National Skills Coalition
National Skills Coalition (NSC) is a public charity based in Washington, DC. It advocates for inclusive, high-quality skills training and works to improve state and federal skills policies through research, technical assistance, organizing, advocacy, and communications.
National Skills Coalition at a glance
In short: National Skills Coalition gave $515K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), top state North Carolina. 14% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $515,000
- -20.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -8.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $24,524
- -13.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $17,226,546
- -0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (3 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (8% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to National Skills Coalition
- Contact
Mailing address: 1250 Connecticut Ave Nw 200, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 223-8991
Website: https://nationalskillscoalition.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who National Skills Coalition funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California Edge Coalition ($25K). Together the top 10 received $250K.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 116 grants of 123 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NSC describes its work as addressing state and federal skills policies. Its website identifies a SkillSPAN network of 20 state affiliate coalitions; the 2025 filing also describes a national network across 35 states. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states, including California, Alabama, Illinois, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Oregon, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is National Skills Coalition open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 21 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $515K (2025) to $2.0M (2020). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $515K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Edge Coalition Sacramento, CA | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Central Six Development Council Birmingham, AL | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Chicago Jobs Council Chicago, IL | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Colorado Center on Law and Policy Denver, CO | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Georgia Budget and Policy Institute Atlanta, GA | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Indiana Community Action Association Indianapolis, IN | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Job Opportunities Task Force (Jotf) Baltimore, MD | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Louisiana Budget Project DBA Invest in Louisiana Baton Rouge, LA | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| Nashville Chamber Public Benefit Fdn Nashville, TN | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
| NC Budget & Tax Center Durham, NC | 2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Separate from its grants made, NSC announced in 2023 that it received a $500,000 general operating grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a $1.2 million grant from Lumina Foundation for work to expand access to quality non-degree credentials.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17,226,546 | $7,084,158 | $6,937,827 | $515,000 | 21 | $588,702 |
| 2024 | $17,294,964 | $6,473,778 | $7,889,657 | $650,000 | 23 | $594,379 |
| 2023 | $19,141,561 | $16,123,273 | $7,479,175 | $708,829 | 31 | $250,685 |
| 2022 | $10,972,256 | $5,202,915 | $7,314,171 | $666,829 | 20 | $33,487 |
| 2021 | $13,426,049 | $8,828,304 | $6,230,728 | $854,000 | 28 | $-7,379 |
| 2020 | $11,558,636 | $6,217,444 | $7,748,445 | $1,993,900 | 43 | $43,013 |
| 2019 | $12,751,627 | $6,437,873 | $7,614,532 | $1,160,000 | 26 | $39,258 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NSC’s stated mission is to build a national commitment to inclusive, high-quality skills training so more people can access a better life and local businesses can see sustained growth. It defines skills training as education or training for jobs requiring a credential beyond high school but short of a bachelor’s degree. Its website identifies issues including AI and economic opportunity, digital equity, workforce training for infrastructure, and Workforce Pell and quality credentials.
The 2025 filing describes programs in network-building, government affairs, student and worker voices, and research. The filing says NSC’s networks bring practitioners, businesses, workers, advocates, and other stakeholders together to inform workforce policy. It also describes advocacy and technical assistance related to workforce development, adult education, higher education, and anti-poverty policies, as well as research on policies affecting workers’ training and advancement.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NSC reported 21 grants totaling $515,000. Grants ranged from $15,000 to $25,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest listed grants were $25,000 each, and their stated purpose was a “2025 SKILLSPAN REGRANT AGREEMENT.”
Examples include $25,000 to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, whose stated mission is to advance lasting solutions that expand economic opportunity and well-being for Georgians, and $25,000 to the NC Budget & Tax Center, which describes its work as analyzing fiscal and economic conditions with community leaders and people with lived experience of poverty to advance public-policy solutions. Other $25,000 recipients included the Central Six Development Council, which says it works to build a responsive regional workforce and support quality job opportunities, and the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership, which describes its mission as connecting people to family-sustaining jobs and helping employers develop a diverse, qualified workforce.
The 2025 filing says grants are monitored through site visits, semi-annual recipient reports, and an annual grantee meeting.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brooke DeRenzis as chief executive officer from May 2025 and Robert Espinosa as chief executive officer until April 2025. It lists Simone Goncalves Perszyk as chief operating officer from November 2025 and Jenny Wittner as chief operating officer until May 2025.
The filing lists Girard Melancon as board chair, Alice Pritchard as past chair, Daniel Bustillo as vice chair, Allison Dembeck as secretary, Sekou Siby as treasurer, and Alex Carmardelle as a board member.
National Skills Coalition is led by Brooke Derenzis, Chief Executive Officer since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 9 of 21 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brooke Derenzis
Chief Executive Officer
Managing Director & State Strategies → Chief Strategy Officer, 2021
Chief Strategy Officer → Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$128K (2019) → $233K (2025)
Robert Espinosa
Chief Executive Officer
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$250K (2024) → $161K (2025)
Girard Melancon
Board Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lindsey Reichlin
Director of Research
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$147K (2025)
Melissa Johnson
Chief Policy & State Strategies
Managing Director & State Network → Mng.dir. State Network, 2023
Mng.dir. State Network → Chief Policy & State Strategies, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$135K (2021) → $181K (2025)
Jenny Wittner
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$189K (2023) → $83K (2025)
Katie Spiker
Chief of Federal Affairs
Mng. Director Gov. Affairs → Managing Director & Government Affairs, 2024
Managing Director & Government Affairs → Chief of Federal Affairs, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$152K (2023) → $176K (2025)
Nicola Lauricella Coolberth
Senior Editor
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$158K (2024) → $164K (2025)
Simone Goncalves Perszyk
Chief Operating Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$31K (2025)
Teacier Hutcherson
Chief Development Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$167K (2025)
Alice Pritchard
Past Chair
Treasurer → Chair, 2021
Chair → Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Bustillo
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Grant Shmelzer
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Fraser
Board Member
Secretary → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alex Carmardelle
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allison Dembeck
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sekou Siby
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bishara Addison
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chandler Morse
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mauricio Garcia
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Steinberg
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Rachel Unruh (2019–2024) — Chief of External Affairs
- Former: Jennifer Stiddard (2024) — Senior Fellow & Govt Affairs
- Former: Andrew Van Kleunen (2019–2023) — Chief Executive Officer
- Former: Brenda Dann-Messier (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Melinda Mack (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Ned McCulloch (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Rory O'Sullivan (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Jeannine Laprad (2022–2023) — Mng.dir. Policy & Research
- Former: Portia Wu (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Tina Posterli (2022) — Managing Director & Communications
- Former: Abby Snay (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Nicky Lauricella Coolberth (2019–2021) — Managing Director & Communications
- Former: Scott Paul (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Van Ton-Quinlivan (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Eboni Speight (2020–2021) — Chief Financial & Administrator Director
- Former: Alma Salazar (2019–2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Yasmin Kahn (2019–2020) — Development Director
- Former: Christopher Kaleba (2019) — Managing Director & Policy
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $233K, to Brooke Derenzis (Chief Executive Officer, (From 5/25)). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Skills Coalition
How much does National Skills Coalition give each year?
National Skills Coalition gave $515K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $650K across 23 grants.
What is National Skills Coalition's typical grant size?
National Skills Coalition's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $24,524, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Skills Coalition that year got $22K on average.
Where does National Skills Coalition give grants?
National Skills Coalition's top state is North Carolina, with 8% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Does National Skills Coalition give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on National Skills Coalition's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "2025 Skillspan Regrant Agreement" (20 grants).
Who are National Skills Coalition's largest grantees?
National Skills Coalition's largest 2025 grantees include California Edge Coalition ($25,000), Central Six Development Council ($25,000) and Chicago Jobs Council ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is National Skills Coalition?
National Skills Coalition reported $17.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.1M.
What does National Skills Coalition fund?
NSC’s stated mission is to build a national commitment to inclusive, high-quality skills training so more people can access a better life and local businesses can see sustained growth. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Skills Coalition?
National Skills Coalition has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check nationalskillscoalition.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is National Skills Coalition's EIN?
National Skills Coalition's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0075580. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 10, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 24, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 24, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work National Skills Coalition funds
Community Improvement & Capacity Building Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in National Skills Coalition's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Skills Coalition funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-skills-coalition-morg_ed0af28602604c119c1459f4c5b0ea8a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300075580_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Skills Coalition funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-skills-coalition-morg_ed0af28602604c119c1459f4c5b0ea8a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from National Skills Coalition's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
National Skills Coalition down — hundreds of funders to go?