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How do you pitch giving back as good business? And how do you make a financial services company care—really care—about making a dent in early childhood education, an issue that doesn’t show up anywhere on the balance sheet? These were the questions that the leaders of the PNC Foundation had to answer if PNC was going to play a huge role in improving early childhood education in the communities they serve. The research was clear and irrefutable. The benefits of quality early childhood education are not only social, but economic, with a benefit as high as $16 for every dollar invested. And today’s preschoolers are tomorrow’s workforce.

Underserved populations face barriers that limit their access to in-demand jobs. Nontraditional talent may not have four year degrees, for example. They also may not have access to professional networks that produce word of mouth job referrals or interviews. Some may have been involved in the justice system, leaving blemishes on their backgrounds that exclude them from the very corporate jobs that bring long-term stability. These barriers reinforce an uphill climb - without the first internship or professional work experience, others are more difficult.