Dallas-based Big Thought is one of two nonprofits who have each received a $1.5 million grant from Sam’s Club, part of a $3 million investment to help youth, aged 16-24, who are out of school and unemployed by providing them with meaningful career pathways.

A $1.5 million grant also was awarded to the Alexandria, Virginia-based SHRM Foundation. which is aimed at advancing impact hiring and creating new career opportunities.

“People are at the heart of everything we do, from the members we serve to the associates who bring our mission to life,” Claire MacIntyre, SVP and chief people officer at Sam’s Club, said in a statement. “Being a great employer isn’t just about providing jobs; it’s about creating opportunities for growth and success. In recent years, we’ve invested in our associates by reimagining compensation, offering career-focused training and education, and technology that simplifies everyday tasks.”

“But our responsibility doesn’t stop with our associates,” MacIntyre added. “t reaches into the communities we serve, including those who have fewer opportunities to access career pathways. That’s why we’re investing $3 million to help more people build meaningful careers, partnering with organizations that are leading the way in impact hiring.”

MacIntyre said that millions of young people have the drive to succeed but often lack access to the opportunities that can set them on the right path.

She said that according to the Walmart/Sam’s Club initiative Unlock Potential, more than 4 million “opportunity youth”—16- to 24-year-olds who are out of school and unemployed—face barriers to stable employment and that one in three lives in poverty.

“Through two $1.5 million grants—one to Big Thought and another to the SHRM Foundation—we’re advancing impact hiring, a collaborative approach where businesses and community organizations work together to build stronger pathways to employment,” MacIntyre said. “Because when young people thrive, so do our businesses and communities. And with a model that can scale nationwide, we hope to inspire other companies to do the same.”

Creating more career paths for youth

MacIntyre said that Sam’s Club saw the power of impact hiring firsthand when it launched a high school internship program three years ago.

“Designed for juniors and seniors, many from underserved communities, the program gave young people real work experience and a path to long-term careers. Building on that success, we expanded the work through the Unlock Potential initiative, focusing specifically on opportunity youth,” she said.

Sam’s Club’s collaboration with Big Thought, a national leader focused on equipping young people with creative and workforce-ready skills, is a major step in expanding impact hiring and creating new career paths for the next generation, MacIntyre added.

“Our investment will integrate their expertise into hiring processes for opportunity youth, creating a first-of-its-kind model that can scale across industries and communities,” MacIntyre said.

The company and Big Thought aim to connect hundreds of community-based organizations with engaged employers, creating structured career pathways for opportunity youth.

“By leveraging Big Thought’s skills-based approach, we can define best practices for hiring, strengthen employer-CBO partnerships and establish a certification system to help employers evaluate and engage with CBOs effectively,” MacIntyre said.

Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.

Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.