New Philanthropic Collaboration Launched to Expand State-Led Service Across the Country

New York, New York, August 1, 2026 — The Andrew Carnegie Foundation, formerly Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Schultz Family Foundation, today announced the launch of the Service United Fund, a new philanthropic collaboration to help governors and state leaders make service a strategy for supporting state priorities while creating meaningful pathways for young people, strengthening communities, and bringing people together. Carnegie has committed $10 million to help launch the Service United Fund and is inviting additional foundations, corporations, and donors to join in supporting this new endeavor.

The Service United Fund is launching alongside Service United, a new, bipartisan initiative announced today by Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, the new chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), during the organization’s Summer Meeting in Oklahoma City. Through Service United, the NGA will work with governors across all 50 states and five territories to create and expand paid service opportunities that advance workforce development, respond to urgent community needs, and strengthen civic connection.

The Service United Fund will provide catalytic philanthropic grants to help governors plan, build, and expand service strategies aligned with state priorities. Rather than creating a one-size-fits-all model, the fund is designed to work with governors to help create strategies that work best for each state and territory. The application process for interested states opens today at serviceunitedfund.org.

“There are few more powerful ways to reduce polarization and foster social cohesion than by engaging young people in meaningful service together,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie. “States are uniquely positioned to lead a new generation of service in America, and we are delighted to support governors in this effort.”

The Service United Fund will award grants ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million for states to plan, launch, or strengthen strategies that:

• create and expand meaningful paid service opportunities that enable young adults to contribute to their communities while building skills, networks, and pathways into careers.
• address urgent state needs, including workforce shortages, education, public safety, mental health, housing, energy, conservation, and other state priorities.
• bring people together across lines of difference, reduce polarization, and strengthen communities.

“Service creates a rare double dividend. It helps states tackle pressing challenges today while opening meaningful pathways for young people to build skills, earn credentials, and launch careers,” said Vivek Varma, ceo of the Schultz Family Foundation. “As AI reshapes the labor market, governors have an opportunity to make service a cornerstone of workforce strategy, and we’re proud to partner with the National Governors Association and the Andrew Carnegie Foundation to help make that vision a reality.”

The first round of grantmaking is now open for applications through October 23, 2026. The process starts with governors’ offices submitting an Expression of Interest through the Service United Fund website serviceunitedfund.org. A second round will open after the November elections to ensure that both current governors and those who take office in 2027 can apply for funding.

The Service United Fund builds on Carnegie’s commitment to reducing political polarization by expanding service as a strategy at the state level. Over the past four years, Carnegie has made $7.8 million in grants to support state service, including programs in Maryland, New York, and Utah. Led by senior adviser Alan Khazei, Carnegie also hosted a national summit on service in 2025 and engaged hundreds of leaders from across the country to produce an action plan for expanding service as a strategy. A $1 million grant to the nonpartisan nonprofit More Perfect will enable this work to continue in connection with Carnegie and the NGA’s Service United initiative.

The Schultz Family Foundation has advanced state-led service by helping states design models that address urgent community needs while creating pathways to economic opportunity for young people. In partnership with Pinterest, the Foundation launched the Youth Mental Health Corps, now active in 27 states and demonstrating how service can expand access to youth mental health support while building pathways into behavioral health careers. The Foundation has also partnered with the National Governors Association to strengthen service-to-career pathways across states.

Foundations, corporations, and others interested in learning more about the Service United Fund can visit serviceunitedfund.org/funders.

Andrew Carnegie Foundation

The Andrew Carnegie Foundation, formerly Carnegie Corporation of New York, works to reduce political polarization through grants that support ladders of opportunity and a more peaceful world. Its funding provides individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to improve their lives, to participate fully in society, and to advance peace. Learn more at carnegie.org.

Schultz Family Foundation

The Schultz Family Foundation’s mission is to create greater opportunity, accessible to all. Our work is deeply rooted in the lives and values of our co-founders, Sheri and Howard Schultz, who believe talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. We seek to apply the lessons they have learned over the decades to seed innovations and scale solutions to help young people successfully navigate the transition to adulthood and positively impact the trajectory of their lives. We are investors in unleashing potential and unlocking opportunity, working in partnership with employers, entrepreneurs, non-profits, and governments that share our aspiration of enabling everyone to access the full promise of America. Learn more at: schultzfamilyfoundation.org.