Fund for Warren’s Future Gives $29K in Grants
WARREN, Ohio – The Fund for Warren’s Future, an economic development initiative launched last October by city and community leaders, announced three grants Monday totaling $29,000.
The awards were for $15,000 to Inspiring Minds for the “We Are Warren” initiative; $6,500 to the Trumbull County Fine Arts Council for Warren Homecoming; and $7,500 to Warren Redevelopment and Planning Corp. for the rewriting of the downtown Design Review Guidelines and Facade Improvement program.
Inspiring Minds will identify 15 local, post-high school youth who are already on a track towards career success, and find them paid summer internships with local businesses and nonprofit organizations, doing work which will be meaningful to their career goals.
“The idea is to start early finding ways for our best and brightest kids to stay in Warren once
they complete their educations,” said Marvin Logan, the program coordinator. “Warren’s population loss over the years has hit our young and better educated population segments the hardest, and the We Are Warren initiative addresses that issue head on.”
Warren Homecoming 2018 will be the event’s third year. Last year more than 30 local businesses and organizations participated in the four day long Homecoming weekend.
“Warren Homecoming was an instant hit,” says Trumbull County Fine Arts Council President James Shuttic, “and this grant will allow us to work on bringing even more people back to their home town for a visit.”
Warren Redevelopment and Planning Corp. (WRAP) oversees the design review commission for downtown Warren and operates a grant program to assist businesses improve their building facades. The FWF grant will allow WRAP to update the design parameters, and to replenish the facade funds.
“This grant will pay for a modernizing of our standards, and will encourage and assist local landlords to make the investments in the appearance of their buildings,” said Anthony Iannucci, director of WRAP.
The Fund for Warren’s Future was started in early 2018 and is maintained within the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley. Its original source of funds were from the city of Warren, AVI Foodsystems and Sam and Caryn Covelli.
The mission of the fund is to encourage and support economic development within the city of Warren.
The Board consists of Anthony Payiavlas, president and CEO of AVI Foodsystems, Sam Covelli, president and CEO of Covelli Enterprises and Warren Mayor Doug Franklin.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
