Introduction
Over the past 20 years, Upwardly Global has focused on providing career resources and tools to immigrants and immigrant-serving organizations and creating an enabling environment that unlocks the potential of immigrant, refugee, and asylee professionals rebuilding their lives in the U.S. We have seen how securing skill-aligned, thriving-wage jobs has transformed the lives of more than 10,000 job seekers — uplifting their families — and their ability to revitalize our communities and contribute to economic growth in the U.S.
In 2023, we witnessed an expansion in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies in recruitment and hiring, but biases continue to leave our communities sidelined. Immigrants today are more educated than at any other time in our country’s history, with almost half possessing at least a bachelor’s degree — yet many newcomers remain locked out of skill-aligned opportunities. Upwardly Global is committed to creating new models of workforce inclusion and shifting the narrative about immigrants, refugees, and asylees to one that celebrates their diversity and humanity and promotes their contributions to our communities and our economy.
Our Impact
All Time Placements
Job Seekers Placed:
10,500+
Supporting Job Seekers in 2023
6,300+
Total Job Seekers Served
Job seekers served through Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program, partnerships, portals, and other online programs
50%
Women Job Seekers
Percentage of job seekers served through Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program who were women
56%
Refugees Served
Percentage of job seekers served through Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program who were refugees, asylees, SIV holders, or parolees
129
Nationalities Served
Number of countries that job seekers in Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program came from, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Venezuela, Russia, and Ethiopia
1,000+
Job Seekers Placed
Job seekers who have completed Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program and have been placed in skill-aligned, thriving-wage jobs
Building Economic Resilience in 2023
$64,000
Average Starting Salary
Average annual starting salary of job seekers who have completed Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program and have been placed in skill-aligned, thriving-wage jobs
$50,600
Average Salary Gain
Average salary gain of job seekers who have completed Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program and have been placed in skill-aligned, thriving-wage jobs
$74 million
Annual Economic Impact
Total dollars contributed annually to the U.S. economy by immigrants and refugees who have completed Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program and have been placed in skill-aligned, thriving-wage jobs
Engaging Our Ecosystem in 2023
31
Partners
Number of immigrant-serving partners — including frontline immigrant-serving organizations, community colleges, and workforce providers — who utilized Upwardly Global’s proven resources, learning tools, and professional development training to build workforce capacity to serve immigrant and refugee professionals
115
Employer Engagement
Number of companies engaged in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practice change and committed to hiring immigrant and refugee professionals
5,800+
Volunteerism
Hours contributed by volunteers in mentoring, mock interviews, networking, resume review, and other engagement opportunities to support job seekers
Advancing Immigrant Workforce Inclusion
Employer Partner Spotlight
“It was a very fruitful experience. The combination of learning through the Google certificate and meeting with volunteers was the best blend of theoretical knowledge and real-life experience. This approach not only enhanced my analytical skills but also provided valuable insights into practical applications in the industry.”
Fatima,
an Upwardly Global job seeker who participated in the Data Analytics Google Certificate program
Michael Diamond,
Head of In-Kind Product Giving at Google.org
Workforce Partner Spotlight
Lauren Gertner,
Career Pathway Case Manager, International Institute of Buffalo
Advancing Equity Through AI and Other Technologies
Upwardly Global launched a partnership with HiredScore to apply first-of-its-kind technology to help remove systemic hiring biases impacting immigrants and refugees and proactively connect Upwardly Global’s talent to skill-aligned corporate jobs.
Upwardly Global’s report, “AI for Impact: How To Thoughtfully Leverage Technology To Deliver on Mission,” delved into the role of AI as the most important technological advancement of our era and offered guidance to other providers on how to ensure AI is inclusive and delivers on impact for all communities.
Rapid Response: Welcoming Refugees and Asylees
Job Seeker Spotlight: Vanessa
I started to attend the workshop for the health field that Upwardly Global offered. The workshops explained how to research and how to do the residency and apply for those things. I thought, ‘Okay, I have a medical doctor and anesthesiology degree from Venezuela, and this institution offered me the opportunity to get a job in a similar field. It doesn’t matter if my degree is from another country.’
Rapid Response in 2023
568
932
890
Ukrainian job seekers served through Upwardly Global’s Career Coaching Program in the U.S.
Shaping Policy To Advance Inclusion
Upwardly Global drove ecosystem impact by putting immigrants on the policy map, championing legislation that will dismantle barriers and create legal and accessible pathways for them to secure skill-aligned work.
Advocacy Work in 2023
Upwardly Global worked in partnership with legislators, regulators, healthcare providers, and grassroots national organizations to advocate for sustainable pathways to relicensing for internationally trained healthcare professionals at the state and federal levels, resulting in key legislative wins in Illinois.
Job Seeker Spotlight: Sofiia
Sofiia and her daughter fled Ukraine in February 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and resettled in the U.S. through the Uniting for Ukraine sponsorship program. With Upwardly Global’s assistance, Sofiia overcame the challenge of restarting her medical career in a new country that didn’t recognize her international credentials. By December 2023, she secured a position in a neurology lab conducting clinical trials; still, she aims to regain licensure as a neurologist.
Upwardly Global gave me more than a job — I consider this as a miracle in my life. [In the U.S.,] I’m working at a Professor of Neurology’s office, and I’m involved in clinical studies specializing in multiple sclerosis. It’s like I’m doing the same thing I’d done in Ukraine.
Changing the Narrative
Upwardly Global is dedicated to shifting the narrative about immigrants to one that celebrates their diversity and humanity and promotes their contributions to our communities and our economy. Our publications bring an evidence-based focus to key issues impacting immigrant workforce inclusion.
Publications in 2023
Job Seeker Spotlight: Shahpur
Shahpur spent years training to fly, and he served as an Afghan Black Hawk pilot until 2021 when the Taliban took over. Shahpur, along with his wife, young children, parents, and siblings, was forced to flee his home country for the U.S. Upwardly Global’s specialized programs to support Afghan newcomers helped Shahpur secure a job in his field as a Flight Line Technician at an airport, allowing him to support his family as they rebuild their lives.
When I came to [the] U.S., I was searching for a job. A friend of mine, who helped me in the evacuation, he knew about Upwardly Global. He said that ‘lots of pilots connect with Upwardly Global and they help them to find a job.’ I was very happy to hear that … Every person I met at Upwardly Global is very friendly, very helpful, very nice. I really appreciate them.
<span data-metadata=""><span data-buffer="">Financials
| Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Corporate & Foundation Contributions | $16,864 |
| Government Grants | 2,210 |
| Earned Revenue | 1,066 |
| Individual Contributions | 1,011 |
| Special Events, net | 499 |
| Other Revenue | 659 |
| In-Kind Contributions | 3,863 |
| Total Operating Revenue | $26,172 |
| Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Personnel | $9,746 |
| Professional Fees | 1,899 |
| General and Administrative Expenses | 1,300 |
| Occupancy & Rentals | 340 |
| Grants Awarded Expense | 292 |
| In-kind Expenses | 3,863 |
| Total Expenditures | $17,440 |
| Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Change In Net Assets | $8,732 |
| + Net Assets - Beginning | 20,870 |
| Net Assets - Ending | $29,602 |
Sources of Funds
Sources of Funds
Uses of Funds*
Uses of Funds*
Thank You for Your Support
Upwardly Global is grateful for our community of dedicated supporters, like you, who help create an equitable, welcoming country where everyone — including immigrants, refugees, and asylees — can fully contribute and thrive. To further support Upwardly Global’s impactful work to dismantle employment barriers for newcomers and build a more inclusive workforce., consider making a one-time gift, joining the Welcome Society with a monthly gift, and browsing volunteer opportunities.
upwardlyglobal.org｜212-219-9218
Upwardly Global is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Our Tax ID is: 94-3346127.