KeyBank Foundation makes grants for CNY workforce, community development

SYRACUSE — Le Moyne College, Jubilee Homes of Syracuse, and other nonprofit organizations will use a total of $545,000 in grant funding from the KeyBank Foundation. 

The foundation seeks to help the Central New York organizations in support of their workforce development and community initiatives. 

These grants are part of KeyBank’s $40 billion National Community Benefits Plan, which “represents its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” per a KeyBank announcement.

“KeyBank’s purpose is to help the communities we serve thrive. With these investments, we are lifting up and amplifying efforts that will make our region even stronger,” Stephen Fournier, KeyBank market president for Central New York, said in a statement. “Each of these organizations play a huge role in making Central New York a great place to live. We are proud to support the transformative work they do each day.”

Jubilee Homes grant

Jubilee Homes of Syracuse will use its $150,000 award for its Build to Work (B2W) program. Jubilee Homes will use the money to begin restorations of Creekside Landing at 416 West Onondaga St. in Syracuse, a location in which will house Jubilee’s Workforce Skill Training Center. 

The money will also help Jubilee’s collaborative effort with Syracuse Builds to create training programs that will enhance participants’ ability to secure long-term employment through in-demand construction trades, KeyBank said.

The targeted goal under Build to Work over the next three years is to have a minimum of 60 people (20 participants per a year) complete the Build to Work program and place 25 percent of clients (five participants per a year) into job opportunities.

Le Moyne grant 

Le Moyne College will use a grant of $150,000 to expand its ERIE21 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming for high-school students and incoming Le Moyne College first-year students from low-income backgrounds in Central New York.

ERIE21 is an initiative designed to address the region’s “twin problems of persistently high poverty in Syracuse and the inability of employers to attract and retain the skilled workers needed to fill current job openings as well as those resulting from the looming exodus of baby boomers from the workforce,” as described in the KeyBank announcement.

Additional grants

In addition to the grants for Jubilee Homes and Le Moyne College, KeyBank also recently provided grant funding totaling $245,000 to several local organizations and programs. They include:

• Arc Of Onondaga — employment opportunities program

• CenterState CEO — equity loan fund

• Community Folk Art Center — Creative Arts Academy

• Excelsior College — Degrees Open Doors Scholarship Program for Syracuse Housing Authority residents

• Food Bank of Central New York — mobile food pantry

• Interfaith Works of Central New York — TARR Community Wide Dialogue

• Ministries of Victory Temple — Community Feeding Program

• Nile Dayne Foundation — Go, See, Be, Do Tutoring & Mentoring

• PEACE Inc. — low-income tax-prep program

• Utica Monday Nite — Artist Refinery Program

• WISE Women’s Business Center — “Exito!” Latina Entrepreneurship Program