United Way of Greater Cincinnati selected five local organizations as the inaugural recipients of grants from its Future of Manufacturing Fund, made possible with financial support from the GE Aerospace Foundation.
The new program provides funding – between $25,000 to $50,000 – to help organizations create or expand programs specifically designed to address critical gaps in the advanced manufacturing workforce.
The first class of grantees selected for the Future of Manufacturing Fund include:
- Advanced Manufacturing Industry Partnership’s Manufacturing Education Expansion Initiative
- Cincinnati Youth Collaborative’s Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathway Program
- Great Oaks Career Campuses Adult Education’s Operation CNC and Advanced Manufacturing
- LEAD Training’s Manufacturing Workforce Initiative
- Learning Grove’s NaviGo College and Career Prep for Manufacturing Careers.
Specific grant values were not made available.
“Today’s news exemplifies how private funding and philanthropic partners can drive positive change in our community,” said Moira Weir, UWGC’s president and CEO.
“A robust workforce supported by initiatives like this attracts people to the area and fosters a stronger, more resilient economy for everyone,” she continued. “We thank the organizations that applied for this opportunity and look forward to working together to build a community where all people can thrive now and in the future.”
Working to create professional opportunities
The Future of Manufacturing Fund is the result of a $1 million investment from the GE Aerospace Foundation, an independent charitable organization funded by Greater Cincinnati-based GE Aerospace. The goal of the program is to strengthen workforce development programs in response to growing demand in the aviation and manufacturing sectors.
There will be at least three yearly grant funding cycles.
The fund builds on UWGC and GE Aerospace Foundation’s collective efforts to “create a more robust and diverse workforce across manufacturing” and paves the way for future collaboration to support the future of manufacturing, according to a joint statement.
Meghan Thurlow, GE Aerospace Foundation president, said her organization remains focused on finding new ways to encourage more students to consider a career in advanced manufacturing and “building a stronger pipeline for the future that will benefit the entire community.”
“The GE Aerospace Foundation is proud to support these different approaches to addressing our shared goal and looks forward to seeing what they will accomplish through the Future of Manufacturing Fund,” Thurlow said.
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