Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Arpa Grants Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances ARPA grants for workforce training, women’s services and youth arts programs
Summary
Cuyahoga County’s Education Environment Sustainability Committee voted to move multiple ARPA-funded nonprofit grants out of committee for second reading at full council, approving referrals for the CREW Foundation, Women of Color Foundation, Dress for Success Cleveland, Rainey Institute and Neighborhood Leadership Institute; two items were tabled for lack of presenters.
Cleveland — The Education Environment Sustainability Committee on Jan. 22 advanced several resolutions awarding ARPA community grants to local nonprofits, moving the items to the full Cuyahoga County Council for second reading.
The committee approved referrals for programs aimed at building a local film workforce, supporting women’s professional development, expanding clothing-and-job-services and funding after-school arts and leadership programs. Two items were tabled because no representatives appeared.
The committee first advanced Resolution 20250011, which authorizes up to $75,000 from the District 8 ARPA community grant fund for the CREW Foundation’s workforce-in-a-digital-age project. Sheila Wright, a CREW Foundation representative, told the committee the program partners with Youth Opportunities Unlimited to provide stipends, trains at Case Western Reserve’s Thinkbox and aims to scale so participants can work year-round in the production economy. "The CREW Foundation stands for creating real entertainment workforce," Wright said.
Alexandria Johnson Boone, chairwoman and founder of the Women of Color Foundation, asked the committee to approve Resolution 20240398, a District 9 ARPA award of up to $10,000 for personal and professional development programming. Boone described 23 years of services that include scholarships and reentry support and cited local funders such as the Deaconess Foundation and St. Luke’s Foundation.
The committee also approved Resolution 20240434, a District 9 award of up to $20,000 to Dress for Success Cleveland for general operating support. Melanie Butler, the organization’s CEO, outlined a plan to invest in a customer-relationship management system and staff expansion to improve tracking of client outcomes; she said Dress for Success served 953 women in 2023 and 977 in 2024.
Two items were tabled for lack of presenters: Resolution 20240435 (NAMC Northern Ohio chapter’s Rosie’s Girls summer program) and Resolution 20250005 (Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation’s Rip City boxing program).
Rainey Institute requested $10,000 from District 3 (Resolution 20250006) to support the Clark Fulton Pivot Center’s after-school personnel costs. Jennifer Harrison, executive director, said the center serves roughly 200 children in Clark Fulton and that the organization serves about 1,200 youth across sites; she noted 75% of Clark Fulton participants are low income and about 90% are minority students.
Neighborhood Leadership Institute sought $10,000 from District 9 (Resolution 20250013) for its flagship leadership-development program. Executive Director Trevel Hart described the group’s community organizing, youth programs and health-equity work in Greater Cleveland and said the institute’s navigation partnership has connected "over 6,000 mothers" to services through the County Board of Health collaboration.
Votes at a glance - Resolution 20250011 (CREW Foundation) — up to $75,000; moved out of committee and referred to full council for second reading (voice vote; ayes recorded). - Resolution 20240398 (Women of Color Foundation) — up to $10,000; moved out of committee and referred for second reading (voice vote; ayes recorded). - Resolution 20240434 (Dress for Success Cleveland) — up to $20,000; moved out of committee and referred for second reading (voice vote; ayes recorded). - Resolution 20240435 (Rosie’s Girls / NAMC Northern Ohio) — up to $10,000; tabled for lack of presenter. - Resolution 20250005 (Old Brooklyn CDC Rip City boxing) — up to $15,000; tabled for lack of presenter. - Resolution 20250006 (Rainey Institute) — up to $10,000; moved out of committee and referred for second reading (voice vote; ayes recorded). - Resolution 20250013 (Neighborhood Leadership Institute) — up to $10,000; moved out of committee and referred for second reading (voice vote; ayes recorded).
What’s next All items moved out of committee will return to the full Cuyahoga County Council for a second reading and a future final vote; the chair noted a targeted date of Feb. 11 for final passage of some items. The committee adjourned after miscellaneous business.
