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New Challenge Grant to Help Communities Across the Country Close Digital Skills Gaps

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The Transform:ED Communities Challenge Grant expands access to Ed Farm’s connected learning spaces, Apple technology, and programming for youth and adults

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ed Farm, a Birmingham-based nonprofit working to close digital skills gaps, announced a new grant opportunity for school districts, nonprofits, libraries, and community organizations to build tech-enabled learning spaces and activate digital skills programming for under-resourced learners. Applications for the Transform:ED Communities Challenge Grant will open on August 11th, and a select group of winning communities will be chosen through a competitive review process to receive a tailored package of resources and support – ranging from a fully built-out learning space to programming alone, depending on need – to expand access to digital skills training for youth and adults.

“When a learner walks into an environment equipped with the tools of tomorrow, it changes what they believe is possible for themselves and their community,” said Waymond Jackson Jr., President of Ed Farm. “The Transform:ED Communities Challenge Grant is our call to school districts, libraries, and community organizations across the country to partner with us in making that possible for every learner.”

The need has never been more urgent and isn’t confined to any one zip code. While 92 percent of jobs now require digital skills, according to the National Skills Coalition, roughly one-third of U.S. workers lack them. The shortfall is most acute for the skills driving the economy forward: advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, where employer demand for qualified talent is projected to far outpace the pipeline in the years ahead. Research from the National Skills Coalition shows these gaps are even more pronounced in rural and under-resourced communities due to long-term underinvestment in infrastructure and training.

Through the Transform:ED Communities Challenge Grant, selected communities will receive a specific mix of support from Ed Farm based on need, which may include:

Cutting-Edge Technology: Ed Farm will provide technology including iPads, Macs, and other specialized tools to support learning and high-demand digital skills training, from coding and podcasting to video production and 3D fabrication.Design Assistance: Professional space design services and furnishings to transform a school, library, or community center into a state-of-the-art learning environment. Steelcase Learning, Smith System, and ORI (Office Resources, Inc.) are partnering with Ed Farm to donate furnishings, delivery, and installation in spaces.Technical Assistance: Expert support from Ed Farm’s IT team throughout implementation.Community Engagement: Dedicated support for stakeholder and community involvement.Program Activation: Proven expertise delivering challenge-based learning experiences across K-12, educator upskilling, and workforce development.

“At Apple, we believe technology should help people create, connect, and pursue what matters most to them,” said Sarah Herrlinger, senior director of Community Education Initiative at Apple. “Through our partnership with Ed Farm, we’re proud to help bring powerful tools and learning experiences to more communities, so learners of all ages can build digital skills and imagine new possibilities for their futures.”

Ed Farm Spaces are transformed learning environments overhauled with industry-grade technology including professional videography, photography, music production, and podcasting equipment, mixed reality experiences, e-Sports technology, and the latest Apple devices. Ed Farm partners with broadband providers to bring high-speed internet to the entire school or community space, and commissions local artists to collaborate with students on murals that reflect the heart of the community.

The Transform:ED Communities Challenge Grant activates Ed Farm’s full suite of programming: Student Fellows, which engages elementary and middle school students in industry-aligned, challenge-based learning and app development; Teacher Fellows, a 12-month fellowship equipping educators with tools and strategies to prepare students for a digital future; and Pathways to Tech, a six-month workforce fellowship for adult learners launching careers in technology.

The Transform:ED Communities Challenge Grant is built for communities at risk of being left behind in the digital economy and need support. Applications are open to superintendents and district leaders, mayors and local government officials, state legislators, and nonprofit and library leaders who serve K-12 students, classroom educators, and/or adult learners. The strongest proposals will tell a compelling story about community need, define the population to be served, present a path to sustainability beyond the initial grant period, identify matching funding partners, and demonstrate meaningful community stakeholder engagement.

Key Dates:

August 11, 2026: Application period opensSeptember 10, 2026: Applications closeOctober 2026: Winners announced

To learn more and apply, visit edfarm.org/communities-challenge-grant

About Ed Farm

Launched in partnership with Apple and Alabama Power Foundation in 2020, Ed Farm is a 501(c)(3) organization that empowers educators, students, and adult learners to not only thrive in today’s digital age but prepare for the advancements of tomorrow. Through tech-focused programming, leading-edge learning environments, and innovative tools, Ed Farm is on a mission to close the growing digital skills gap in communities across the southeast and beyond. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Ed Farm is part of Propel Education alongside Propel Center. Website: edfarm.org

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SOURCE Ed Farm

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Feathery Launches AI-Powered Proposal Generation for Wealth Management

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August 11, 2026

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New tool will help firms deliver a highly personalized client experience at scale

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Feathery, the AI operating and decisioning system for financial services, today announced the launch of its new AI-Powered Proposal Generation solution for wealth management firms. As firms look for ways to improve organic growth rates, this innovation solves the long-standing operational challenge of creating highly personalized proposals for every client.

Proposal Generation makes highly personalized proposals practical at scale. Feathery brings together client data, planning documents, advisor expertise, and firm-approved templates in a single AI workspace, drawing information from systems such as Salesforce, eMoney, Vanilla, Holistiplan, Addepar, Morningstar, and more. Feathery’s AI assistant, Robin, uses those inputs to draft a proposal tailored to each client’s financial picture, goals, and priorities while maintaining the firm’s templates, branding, and disclosures. Teams can then collaborate on the proposal and chat with Robin in natural language to make changes, with updates reflected directly in the document.

“Wealth firms know how to deliver personalization that’s unique to each client’s financial situation but doing so takes time and requires significant collaboration across different groups in an organization,” said Peter Dun, co-founder and CEO of Feathery. “Feathery helps firms bring together their collective expertise and remove operational complexity so they can deliver more personalized experiences while reducing manual work.”

Reflecting Each Client’s Unique Financial Story

With Proposal Generation, Feathery helps firms overcome the traditional tradeoff between speed and personalization. By reducing the manual preparation and coordination behind each proposal, Feathery helps firms deliver a higher level of personalization more consistently across their advisor teams, without requiring the same level of effort for every client.

Proposal Generation is the latest addition to Feathery’s platform that is flexible and specialized enough to power the entire client and policy lifecycle while fitting seamlessly into the systems firms already rely on. Feathery has extensive experience automating complex wealth management workflows including advisor onboarding, account opening, advisor transitions and repapering.

See AI Proposal Generation in action at https://www.feathery.io/wealth-management/proposal-generation

About Feathery

Feathery is an AI operating and decisioning system purpose-built for financial services enterprises. Insurance and wealth management firms use Feathery to automate data collection, document processing, onboarding experiences, and operational workflows while integrating seamlessly with existing systems. For more information, follow Feathery on LinkedIn or visit https://www.feathery.io/.

Media Contact

Grant Cox
Haven Tower Group
424 317 4871
gcox@haventower.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/feathery-launches-ai-powered-proposal-generation-for-wealth-management-302847672.html

SOURCE Feathery

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Cambrex Milan Celebrates 80th Anniversary with Construction of New $30 Million R&D Facility

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August 11, 2026

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cambrex, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced the start of construction on a new research and development (R&D) facility at its Milan, Italy site. This $30 million investment will add advanced analytical development and process R&D capabilities, alongside upgrades to multiple production plants, reinforcing Cambrex’s commitment to supporting the pharmaceutical industry’s most complex small molecule development.

The Milan R&D expansion is expected to be completed in the second half of 2027. To accommodate future growth and rising demand for CDMO services, Cambrex has also acquired additional land adjacent to the site, ensuring the capacity to expand and innovate for years to come.

The Cambrex Profarmico Milano site, which marks its 80th anniversary this year, has a distinguished legacy of supporting pharmaceutical development and manufacturing for its global client base. The Milan team recently gathered to celebrate this milestone, reflecting on eight decades of scientific achievement and dedication to advancing human health.

Claudio Russolo, Chief Operating Officer at Cambrex, commented: “Breaking ground on this new facility is a testament to the enduring legacy and expertise of our Milan team. For 80 years, this site has been a cornerstone of pharmaceutical manufacturing in Europe. With this expansion, we are investing not only in new technologies and capabilities, but in the future of our people and our partners.”

The investment builds on Cambrex’s legacy of scientific expertise and manufacturing excellence while positioning the company for its next chapter of growth. By expanding R&D capabilities in Milan, Cambrex is strengthening its ability to address the increasing complexity of today’s small molecule therapies.

About Cambrex

Cambrex is a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that provides drug substance development and manufacturing across the entire drug lifecycle, as well as comprehensive analytical services.

With over 45 years of experience and a team of 2,000 experts servicing global clients from North America and Europe, Cambrex offers a range of specialized drug substance technologies and capabilities, including continuous flow, controlled substances, peptide synthesis, solid-state science, biocatalysis, material characterization, complex synthetics, and highly potent APIs.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cambrex-milan-celebrates-80th-anniversary-with-construction-of-new-30-million-rd-facility-302847160.html

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Civitas ID Receives $500,000 Grant to Build Open-Source Digital Public Infrastructure Closing the Documentation Gap

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August 11, 2026

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$500,000 two-year grant from the Gates Foundation to advance open-source Digital Public Infrastructure designed for people excluded from formal systems due to documentation gapsAdvances open-source technology leveraging open standards and artificial intelligenceAddresses the documentation gap that prevents nearly a billion people from fully participating in the global economy, initially focused on displaced populations where the barrier is most acute

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Civitas ID, a US-based nonprofit building open-source digital identity infrastructure, today announced a two-year, $500,000 grant from the Gates Foundation. The funding continues the development of a resilient Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) specifically designed to close the documentation gap that prevents nearly a billion people worldwide from fully participating in the global economy. Civitas is initially focused on displaced populations where the barrier is most acute, with technology built to serve the wider population over time.

A barrier keeping people around the world from formal work, banking, healthcare, and education is not poverty alone. It is the inability to prove who they are and what they have done in a way institutions recognize. Civitas is developing three components to close that gap: verifiable digital credentials that institutions issue and verify, a wallet where individuals hold and control their own credentials, and a platform that helps people navigate the services and aid available to them. Together they are designed to be durable, adopted by governments and multilateral institutions, and adapted by partners. Civitas is actively developing partnerships and pilot programs in Colombia and Kenya to close the documentation gap.

“Nearly a billion people lack documentation institutions will trust,” said Colin Walsh, Founder and Board Chair, Civitas ID. “Civitas is initially focused on the 117.8 million forcibly displaced, where the barrier is most acute. They carry skills, ambitions, and the will to build stable lives. This funding from the Gates Foundation lets us build the digital public infrastructure to address the problem at scale and shift the paradigm from aid to self-reliance.”

The architecture is open-source and inspectable, built on W3C Verifiable Credentials, Decentralized Identifiers, and open protocols. The credentials are designed for institutional recognition across governments, banks, employers, healthcare providers, and schools.

Human-centered design research led by IDEO.org has anchored the technology development in the actual needs of the people it serves. The objective is that people own their identities and use verifiable credentials to unlock opportunity, stability, and long-term mobility, wherever they are.

ABOUT CIVITAS ID
Civitas ID is a US-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 39-2324240) building open-source digital identity infrastructure. Civitas ID’s mission is to turn documentation from an economic barrier into an institutionally recognized bridge to opportunity and integration. The organization’s vision is a world where everyone can prove who they are and what they have done, wherever they are. Civitas ID has assembled a global ecosystem of humanitarian, academic, financial, technology, and legal partners across deployment corridors in Colombia and Kenya. Learn more at civitasid.org.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/civitas-id-receives-500-000-grant-to-build-open-source-digital-public-infrastructure-closing-the-documentation-gap-302847759.html

SOURCE Civitas ID

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