Boston Council Committee Advances $452,919 in Workforce Grants Toward September Vote

BOSTON — August 29, 2025 — Boston City Council committee advances $452,919 in workforce development grants toward a September 10 vote. The Committee on Labor, Workforce, and Economic Development, chaired by District 6 Councillor Benjamin J. Weber, reviewed six grants at a virtual August 29 hearing, including $136,722 from the state to support emergency shelter residents, $120,000 from Northeastern University and the William T. Grant Foundation for a youth hiring platform, and $50,000 each from the Baupost Group and State Street Global Advisors for court-involved youth ages 14 to 24. Joseph Lay, Chief of Staff for the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, said Boston's two career centers — run by JVS and ABCD — are on pace to serve roughly 14,000 job seekers in fiscal year 2025, including 950 people with disabilities and 265 veterans. Lay warned that a proposed federal restructuring could have cut workforce funding by as much as 30 percent in fiscal year 2027, though he said congressional support for that proposal has weakened. Amy Nishman, Senior Vice President of Strategy at JVS, told the panel that despite current biotech sector layoffs, most industry contacts expect hiring to rebound within three to six months.