Impact & Outcomes
Measuring the journey to middle-class capacity
Enrollment matters, but it is not enough. We track whether people gain skills, earn income, complete training, enter employment, build businesses, stabilize families, and participate in ownership.
The national context
The scale of the moment
IWOWS is built for a national moment when public systems, philanthropy, employers, and communities need more practical pathways from poverty to mobility.
35.9M
Americans in poverty (10.6% rate, 2024)
Source: Census.gov
37.9M
People receiving SNAP (Feb 2026)
Source: USDA FNS
74.3M
Enrolled in Medicaid & CHIP (Mar 2026)
Source: CMS
12.9%
Supplemental Poverty Measure
Source: Census.gov
Impact dashboard
Six categories we measure
We measure success by economic mobility, not activity alone.
Education
Enrollment, retention, credential attainment, CTE participation, dual enrollment, credit recovery, and graduation.
Workforce
Training completion, apprenticeships, job placement and retention, wage gains, and career advancement.
Paid Work-Based Learning
Paid placements, work hours completed, wages earned, social enterprise projects, portfolios, and references.
Public Assistance Transition
Increased earned income, benefits planning, safe navigation of benefit cliffs, and improved self-sufficiency.
Entrepreneurship
Businesses launched, e-commerce stores created, contractors trained, and local vendors supported.
Community Ownership
Cooperative members engaged, community-owned projects launched, shared services created, and local wealth retained.
Help build the pathway
Invest in outcomes that move families forward
Funders, policymakers, employers, schools, and community leaders — help expand this model in New Jersey and beyond.