Erie Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission to launch first grant program

The Erie County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission, now known as Diverse Erie, is expected to launch its first grant program in July.

The Generational Impact Grant program, which was unanimously approved by the commission Thursday, will offer grants ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 to capital projects deemed to have a long-lasting impact on the Black, Indigenous or People of Color, or BIPOC, population.

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"The commission is interested in capital projects that are going to have a level of permanence," said Tim Wachter, legal counsel to the commission, adding that eligible projects should also help communities or individuals disproportionately harmed by COVID-19.

Grant guidelines indicate funds can be used for legal, engineering or architectural costs, as well as land or property acquisition or the construction and rehabilitation of existing properties. They can't be used for feasibility studies, program facilitation or vehicle purchases.

Gary Lee, chief administrative officer of Diverse Erie, said he anticipates recipients will leverage their money and acquire more funding to keep their projects going.

"We are working to develop a new mindset in Erie County and the BIPOC community," he said. "We believe the Generational Impact Grant accomplishes this goal by investing and leveraging our funds in projects that will live on for generations to come."

Lee said he anticipates grant applications will be available on the commission's website by July 15. He said he intends to hold a news conference next month to further explain the program to the public.

DEI's first grant program

The grant program is the first for the commission, which was established in 2021 to advance equity and minority representation in the county. The commission is funded by $3.5 million in seed money, courtesy of Erie County's $52.3-million allocation in American Rescue Plan Act funding.

While Erie County Executive Brenton Davis has talked about re-budgeting the second round of ARPA funds to the county and eliminating the commission's next round of $3.5 million due to its lack of progress, the Generational Impact Grant could prove advantageous for the commission's future as well.

"Feedback and scrutiny comes with any type of government work, especially a new initiative," Lee told the Erie Times-News. "The DEI Commission has been working diligently to be creative and think differently."

Re-budget proposal:Davis seeks to re-budget Erie County's 2022 American Rescue Plan funds

Grant eligibility

According to grant guidelines approved by the commission, eligible projects:

• Must be located in Housing and Urban Development Qualified Census tracts
• Must be located where primary beneficiaries earn less than 60% of the median income in Erie County
• Must be where 25% of the primary beneficiaries are below the federal poverty line or where the applicant is able to independently prove eligibility based on ARPA guidelines
• Must be BIPOC or impact the BIPOC community in Erie County, or be an organization that serves the BOPOC community

Wachter said projects must have a minimum 1-to-1 match from another source of funds, either public or private.

"There's also a 12-month recapture period," he said. "So, in the event there is a project that is ongoing where there's already been significant investment, you'd be able to utilize that match in order to allow for this grant to be offered."

Lee said Diverse Erie intends to hire a grant portfolio manager to aid applicants with eligibility and the application process.

"The commission wants to ensure that persons of color live, work and play in high-quality places. Erie County is a much better place to call home when all people are living their best life," he said.

Along with Lee, commission members present Thursday were Chairman Gerald Blanks, Tiffany LaVette, Matthew Harris and Gwendolyn White.

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.