Jefferson Economic Development Fund awards $10K for education projects

WATERTOWN, N.Y. — The Jefferson Economic Development Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation recently awarded $10,000 in grant support to two education projects.

WPBS-TV in Watertown will use a $6,000 grant to support its “GPS For Success” initiative. It’s an online resource that provides educational information to encourage local career exploration by Northern New York students and adult learners. 

The website offers research, data, and videos highlighting 16 professional careers relevant to the North Country. In collaboration with other local partners, WPBS is building a platform to feature soft skills such as résumé writing and entrepreneurship. 

The grant will support a module focused on critical interview fundamentals, while also helping to develop complementary materials for students and teachers.

At the same time, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES will use a $4,000 grant to purchase equipment to produce a student-driven video series focusing on features of career and technical education. 

Educators and staff will work with students to generate creative, online content that explains local vocational and trade professions to the broader community. Technical centers in Jefferson and Lewis counties will share the equipment.

“We are pleased to see the recently established fund deploying resources that make investments that have the potential to continue to build strength and capacity for the workforce of the future and invest in programs that can help increase the awareness of career paths right here in our local communities,” Rande Richardson, executive director of the Northern New York Community Foundation, said in a statement. 

The Jefferson Economic Development Fund was established at the Community Foundation to support programs, projects, and efforts that help “stimulate economic development and promote general welfare” in Jefferson County. 

The foundation says it encourages Jefferson County nonprofits annually to consider this funding opportunity if an organization’s mission and work may include — but is not limited to — workforce development; initiatives that aim to improve the general health and economic well-being of residents; and strengthening access to arts, culture, educational experiences, social impact, and community leadership.

The Northern New York Community Foundation, founded in 1929, serves Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties, awarding grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds. The foundation is located at the Northern New York Philanthropy Center in Watertown.