The Upwork Foundation's 2026 Focus: Investing in the Future of Early-Career Work

The Upwork Foundation is Upwork's independent philanthropic arm. In an effort to close the global opportunity gap, the Foundation funds a wide range of initiatives that connect marginalized communities with life-sustaining knowledge work, no matter their location. 

This year, we're turning our attention to a threat that cuts to the heart of that mission: the erosion of entry-level work. 

AI’s disproportionate impact on early-career work

Entry-level jobs have always been built around tactical, hands-on work — the research, the drafting, the data entry, the analysis. And for generations, that work was how young professionals learned to build technical skills, develop judgment, and understand how organizations actually function.

That work is now being automated. As generative AI takes on more cognitive and analytical tasks, companies are discovering they need fewer junior employees to do what AI can handle faster and more cost effectively. The result is a shrinking bottom rung and a generation of early-career professionals with nowhere to start.

This trend is already visible in the data. SignalFire reports that among the 15 largest publicly traded tech companies, entry-level hiring as a share of total hiring has dropped by 50% since before the pandemic. The pattern extends beyond tech. Finance, consulting, and accounting are among the most exposed, with entry-level positions declining sharply.

The challenge isn't only that entry-level jobs are disappearing. It's that without them, early-career professionals have no clear way to build the kind of demonstrable experience employers are increasingly demanding. In 2025, only 44% of employers surveyed by Cengage said they believe a college degree is a strong indicator of career readiness. Employers want proof of skills — and without early-career work experience, that proof is nearly impossible to come by.

Building the next generation of work-based learning

To confront the loss of traditional career on-ramps, The Upwork Foundation is concentrating its 2026 grantmaking on nonprofits building new pathways into the workforce — programs that connect early-career professionals with work-based learning opportunities.

The Upwork Foundation will evaluate applicants on:

• Their track record in delivering or enabling paid, work-based learning
• Their resilience in confronting the challenges of today's labor market
• Their creativity in piloting new job-readiness models built for the future

Organizations that are a strong fit will demonstrate sustainable funding, key employer and/or client partnerships, and a clear approach to managing systems-level challenges. Priority will be given to organizations serving marginalized communities and those integrating AI readiness into their models.

Eligible models may include:

• Paid gap-year programs for high school graduates
• Earn-and-learn programs that combine employment with industry credentials
• Service corps programs effectively connecting graduates with employers
• Paid founder-shadowing programs for aspiring entrepreneurs
• Internships in knowledge-work fields with strong placement pathways
• Apprenticeships that incorporate AI-enabled tools
• Programs that prepare professionals for gainful freelance careers

While no organization can confront the loss of entry-level work alone, our hope is that together, our 2026 grantees can pilot and scale work-based learning programs that support early-career professionals for generations to come. 

How to apply

If your organization is a strong fit for this year’s grantmaking focus, please review The Upwork Foundation’s giving guidelines and submit a brief eligibility form by April 23, 2026. Organizations that align closely with our 2026 focus will be contacted with next steps.