PROVIDENCE – Skill Up Rhode Island, an alliance of local and statewide groups under the auspices of the United Way of Rhode Island, is one of 10 projects nationwide to receive grants from the new National Fund for Workforce Solutions.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the National Fund for Workforce Solutions,” Anthony Maione, president and CEO of United Way of Rhode Island, said today in announcing the grant.
The Skill Up alliance – formed last year – will receive $450,000 from the NFWS over three years. The money will help support initiatives of the Governor’s Workforce Board, the R.I. Office of Adult Education and Making Connections Providence, including public-policy and advocacy efforts and pilot projects in Newport, Woonsocket and Providence.
Johan Uvin, the state director of adult education, praised the United Way for its “strong support and forward-thinking collaboration” in Skill Up Rhode Island. The nonprofit’s “participation in the development of work force initiatives has been critical,” added J. Michael Koback, executive director of the Governor’s Workforce Board.
“We have been working hard in Rhode Island to create the best possible environment for preparing people for the workplace,” the United Way’s Maione said. “This grant – from some of the leading foundations in the field – validates that we are on the right track and will allow us to expand our reach significantly.”
The NFWS – intended to operate for at least five years and raise at least $50 million – was established with support of groups including the Annie E. Casey, Ford and Hitachi foundations and the U.S. Department of Labor. Its goal is to create opportunities for lower-wage employees and help meet the critical need for skilled workers, by strengthening and expanding effective initiatives across the country.
The other projects sharing in the fund’s first round of grants are in Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Pennsylvania, Chicago, San Diego and San Francisco.
The United Way of Rhode Island is a human-services organization dedicated to mobilizing the power of the community. To learn more about the United Way or the Skill Up Rhode Island work force development coalition, visit
For more information about the National Fund for Workforce Solution, visit www.nfwsolutions.org.
