The New York Building Foundation (NYBF), the charitable arm of the New York Building Congress (NYBC), says it has awarded $80,000 in grants to programs during the spring 2018 submission cycle.
This year, the NYBF celebrates its 20th anniversary “promoting the well-being of the building industry and wider New York City community,” it says in a statement. To fulfill its mission, the foundation issues grants to non-profit organizations involved with the advancement of the design, construction and real estate industry.
The organizations awarded this cycle were:
ACE Mentor Program: helps mentor high school students and inspires them to pursue careers in design and construction. This grant will be used to fund a scholarship for a student pursuing further academic training in the architecture, engineering and construction management industry.
Andromeda Community Initiative: provides free, practical workforce development training taught by industry experts to individuals interested in a career in the building restoration industry.
Building Skills: connects workers with historically high rates of unemployment and poverty with access to quality training and expanded career opportunities. They are dedicated to developing a skilled workforce, while also helping residents revitalize their neighborhoods.
CMC Workforce: trains people to become highly qualified, skilled tradespeople within the construction industry through programming based on education in the classroom, workshop and in the field.
Nontraditional Employment for Women: prepares, trains, and places women in careers in the skilled construction, utility, and maintenance trades, helping women achieve economic independence and a secure future for themselves and their families.
Salvadori Center: brings in-school and after-school STEAM programs to low-income students at public schools, community centers, hospital schools, and homeless shelters across all five boroughs.
Urban Upbound: provides job training and certification services to public housing residents and other low-income New Yorkers to facilitate their entry into the construction sector in New York City through their Employment Services program.
Waterfront Alliance: promotes better access, ecology, and resiliency in waterfront planning and design through their Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) program.
“With this latest round of grants, the Building Foundation continues its focus on helping to build a diverse pipeline of talent and attracting new groups to opportunities in the construction industry,” said NYBF president Carlo A. Scissura, who also serves as the NYBC’s president and CEO. “Each grant supports the growth of the building community and makes us collectively stronger. Congratulations to the awardees, and I look forward to continuing to work with them towards greater success for our industry.”
Since its inception, the foundation has raised and distributed more than $2 million for activities that include educational programs aimed at developing interest in the industry among elementary and high school students; scholarships for students of all ages to pursue careers in the building professions and trades; programs to encourage clean, safe worksites; and research on issues impacting both the building industry and the city’s economic future.
“The Building Foundation is honored to support the terrific work of our grant awardees,” said foundation chairman Jonathan Resnick. “These grants will help expand our workforce, create solid building blocks for New York’s next generation of workers and ensure the long-term growth and health of the industry for decades to come.”
The foundation accepts grant applications twice during each calendar year. The spring 2018 period ran from March 1 through May 31 and the fall period will run from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31.
