3 Long Island nonprofits receive up to $300G each in grants from LI Economic Opportunity Collaborative

Three Long Island nonprofits whose various programs seek to provide workforce training, educational and civic engagement to a variety of constituencies, will each receive up to $300,000 over four years in grants from the Long Island Economic Opportunity Collaborative, the philanthropic group announced Friday.

The three grant recipients are Minority Millennials, an Amityville-based group aimed at supporting entrepreneurship and encouraging political engagement among young people of color; Woman's Opportunity Rehabilitation Center in Hempstead, which helps formerly incarcerated women; and MusicBreeds, also based in Hempstead, which is described on its website as an" innovative initiative that aims to create a dynamic learning and workforce development hub centered around music, entrepreneurship, and high-tech skills."

Each nonprofit's representative in separate interviews Friday said the grants would help them expand their reach and create new programs.

Dan Lloyd, founder and president of Minority Millennials, said the grant would further its Civic Works program "that is a direct extension of our mission: to develop the next generation of civic leaders while equipping them with the keys to access economic freedom." He said that means engaging teens from 16 to 18 to older millennials up to age 38, to help them learn what they are naturally good at, what career areas they'd like to explore, and providing them with resources and mentors.

In addition, Lloyd said the program seeks to develop in clients a "civic mindset," adding, "They need to understand their civic duty … and how they play a crucial part" in all facets of government and in "understanding the importance of voting." Lloyd said the grant will help finance the development of a curriculum.

Diane Gaines, executive director of the Woman's Opportunity Rehabilitation Center, said, "We’re going to be helping our clientele to receive additional employment services. We can pay for skills training [and] for proper attire — different things to get our clientele prepared for employment."

Gaines added: "In the past, we didn’t have the funds to actually pay for skills training." But the grant will enable them to do so, she said.

Isaiah Grigg, founder and CEO of MusicBreeds, said, "We’re going to be using it to develop financial literacy programs, credit building and educational workshops. We serve in our workforce development capacity, [students] age 17 plus, all the way up to seniors, if necessary. In total we serve about 120 students. We’re looking to increase that. The grant will help there."

Helping nonprofits 'do their work'

The funding collaborative is a coalition of donors that includes several banks as well as the New York Community Trust Long Island. Rafia Zahir-Uddin, vice president of Global Philanthropy at J.P. Morgan Chase and LIEOC Committee cochair, said in a statement to Newsday: “At JPMorganChase], we understand the communities we serve are more than a place to do business — they’re where our customers, clients, and colleagues live, and everywhere that we have a presence, we want to help build a stronger economy for all.”

And Sam Marks, the CEO of FJC- A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds, which is the fiscal sponsor of the collaborative, said in an interview: "We’re thrilled to be able to execute on the strategy of the funder collaborative and create a structure [where] these folks can come together and do their work." 

By Olivia Winslow

olivia.winslow@newsday.com@newsollie