Systems Change, Unlocked: Baltimore-Tested Tools for Cradle-to-Career Leaders

Tuesday, September 29 - Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | Baltimore, Maryland

Leaders get the frameworks, strategies, and real-world lessons behind the work.

A joyful, hands-on learning experience hosted by Baltimore’s Promise designed to share the secret sauce of systems change. The StriveTogether 2026 Cradle-to-Career Network Convening follows October 1–2, 2026.

Across the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, communities are working toward a bold shared vision: 4 million more young people on a path to economic mobility by 2030. The annual convening brings together changemakers to learn from local success, strengthen civic infrastructure, and advance opportunity from neighborhood to national scale. This is a meaningful learning experience as part of the StriveTogether Convening that is taking place on Sept 30-Oct 2.

Dates: Tuesday, September 29 - Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Location: Baltimore, MD

Audience: Cradle-to-career leaders, backbone organizations, funders, public agency partners, workforce leaders, data practitioners, youth engagement leaders, and cross-sector teams

Registration Fees

-$250: For Non-Maryland Residents and StriveTogether General Attendees

-$200: For Maryland Residents or StriveTogether Network Members 

Register by September 1, 2026. Space is limited. Questions? Contact info@baltimorespromise.org.

REGISTER NOW
 

What you'll experience

Join us! Over two days, participants will go behind the scenes of Baltimore's Promise's work - the partnerships, tools, governance structures, data practices, funding models, youth leadership strategies, and hard-won lessons that make systems change possible.

Four Baltimore-tested learning tracks:

  1. Data Systems & Governance: Learn how Baltimore partners are building data-sharing infrastructure, governance practices, and actionable data tools that help communities make better decisions for young people.

  2. Intergenerational Governance & Power Sharing: Move beyond youth voice to examine what it takes to formalize shared power through governance structures, compensation, decision-making roles, budget choices, and organizational design.

  3. CareerBound & Youth Apprenticeship Ecosystems: Explore how Baltimore is braiding partners, public systems, employers, funding, and credentialing pathways to help more young people move toward economic mobility.

  4. Philanthropic Alignment & Summer Ecosystem Building: Go inside the structures, relationships, trust-building practices, and funding models that help communities align resources around shared outcomes.

You will leave with frameworks, tools, peer connections, and concrete next steps to bring back to your own community.

Invite a friend! We have drafted social media content and flyers to share with others who may be interested in joining!

Convening Frequently Asked Questions

This is not another conference session. You already know the big ideas: collective impact, cross-sector partnership, shared accountability, youth-centered systems change, and economic mobility.

  • This experience is built for cradle-to-career leaders who want to move beyond big ideas and into practical implementation. It is especially valuable for backbone organization leaders, data and evaluation leaders, youth engagement and governance leads, workforce and career pathways leaders, public agency partners, funders, philanthropic collaboratives, community partnership leaders, and cross-sector teams attending the StriveTogether Convening.

  • This is an immersive learning experience built around real implementation. You'll spend extended time exploring the decisions, tradeoffs, and challenges behind systems change, work through practical tools and frameworks you can adapt locally, collaborate with peers facing similar challenges, and experience Baltimore's people, neighborhoods, culture, and civic leadership as part of the learning.

  • Together, we'll tackle questions such as:

    • How do we build and sustain trust across sectors?

    • How do we move from youth voice to shared decision-making?

    • How do we build data systems that improve decisions, not just reporting?

    • How do we align public systems, employers, and funders around economic mobility?

    • How do we scale local success into models others can adapt?

  • Yes. Teams are encouraged to attend together. You can split across learning tracks, compare insights throughout the event, and return home with a shared understanding and a stronger plan for action.

  • You'll leave with practical tools and frameworks, examples of governance, funding, partnership, and data structures, new peer connections from across the cradle-to-career field, a stronger 90-day action plan, and a deeper understanding of Baltimore's Promise's approach to systems change.

  • Yes. Baltimore's Promise will share opportunities for follow-up technical assistance and deeper partnership for communities interested in continuing their learning journey.

  • Full agenda forthcoming - here is a sample of the flow:

    • Tuesday afternoon: Arrival, welcome, framing of the Baltimore model, and first deep-dive learning block.

    • Tuesday evening: Baltimore cultural experience, food, storytelling, networking, and community connection.

    • Wednesday morning: Second learning block, role-alike problem solving, peer conversations, optional focused discussions, and closing reflection.

    • Wednesday afternoon: Wrap-up and transition into the broader StriveTogether convening.

Space is limited, and teams are encouraged to reserve spots early so they can select tracks and plan travel: Register today!

Questions? Contact info@baltimorespromise.org.