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Portland, Ore. — July 23, 2026 — Worksystems will invest an estimated $20.3 million in workforce services during Program Year 2026 (PY26), supporting jobseekers, businesses, and communities throughout the Portland metropolitan area. Community investments represent nearly 78% of Worksystems’ overall budget, reflecting the continued prioritization of direct services. Funding is distributed across nearly 30 community-based providers and training organizations, all who hold deep expertise in the populations they serve. This model helps ensure workforce investments are community-informed, culturally responsive, and connected to the people and neighborhoods where support is needed most.
This investment comes at a time when the regional public workforce system is experiencing overall reductions in funding. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is the primary way workforce boards like Worksystems across the country receive federal formula funding. While the Portland metro region saw a modest 1.4% increase in WIOA funding, several major competitive grants ended in June 2026, contributing to an overall decline in available resources. Reductions in longstanding City and County investments have also added to the challenge. The shifting funding landscape has required difficult organizational and staffing decisions while maintaining a commitment to serving the region’s workforce needs.
Worksystems will continue to pursue new sources of funding throughout the year—but emphasizes that continued support from local government is more important than ever as demand increases in our region due to local layoffs and rising costs of living.
Local funding reductions in PY26 include cuts to Economic Opportunity Programs that support people who are at risk of homelessness or already within the continuum of care. This is concerning, as stable employment is one of the strongest predictors of long-term housing retention.
“Employment programs are foundational to economic mobility, housing stability, and community well-being,” said Miriam Halliday, CEO of Worksystems. “These programs put people to work, increasing local spending and strengthening Portland’s regional economy. Without employment programs, there is no clear pathway out of public assistance, and local governments will spend more on homeless services over time.”
Another area of transition in the local workforce system is the City of Portland’s Community Opportunity and Enhancements Program (COEP), the City’s primary investment in construction workforce development and expanding access to career opportunities. Established by City Ordinance, the program directs 1% of eligible City infrastructure project funds into a regional construction career pathway system that supports jobseekers and employers.
Through COEP, Worksystems supports a network of community-based organizations providing construction career coaching, pre-apprenticeship training, connections to registered apprenticeship and jobs, and retention services. Last year, more than 90% of the City’s $1.46 million investment went directly to community partners through this network. The City has currently paused funding to reassess the investment. Worksystems will continue to partner closely with the City of Portland to demonstrate the value of this work, advocate for sustained investment, and ensure construction workforce development remains a priority for our region’s workers, employers, and communities.
Despite current cuts, Worksystems’ budget preserves critical workforce services and reflects their strategy of leveraging multiple funding sources to maximize impact and sustain programs that help people access training, career pathways, and supportive employment services based on regional employer needs.
New opportunities are helping sustain critical services, including the National Dislocated Worker Grant to support laid-off high-tech workers and a workforce investment partnership with TriMet focused on improving the 82nd Avenue transit corridor.
Worksystems will also continue leveraging SNAP 50/50 funding through the Career Boost program, which supports SNAP recipients with employment services while bringing additional federal resources into the region. These leveraged funds have been critical in sustaining services during times of declining traditional workforce funding.
“Even in a period of declining resources, our commitment to the region remains strong,” Halliday adds. “We will continue to advocate for resources, focus on responsible stewardship of public funds, and work alongside our strong network of partners to ensure people across our region have access to the opportunities and supports they need to thrive.”
Worksystems’ approved Program Year 2026 budget takes effect July 1, 2026.
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Release Date: July 23, 2026
End Date: August 31, 2026
Media Contact: Rachael Brown (she/her)
Worksystems Communications Manager
[email protected] | 503-459-1565
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About Worksystems
Worksystems, the Portland Metro Workforce Development Board, is designated by the Governor in partnership with local elected leaders to invest, coordinate, and manage resources to improve the quality of the workforce in the City of Portland, Multnomah and Washington counties. Their mission is to coordinate a regional workforce system that supports individual prosperity and business competitiveness.
Through partnerships with employers, educational institutions, community organizations, labor groups, economic development, and government agencies, Worksystems helps connect people to training, employment, and career advancement opportunities while helping businesses find and retain talent.
Visit worksystems.org to learn more.
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