Two RI Nonprofits Receive $200K Grants from Bank of America

PROVIDENCE – Bank of America today announced the Providence After School Alliance and Junior Achievement of Rhode Island as the 2023 Neighborhood Builders® awardees for their work advancing economic mobility and building up underserved neighborhoods in Rhode Island. Through this multi-year grant funding and extensive leadership training for the nonprofits’ leadership, programs and services that help provide a positive, enriching education experience for young people will be strengthened and expanded.

The Neighborhood Builders program is one of the largest philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development in the nation, providing comprehensive leadership training for an executive director and an emerging leader on topics ranging from increasing financial sustainability, human capital management and strategic storytelling, and the opportunity to join a national network of peer organizations. Each Builder is also awarded a $200,000 grant over two years.

“Nonprofits like the Providence After School Alliance and Junior Achievement of Rhode Island are vital to solving social challenges, improving communities and promoting economic advancement," said Kevin Tracy, President, Bank of America Rhode Island. “Providing these nonprofits with flexible funding and leadership training not only positions them for sustainable, long-term success, but demonstrates our commitment to creating real change in the places where we live and work.”

The Providence After School Alliance works to expand high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities for Providence youth. Partnering with local nonprofits and educators, PASA provides free programs in STEM, the arts, athletics and wellness, career exploration and leadership. The new grant funding will be used to develop a youth-led philanthropy initiative, giving young people the power to determine how to allocate funds to best meet the needs of their community.

"We are profoundly grateful to be selected as a 2023 Neighborhood Builders awardee by Bank of America. As we stand on the cusp of PASA's third decade, this honor not only acknowledges our shared history—with BofA being pivotal in our founding—but also propels us into the future, poised to further invest in the bright young leaders of Providence. It is a generous affirmation of our commitment, and we look forward to the enhanced opportunities for the community that these funds will provide,” said Ann Durham, Executive Director, Providence After School Alliance.

Junior Achievement of Rhode Island is a nonprofit education organization transforming the lives of K-12 students through innovative, hands-on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs. They plan to use Neighborhood Builder funding to expand career readiness programs as well as their successful school-to-career pipeline that is currently helping students become certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and preparing them to enter the Providence Fire Academy when they graduate high school.

“Junior Achievement is honored to receive the 2023 Neighborhood Builders grant from Bank of America. This is truly a transformative gift that will take our mission of inspiring and preparing young people to be successful in a global economy to the next level,” said Lee Lewis, President, Junior Achievement of Rhode Island. “This support will allow JA to expand our work helping young people connect what they are learning in school to life outside the classroom, giving them the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities.”

The invitation-only program is highly competitive. Nonprofits are selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past Builders awardees. Twenty-seven nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Builders in Rhode Island since 2007, with the bank investing $5.4 million into these local nonprofits.

Since 2004, Bank of America has invested more than $300 million in nearly 100 communities across the U.S., partnered with more than 1,600 nonprofits, and helped more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills through the Neighborhood Builders and Champions program.