Amid nationwide cries for increased diversity, equity and inclusion following protests over systemic racism, a group of employees at OutMatch decided to create an organization to use the work they do with the company to impact underrepresented communities.
Now the OutMatch Foundation has officially launched to help people upskill and find meaningful careers. It has been named the recipient of its first grant: Merit America, an organization that helps non-college grads find employment paths.
“At the Outmatch Foundation, we believe the chance to succeed is a right, not a privilege,” said Andrew D'Agostino, who co-chairs the foundation, in a statement. “It is important that we find ways to equip people with the right tools and resources so they can embark on meaningful careers with the in-demand skills that employers in high-demand fields are looking for."
The foundation will act as a separate entity from Dallas-based OutMatch, which uses a data-driven platform to optimize and automate recruitment and hiring, and was acquired by Colorado-based private equity firm Rubicon Technology Partners.
The organization did not disclose the amount of the grant. However, it said the funds came from employees and leaders, as well as outside donations.
Along with the grant funding, the OutMatch Foundation will sponsor a 12-person cohort through a 14-week IT job development program, working with each of the members to help find the jobs following the program.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has completely disrupted the job market, leaving millions of people without work and, in some cases, no career to return to,” D'Agostino said. “Unfortunately, reskilling and upskilling programs remain out of reach for many people, despite being necessary to make career moves that will set them up for long-term success.”
The OutMatch Foundation is co-chaired by D'Agostino, director of sales enablement at the company, and Elizabeth Richardson, a senior account executive.
OutMatch initially began forming the foundation in June, with a mission of “connecting people with purpose,” as part of a larger push for increased diversity and inclusion within the company. At the time, it said it was committing to hiring diverse candidates, not requiring degrees unless necessary for the position, and forming a talent council to help drive better practices within the company and on its platform. It also said it would be reviewing its platform for unconscious biases.
OutMatch has about 120 employees. It said about 41 percent of its workforce was female, a number it hopes to increase. It did not release numbers on racial diversity.
OutMatch was created in 2015 out of the merger between Chequed.com and Dallas’ Assess Systems and acquired by Baltimore-based Camden Partners in an $8 million deal later that year. Following Rubicon’s majority investment in OutMatch in March, Camden remained an investment partner of the company.
“We know the problem will not go away unless we act, and while these efforts alone will not change the world, we hope to make it better,” Greg Moran, president and CEO at OutMatch wrote in a blog post on the company’s website.
