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Live Oak Bank Grant Fuels Workforce Mobility Through The Forward Fund

  • Live Oak Bank announced a five-year, $1 million grant commitment to The Forward Fund to support career training & upskilling in North Carolina.
  • The grant program launched in 2025 & will be disbursed over five years.
  • In its first year, the program issued $2.3 million in zero-percent interest loans to over 270 individuals.
  • Loan proceeds cover training, living expenses, & support services for high-demand fields including CDL, law enforcement, nursing refresher, & electrical lineworker programs.
  • The pay-it-forward model recycles loan repayments from graduates into new funding to create a self-sustaining talent pipeline.
  • $1.4 million in loans are now in repayment, generating an estimated $2.8 million in new annual earnings for borrowers.
  • The program has established eight partnerships with community colleges & training programs across North Carolina.
  • The average post-program salary for graduates exceeds $45,000.
  • Live Oak Bank's initiative aims to address workforce talent gaps while promoting economic mobility through family-sustaining wages.