United Way Awards Grants to BIPOC-Led Organizations
United Way of Greater Mercer County (UWGMC) awarded grants to eight local nonprofit organizations totaling $52,000 as part of the Inaugural Power Up Fund.
The fund was established to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) nonprofit leaders who share in and align with UWGMC’s commitment to reducing barriers for under-resourced, economically challenged and under-served populations.
The Power Up Fund matters because research has shown that organizations led by leaders of color are under-funded and organizations led by women of color receive even less support. UWGMC is addressing the funding disparity by providing unrestricted grants and connecting BIPOC leaders to valuable organizational resources.
The Power Up Fund is seeded by UWGMC’s endowment. The 2023 Power Up Fund grantees are as follows:
• African Link Initiative
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County
• HISPA (Hispanics Inspiring Students’ Performance and Achievement)
• HomeWorks, Trenton Inc.
• NJ Black Women’s Collective
• Princeton Nursery School
• Salvation & Social Justice
• Womanspace, Inc.
“We are excited to launch the Power Up Fund and to support the capacity of BIPOC led nonprofit organizations. This is new and bold for the organization. Equity and access is at the core of what we do. We are committed to dismantling inequities and building a thriving community for all” Sandra Toussaint, president and CEO of UWGMC.
More information: www.uwgmc.org.
USDA Grantees Include Area Agribusinesses
A round of investments announced late last year by the United States Department of Agriculture included grant funding for several agricultural producers in the greater Princeton region.
Grants totaling more than $300,000 were awarded as part of the Value Added Producer Grants Program, part of more than $2 million in funding distributed to New Jersey producers under the program in the past four years.
“Here in New Jersey, we’re committed to adding value closer to home, where wealth created for our farmers stays in rural areas — especially helpful to new producers,” said Jane Asselta, New Jersey state director. “Many of our recipients are beginning farmers, and these investments are critical in establishing and growing successful operations, demonstrating the importance of this assistance to ensure the future of farming in New Jersey continues to grow. Pun intended.”
In this round of funding, Chickadee Creek Farm Company, based in Pennington, a first-time VAPG recipient, received a $86,043 grant to expand the farm’s custom-packed community supported agricultural program, to include delivery to corporate parks and business centers within a 25-mile radius.
Other area entities who have received funding from USDA grant programs in recent years include Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville, which used a $236,000 grant to launch an online distribution system and expand farm production processing. The funding supported the improvement of their cheesemaking process, further establishing the farm as one of the region’s premier artisanal cheesemakers.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is championing America’s farmers and ranchers by helping to expand businesses, support more robust American supply chains and save jobs,” said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Today’s investments in agricultural producers and rural entrepreneurs will create better economic opportunities that spur competition and bolster food supply chains across the country. This will result in more affordable prices and choices for consumers, as well as more opportunities and revenue for farmers.”
TESU, Rider Receive Some College, No Degree Grants
Thomas Edison State University (TESU) and Rider University have been awarded grants from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) to support OSHE’s Some College, No Degree initiative.
TESU is set to receive $149,977 to fund incentives for both students and institutions, facilitating the return of working adult students to college for degree completion. OSHE has allocated nearly $3.3 million in grant funding to 23 institutions.
“We are honored to be selected for the FY24 Some College, No Degree Institutional Grant Opportunity. The University was founded for this purpose and the grant furthers our work in overcoming barriers to re-enrollment and degree completion,” said Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, president of TESU. “We are proud to contribute to the transformation of higher education in New Jersey, ensuring our workforce is well-prepared for the challenges ahead. We look forward to collaborating with the State and amplifying best practices that will contribute to achieving the goal of 65 percent of working-age New Jerseyans obtaining a high-quality credential by 2025.”
Rider’s grant will help qualified students with expenses that may stand in the way of them completing their degrees, such as childcare, transportation, technology and textbooks.
“Rider’s Continuing Education Program has always been dedicated to assisting adult students in the pursuit of their undergraduate degrees,” says Sean Levin, director of graduate, continuing education admission, and university partnerships. “We’re proud that this new grant will allow us to support adult students in removing barriers and assist in their dream of completing their bachelor’s degree.”
Rider offers more than 70 undergraduate programs at a low, per-credit rate for continuing education students. Through online, evening and accelerated courses and part-time options, students can complete their degrees with flexibility.
Nationally, the population of students with some college, but no degree has been increasing and roughly translates to one-in-four adults across the United States. In New Jersey, more than 790,000 residents are a part of this population, having taken a hiatus for various reasons, ranging from financial and material hardship to shifting career goals and aspirations.
More information: rider.edu/cep-grant and www.tesu.edu
