The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (Clearinghouse) has received a $181,080 grant from The Heinz Endowments to develop and enhance policies in support of Pennsylvania’s military veterans. This funding will support efforts to strengthen state-level policy discussions, harness veterans' economic potential and evaluate the state’s workforce system to facilitate the successful integration of military veterans into Pennsylvania's workforce.
“This grant will allow us to engage more deeply with decision-makers to focus on attracting and retaining veterans in Pennsylvania’s workforce, addressing both the state’s labor needs and creating pathways for veterans to contribute to and thrive in our communities,” said Katie Davenport, assistant research professor at the Clearinghouse. “By leveraging veterans’ unique skills and experiences, we can improve their opportunities for meaningful employment while strengthening Pennsylvania's economy.”
The funding will enable the Clearinghouse to lead the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based policy agenda focused on the unique challenges and opportunities that Pennsylvania’s military veterans face. The work will concentrate on three key areas:
- Strengthening state-level policy discussions: Conduct research and share insights on veterans’ transitions and life outcomes to inform state-level policies and improve veteran services in the commonwealth.
- Leveraging veterans’ economic potential: Offer strategic guidance on integrating veterans into the workforce, addressing gaps in employment and underemployment and ensuring that veterans’ skills are fully utilized.
- Evaluating the workforce system: Perform a thorough evaluability assessment of Pennsylvania’s workforce infrastructure to identify strengths, gaps and areas for growth that can better support veterans’ transition to civilian careers.
Key measures of success for this initiative include mapping influential state offices and decision-makers, issuing monthly research-based briefs to the Pennsylvania Legislature, completing an evaluability assessment of the state’s workforce system and planning for future veteran employment seminars.
"Through this grant, we hope to become a trusted resource that provides practical, evidence-informed strategies to Pennsylvania legislators to improve support for veterans and address the commonwealth’s workforce shortages by attracting and retaining veterans,” said Daniel Perkins, principal scientist at the Clearinghouse and professor of family and youth resiliency and policy in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
About The Heinz Endowments
The Heinz Endowments seeks to help Pennsylvania thrive as a whole and just community and, through that work, intends to model solutions to major national and global challenges. They are devoted to advancing their vision of southwestern Pennsylvania as a vibrant center of creativity, learning and social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Their work is supported by reliable data based on equitable, results-focused goals that aim to cultivate a world in which all people are treated with fairness and respect and have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.
About the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness
The Clearinghouse is an applied research center committed to advancing service members' and their families' health and well-being. The Clearinghouse takes a solution-oriented approach that includes conducting applied research studies, building workforce expertise through training and resource provision, implementing and evaluating evidence-informed programs and practices and delivering objective data and policy-relevant findings, so decisions are based on the best science and evidence available. The Clearinghouse is located within Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute.