Grantmaking
Current Initiatives
Demonstration Projects in healthcare sector
Healthcare Industry Partnership Pilot Project ($25,000): Funded by the Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions, the healthcare industry partnership is working with the CareerLink and the Area Health Education Center to standardize the prescreening and assessment process, refer candidates to relevant supportive services, and provide job shadowing opportunities with IP employer members. The pilot project goal is to achieve more effective training resulting in higher recruitment and retainment outcomes.
Job Coach Pilot Project at Hamot ($90,315): This project aims to provide screening, an experiential learning opportunity, and training to potential low-income patient care assistant (PCA) candidates. The pilot project also provides access to an on-sight job coach, who will develop a long-term relationship with the PCAs and provide ongoing career and social support. This advising may include helping the apprentice problem-solve personal and family issues, developing and implementing a career plan, resolving work issues and directing them to various social service agencies. It is expected that the presence of an on-sight job coach will reduce turn-over costs, thereby making the financial case for Hamot to sustain the position. Additionally, if the model is proven successful, it may be transferrable to other employers throughout Erie County.
External Program Evaluation of both Pilot Projects ($26,500): This evaluation will collect employee, employer, and systems measures to determine efficacy and transferability of both pilot projects.
ReTool Erie
ReTool Erie, a partnership of The Erie Community Foundation, The Nonprofit Partnership, and the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence (RCWE), is a new initiative fostering the evolution of local nonprofits focused on workforce development. Partially funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), ReTool Erie provides increased resources to nonprofits working to jump-start the economy, create and save jobs, and improve individuals’ access to government benefits. Through training, one-on-one coaching, and competitive capacity building grants, the goal of ReTool Erie is to help organizations and their clients meet the challenges of our changing economy. For more information please call Project Officers, Project Officers, Amanda Brown Sissem or Michael Brand at (814) 454-0843 or www.ReToolErie.org.
Other Work
ReThink Erie ($65,000)
ReThink Erie is a collaboration among the business, government, economic development and philanthropic communities to address the region’s workforce development challenges and evaluate the opportunities associated with, and the viability of, creating a community college to serve northwestern Pennsylvania. REthink Erie managed the six-month extensive research effort on our regional employers’ workforce needs, culminating in a public presentation of the results on April 3, 2009. The results were conclusive: An application for a community college is warranted. With direction from the project leadership team, REthink Erie is now coordinating the necessary community input and professional expertise to develop an application to establish a community college for submission to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. They are also working with the county council to determine the likelihood of a tax increase to fund the local match requirement of the application.
Penn State University ERP IT Initiative ($25,000)
Due to escalating international wage rates, high foreign employee turnover, and quality and performance challenges, U.S. corporations that have outsourced IT services abroad have begun moving such operations back to the U.S.. Penn State Behrend is leading the development of a rural IT services cluster in NW PA resulting in new jobs and new opportunities for businesses and the workforce. They have formed a strong partnership with General Electric Corporation (GE), resulting in a $250,000 investment in the project. ECF funding is to begin the development of a business plan for the ERP IT workforce development initiative, and an initial four course curriculum development to train incumbent workers in the information technology sector in Erie County. The total project is a multiyear endeavor with a budget in excess of $1M, and projects the development of 100+ new IT jobs to the region.
Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions (PFWS) 2008—$25,000; 2009—$15,000)
The National Fund for Workforce Solutions is a partnership among private and public, national and local funders to strengthen and expand workforce partnerships as effective models for facilitating career advancement for lower-skilled adults by meeting the workforce development needs of employers. The PFWS is one of 22 sites across the U.S. selected for participation in the program. While most sites are city or countywide (ex: Boston, Baltimore), the PFWS is a statewide collaborative. Four regions (Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, and South Central) have combined philanthropic forces to leverage and build upon the success of Pennsylvania’s existing Industry Partnership strategy to improve employment, training, and labor market outcomes for low-income individuals in Pennsylvania. PFWS funds are matched each year by $150,000 from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. To date, across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, nearly ninety Industry Partnerships have trained over 70,000 employees for more than 6000 employers – 84% whom report increases in productivity.
