On Point’s Role in Project RISE
On Point is proud to be a beneficiary of Project RISE funding announced by Governor Kathy Hochul. As part of Utica’s $2 million allocation through this statewide initiative, On Point will receive additional funding to expand our college and career advising staff, allowing us to support more students as they pursue their college and career goals.
This investment also strengthens On Point’s ability to mentor and empower grassroots organizations across our community, helping to build capacity and expand the reach of programs that support young people and families.
Below is the full article outlining the State’s Project RISE investment and its impact across New York.
From the Rome Sentinel:
Utica to Receive $2M for Youth and Violence Prevention Programs
UTICA — Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the allocation of $20 million to support programs and services that strengthen violence prevention, youth development, mental health supports, and economic opportunity for young people in 10 communities statewide through Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower).
Among the $20 million in funding, the city of Utica will be allocated $2 million.
Administered by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services, the initiative supports community-based organizations that help young people and families succeed through youth development programming, mentoring, job training, mental health supports, and opportunities for success. The RISE funding model drives investments in programs and services that are tailored to meet the unique needs and priorities identified by youth, families, and other stakeholders in the participating communities.
“Keeping our communities safe starts with investing in our young people. Through Project RISE, we are putting real resources into violence prevention, mental health support, job training, and life skills development so our young New Yorkers have the tools they need to succeed,” Hochul said.
“This investment empowers local organizations to meet young people where they are, help strengthen families, and build safer and stronger communities across the State of New York.”
This year marks the third round of RISE funding for seven communities and the first year for three new ones, with each receiving $2 million: Albany, Buffalo, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers. Funding will build on proven programs and sustain strong community partnerships in those cities, while Hempstead, Troy, and Utica are receiving funding for the first time.
The State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) provides technical assistance, oversight, training, and evaluation to ensure accountability and long-term impact of the programs.
“The organizations that benefit from this funding are those we could do more for, so simply put, thank you,” said Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime. “The gaps of need filled by this program will significantly improve the lives of our local youth.”
A total of 136 organizations are receiving funding through Project RISE. Each Project RISE community has a steering committee that oversees the initiative. These committees use a healing and equity lens to foster ongoing collaboration, identify programs and services for funding, build capacity to implement and sustain programming to address the underlying factors contributing to violence and improve responses to violence through partnerships.
Up to four lead organizations in each community receive the funding, retaining a portion for their programs and distributing the balance to support the work of other organizations, many of which have never received state funding. Officials say this allows RISE funding to build the capacity of successful grassroots programs to expand their reach.
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