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R.K. Mellon Foundation announces $2.6 million grants to stimulate 'new-economy' jobs locally | TribLIVE.com
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R.K. Mellon Foundation announces $2.6 million grants to stimulate 'new-economy' jobs locally

Patrick Varine
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CMU photo by Tribune-Review/Cathedral of Learning photo courtesy of Univ. of Pittsburgh
Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh are among the beneficiaries of 16 new grants from the R.K. Mellon Foundation totaling $2.6 million.

The R.K. Mellon Foundation has a few goals aimed at helping people get jobs — and it’s got the money to get started.

Targeting what foundation Director Sam Reiman calls “new-economy jobs,” the foundation is providing $2.6 million spread out over 16 grants.

“With our new strategic plan, we are more focused than ever on ensuring that the people and communities in the Greater Pittsburgh region will have every chance to obtain the good jobs we help to create — particularly, the people and communities that, in the past, too often were left behind,” Reiman said.

Earlier this year, the foundation issued two requests-for-ideas to enable even more grant-making in job training, career readiness and employment initiatives: one promising ideas and initiatives in “Career Readiness for All Ages”; another, in “Employment Opportunities in the Innovation Economy.” Responses to both RFIs are due July 16.

The foundation made its biggest economic-development investment yet — $150 million — earlier this year to create a new robotics center and a new science center at Carnegie Mellon University, as well as an Advanced and Additive Manufacturing Institute at the 178-acre Hazelwood Green development.

“Establishing national leadership in these highly competitive areas requires significant investment,” Reiman said. “But it’s also only half the battle. We believe that our work will not be complete without a parallel effort to make sure everyone in the region who has the talent and drive to work in these sectors has a legitimate opportunity to do so.”

The 16 grants awarded so far this year:

• Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute — $250,000 for the Keystone Space Collaborative, to catalyze the growth and success of the commercial space sector in the tri-state region.

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania — $250,000 for the Accelerator Project, to develop a learning management system enabling the organization to scale its artificial intelligence, computer science and other STEM programs.

• Fortyx80, Inc. — $100,000 for the Apprenti PGH Pilot Program, to establish Pennsylvania’s first registered tech apprenticeship program, to provide new opportunities for economic mobility to under-represented populations.

• Micro-Society, Inc. — $250,000 for an Innovating MicroSociety in Pittsburgh – 18-month support to develop and implement an online Micro-Society platform collaboratively with local partners.

• National Council of Jewish Women — $100,000 to reduce the outflow of mothers from the labor force and support her efforts to return through programming, networking and infrastructure.

• Ozanam, Inc. — $120,000 for the eCatalyst Initiative, to address the digital disparity in the Black community through building the technology skills of youth and the capacity of Black-owned businesses.

• Per Scholas, Inc. — $100,000 for job training, to train 100 learners for high-growth technology careers, developing a diverse graduate talent pipeline and spurring economic inclusion and growth in Pittsburgh.

• Pittsburgh Public Schools — $120,000 for a feasibility study on the creation of a career-exploration middle school.

• Resilient Coders — $100,000 for a Bootcamp Pilot, to build economic resilience in Pittsburgh’s minority communities through training, placement and support in software engineering for young adults.

• Schools That Can — $100,000 for a Career Pathways Program, to build a cyber-security career pathway and expand STEM career pathways for Pittsburgh-area high school students.

• Smart Futures — $250,000 for Building Smart Futures, to create and pilot regionally a modular, scalable eMentoring portal that facilitates the delivery of virtual work-based learning experiences in K-12 classrooms.

• StartUptown — $125,000 to support the Pittsburgh Robotics Network’s effort to build a robotics industry cluster network of highly engaged stakeholders that fosters business growth and jobs for a diverse pool of talent.

• Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, Inc. — $125,000 for an Innovation Talent Pipeline, which will utilize industry partnerships to develop equitable career pathways in the innovation sector that benefit employers, training providers and job seekers.

• Thrill Mill, Inc. — $250,000 to support a partnership with Chloe Capital to produce #InvestInWomen-Pittsburgh, to drive capital and create opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Pittsburgh.

• University of Pittsburgh — $250,000 for a Creative Industry Training Initiative, to employ digital media curriculum, industry professionals, educational programs, workshops, projects and internships with diverse high schoolers to grow and impact the region’s creative industry.

• Will Allen Foundation — $125,000 for Quest for Real Life Success, to provide training in STEM through robotics, financial literacy, health and wellness and other life skills, enabling pathways to future education and career success.

“These grants are designed to ensure everyone who wants to work in these sectors, and is willing to put in the work, will have the opportunity to work in these sectors, right here in Pittsburgh,” Reiman said.

Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.

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