We hold every investment to the outcomes that matter most to owners, workers and communities.
Positions added from program start to 6 and 12 months after.
Wages, benefits and the share of new roles still filled a year later.
Revenue growth and new contracts won.
The share of new hires who live in the communities these businesses serve.
Our Village United is a national nonprofit with an innovative approach to job creation: we invest in local small businesses that are ready to hire. OVU brings the non-dilutive capital opportunities, expert technical assistance, entrepreneurial wellness, market access and policy advocacy that turn that demand into jobs, all through one integrated model.
When these businesses grow, they create quality jobs: stable roles with fair pay, benefits and room to advance. Those jobs keep dollars circulating locally and build stronger communities from the ground up.
Most workforce programs prepare people for jobs. OVU innovates on the other side of the equation: we grow the local employers who create those jobs.
We call it demand-side workforce development. By investing in businesses that already have staff, customers and momentum, OVU turns market demand into stable employment that lasts. Training programs build the talent pipeline. OVU builds the employer base ready to hire it.
| Traditional workforce programs | The OVU model |
|---|---|
| Train job seekers | Grow the employers who hire them |
| Success = a placement | Success = good jobs that last |
| One service at a time | Integrated Capital opportunities, expertise, wellness, markets and policy, |
| Jobs depend on outside employers | Jobs are created by locally owned businesses |
Grew revenue about 600% through institutional contracts with Atlanta Public Schools and Super Bowl
LIX, creating steady demand for his business.
Terrance Jones
Louisiana Creole Candy
Georgia
Built a team of six full-time employees, expanded into a second state and grew revenue 47%. New
institutional contracts now sustain a growing team.
Irianna Diesel
Vitality Institute of Allied Health
Mississippi
Grew revenue 40–60%, expanded into national markets through placements in ATL and LAX airports and
distribution with Goldbelly, and grew her team from four to six full-time employees plus part-time staff.
National features on HSN and BET are expanding brand visibility.
Layla Bitoy-Dillon
Bitoy’s Sweet Treats
Chicago
Partner with OVU to scale an innovative model that creates opportunities for quality jobs
