At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we’re proud of the impact of our corporate partnerships, which help enable us to change more than 1.7 million lives every year. 

One example of the power of partnership is CBRE’s Community Partner Program, a grant initiative focused on developing the workforce of tomorrow in major cities across the country, including Dallas. Since 2024, the initiative has provided vital funding to our Social Innovation Incubator program, enabling us to support local startups that are driving meaningful impact in our focus areas of education, income and health. 

Together, We’re Building the Workforce of Tomorrow 

CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, is dedicated to supporting workforce development within communities across the U.S. 

CBRE’s Community Partner Program focuses on identifying and funding workforce development programs that achieve the following goals: 

• Provide mentorship to small and/or diverse-owned businesses 

• Address barriers to employment 

• Provide skills training, mentorship programs, vocational training, career transition programs, alternative education programs, career counseling, etc. 

The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Social Innovation Incubator fits the bill by providing professional mentoring to startup social innovation organizations, many of which focus on improving North Texas’ workforce and expanding the pipeline of living-wage jobs. 

The Incubator Supports Grassroots Impact 

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, social innovation is at the core of our mission to improve access to education, income and health. Since the launch of our Social Innovation Accelerator, we’ve become a leader in this space, championing social entrepreneurs who deliver measurable results. 

Launched in 2022, our Social Innovation Incubator is a 14-week program tailored to early-stage social ventures. The Incubator is an innovative way to bridge gaps in opportunity and resources to supercharge local startups and drive transformative change. 

By partnering with early-stage innovators, the Incubator allows us to broaden our network of community impact partners whose work aligns with our Aspire United 2030 goals: 

• Increasing third-grade reading proficiency 

• Improving access to living-wage jobs 

• Expanding enrollment in affordable, quality health insurance plans 

The Incubator is ideal for social entrepreneurs who are new to community impact work. The program equips participants with the tools necessary to create validated business plans and launch impactful ventures, cultivating a stronger community of social innovators across North Texas while also building a pipeline for our Accelerator program and fostering sustained growth and innovation. 

“We’re thrilled that CBRE has chosen the Social Innovation Incubator as a Community Partner Program grant recipient for the second year in a row,” said Frank Santoni, vice president of Innovation and Design at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Thanks to the support of corporate partners like CBRE, the Incubator is helping to build a stronger, more diverse network of social innovators in our community, which enables us to drive greater progress in our focus areas of education, income and health.” 

In just the last year, the impact of the Incubator and its participants has grown exponentially: 

• 15 participants completed the program 

• 100% graduation rate 

• 226 hours of mentoring and coaching provided 

• $85,000 invested in Incubator ventures 

• 16,456 clients served by Incubator alumni 

Be Part of the Live United Movement 

Now is an exciting time to step up and be part of our community’s social innovation movement. We’re launching into our second century of service to North Texas, and together we can drive meaningful change by supporting social innovators who are making a grassroots impact in our community. 

We invite you to be a part of the change by supporting the Social Innovation Incubator, which in turn supports innovative organizations that are changing lives in their communities. Donate today to support our social innovation programs.