CLEVELAND, Ohio — More than $450 million in philanthropic, private, and public commitments will help expand economic opportunity for communities across the United States following The Rockefeller Foundation’s “Big Bets for America” convenings, bringing together leaders from business, government, nonprofits, and philanthropy to invest in solutions that strengthen local economies and improve lives.
The announcement, made during the organization’s Cleveland convening, includes more than $350 million committed to initiatives designed to help underserved communities prosper throughout Cleveland, Ohio, and beyond. According to The Rockefeller Foundation, the investments build on seven months of collaborative planning focused on workforce development, education, innovation, childcare access, and responsible artificial intelligence adoption.
More than 400 leaders participated in the Cleveland event, joining a growing network of policymakers, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, and community advocates working to address economic challenges through coordinated action rather than isolated efforts. Since the series launched in late 2025, the convenings have brought together approximately 1,200 leaders from across the country.
“Big Bets for America is built on the belief that the right people, in the right room, focused on the right problems, can move from conversation to commitment faster than any of us could alone,” The Rockefeller Foundation said in its announcement. “What we have seen in Oklahoma City, Baltimore, and now Cleveland … proves convenings like these can spark action and change lives for those who need it most.”
Among the initiatives highlighted are investments supporting good-paying jobs, expanded education and childcare access, and government capacity to responsibly implement artificial intelligence in public service. Foundation leaders emphasized that lasting progress depends on partnerships that cross traditional boundaries and unite organizations around shared community goals.
The Cleveland gathering also carried historical significance. John D. Rockefeller launched his first business in the city in 1859, making the event both a return to the foundation’s roots and a forward-looking effort to strengthen communities through innovation and collaboration.
Rather than focusing on a single project, the initiative demonstrates how large-scale partnerships can mobilize resources that no individual organization could achieve alone. By aligning philanthropy, private investment, and public leadership, the commitments seek to create sustainable pathways to economic mobility and long-term prosperity.
Bruce Petillo, founder of Heartitude, said the announcement reflects the power of people choosing cooperation over competition.
“Heartitude reminds us that communities become stronger when generosity is transformed into action. When leaders invest together in opportunity, education, and hope, they create ripple effects that can change families, neighborhoods, and future generations.”
As communities across the nation navigate rapid economic and technological change, the Rockefeller Foundation’s latest commitments offer an example of how collective leadership and shared purpose can generate measurable impact—demonstrating that meaningful progress begins when organizations unite around the common good.
Source: The Rockefeller Foundation / PR Newswire, June 9, 2026.