Grants range from $500 to $5,000

Staff report

WARREN

Neighborhood SUCCESS and Leadership, a program of The Raymond John Wean Foundation, awards grants of $500 to $5,000 to develop and implement resident-driven projects in the Foundation’s issue priorities: Early Childhood (0-5), Educational Opportunity, Economic Opportunity, Community Revitalization and Public and Civic Sector Leadership.

Since 2008, the program has awarded nearly $1.1 million to more than 350 projects.

Grass-roots groups in Warren and Youngstown with an intentional focus on encouraging, cultivating and supporting resident engagement and leadership development are encouraged to apply.

A resident council, broadly representing the diversity of these cities, guides the program and makes the final funding decisions. A maximum of 30 projects are funded each year.

Orientations will be at locations in Warren and Youngstown during October and November. Attendance is mandatory for grant consideration. For dates and locations, visit the Foundation’s website at www.rjweanfdn.org.

Raymond John Wean, after having achieved success in the flat-rolled steel-processing industry, created the foundation in 1949 that since has made more than $100 million in grants to a broad variety of nonprofit organizations.

The Wean Foundation has evolved from a small, board-managed organization with informal grant-making procedures to a strategic, professionally staffed organization.

The vision of the foundation is to empower residents to create a healthy, vibrant and economically stable Mahoning Valley community with equal opportunity for all, officials said.