist Foundation Inspire Awards Challenge Question

Challenge Dimensions

We are seeking innovative nonprofit solutions that improve resources and wraparound services for adults who are in the middle or late stages of their careers seeking reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation support, including:

Building a program of opportunity

The celebration of success

Here are the grants for this challenge:

Here’s a look at the timeline:

Disclosures

Investment and Insurance Products:

Limited English Proficiency Support:

New York City residents:

Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) needing information can use the following resources:

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