ONS Mini-Grants ’empower’ community members, support projects

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Marlo Jones helps women learn how to crochet at a senior citizens home on the Northside.

Northside neighbors with small-scale projects are able to utilize the One Northside Mini-Grant program to get their ideas off the ground, with the next application deadline being January 30, 2020.

The program awards Northsider’s $1,000 for their projects that demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community.

Cecelia Ware has been an advocate for the mini-grant program since she began applying for different projects several years ago, and believes that community members can feel “empowered” by engaging with their neighbors in this way.

“If you’ve got something that you want to share with the community, why not apply for a mini-grant and go ahead and do it?” Ware said.

The mini-grants were first supervised by The Sprout Fund, and when the nonprofit sunset, New Sun Rising took over the process in 2018. Ware applied for funding with both organizations, initially because she “needed to do work in [her] community” and wanted to help kids that may be navigating difficult experiences.

Ware has been awarded several mini-grants over the years, her first being the Saving Our Sons and Daughters after school program at Propel Northside that focuses on violence prevention and coping skills for high school students. Her current mini-grant project is an extension of the first, and is a Teen Drop in Center at 3577 McClure Ave. to ensure that students are supported beyond the school year. She said they are always looking volunteers, and those interested can email infinitelifestylesol@gmail.com.

“We still focus on violence prevention, but also social justice and African American history as well as leadership skills,” Ware said. “We provide the kids with a free meal, and we have a food bank and clothing bank so they can take those things home if needed.”

For Marlo Jones, this was the first year she applied for a mini-grant. As a talented crocheter, Jones wanted to share her craft through The Crochet Group, where she visits senior citizens each week and teaches them the basics of crocheting to create a beginner scarf or hat.

Jones said the mini-grant has helped her cover the costs of supplies, so each participate can choose and take with them several different yarn colors and their own pair of needles. She also uses a projector to present the different crochet techniques in an easy to digest fashion. She said the experience has been great for those involved.

“This is a safe environment, and people can talk and share what’s been going on in their lives” Jones said. “ It’s therapeutic… to start from nothing and create something beautiful with your hands.”

Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising by January 30, 2020 will receive a decision in February 2020. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the mini-grant funding pool is depleted, and the next mini-grant deadline is March 31, 2020.

The preferred method of submitting applications it to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/. Printing applications are accepted by postal mail, or via email attachment sent to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, Attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline. All projects must be completed by August 1, 2020.

Triboro, Etna celebrate EcoDistricts certification

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Mary Ellen Ramage, Etna Borough Manager, speaking with attendees of the 2019 EcoDistricts Summit about the future ECO Park during the Triboro Ecodistrict neighborhood tours.

In early November during the 10th Annual EcoDistricts Summit, the Borough of Etna became the world’s first certified EcoDistrict, a feat that Borough Manager Mary Ellen Ramage never thought possible because “it’s not something you ever think about.”

“Never in my life did I dream that I would be part of anything that was the first in the world,” Ramage said.

Through a proclamation presented by Etna Mayor Tom Rengers, this Wednesday, December 11 will be recognized as Etna EcoDistrict Day, which coincides with the sold out EcoDistrict Celebration at Fugh Hall where the Triboro Ecodistrict partnership will be honored and Etna will publicly launch its EcoDistrict Plan.

Before embarking on the certification process, the borough already had a focus on sustainable practices including its Green Infrastructure Master Plan, Storm Water Management, and Green Streetscape projects, but the community’s interest in ecodistricts began in late 2016 at the EcoDistricts Micro-Incubator in Millvale.

Led by Triboro Ecodistrict Director Brian Wolovich and Millvale Sustainability Coordinator Zaheen Hussain, the micro-incubator informed participants of the EcoDistrict Protocol, how it worked when Millvale began the process in 2012, and practiced visioning sustainable development using the Protocol. Etna Community Organization (ECO) Board Member and borough resident Robert Tuñón said he and Mayor Rengers attended the workshop together.

“Both Etna and Millvale were making great strides in their physical improvements, but Tom knew the Ecodistrict movement in Millvale was catalytic in getting people to stay involved and volunteer,” Tuñón said.

They left the micro-incubator and shared their knowledge with a small group of municipal and resident leaders, and started gathering information to create an asset based map that identified the positive things already happening in the community and how they could be built upon. Tuñón said these small meetings continued and slowly grew to around 40 residents before the initial public meeting in March 2018 that had over 100 people in attendance.

“We were shocked at the ability to have a grassroots movement start in the community with very little resources,” Tuñón said. “At the time we had no funding.”

Just a few months after the first public meeting, Etna received funding from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation through its partnership with the Triboro Ecodistrict, which also includes Millvale and Sharpsburg. The financial backing advanced Etna’s efforts and allowed them to hire evolveEA and begin an educational series that addressed a key component on the path to becoming an EcoDistrict: offer multiple rounds of opportunities for the community to give input and engage in the planning process, demonstrating that it’s an equitable plan.

Ramage said the educational series, a total of 35 public events, was “one of the most amazing things about the EcoDistrict process” and that she was “mesmerized” by residents engagement.

“People aren’t given enough credit,” Ramage said. “They just need an opportunity to learn and see how they can help and how they can be part of the change. It’s empowering.”

Including equity, communities pursuing the certification must address two other imperatives including “resilience with a broad lens that prepares for social, economic and environmental shocks and stresses,” and climate protection by building “a pathway to carbon neutrality,” according to the EcoDistricts website.

Tuñón said with the leadership of Alexis Boytim, Director of Etna Community Organization, three reports were submitted to EcoDistricts covering Equity, Resilience, and Climate Protection.

After the third report was submitted, Boytim had a call with the national organization and that’s when she was informed that Etna was on track to become the first certified EcoDistrict.

“We didn’t realize that would ever be a possibility,” Boytim said. “When we found out, we were excited of course, but recognized that we wouldn’t have been able to do that or even be where we are without the work done before us and [the partnership with the] Triboro.”

Tuñón echoed Boytim and said the Etna EcoDistrict would not have been imaginable without the guidance from Brian Wolovich in Millvale, Brittany Reno in Sharpsburg, and Mary Ellen in Etna.

“They were able to teach us from their lessons learned and pass those on to us, so in many ways some of the success we feel we’ve had was based on building off their experiences,” Tuñón said. “It all ties together.”

A few projects on the horizon for Etna are the creation of the Etna Community Library and the Etna EcoPark planned for 37 Grant Ave. where a blighted building once stood and is now a vacant lot that the borough recently acquired.

These projects are two reminders that the EcoDistrict certification is just the beginning. Over time, Etna must complete certain goals they set for themselves, track the boroughs progress, and report transparently to the national organization on how they’re doing, Tuñón said.

“The hard work starts now, but it’s work that you understand will make a difference far into the future,” Ramage said. “You have to leave it better than you found it… and that’s what EcoDistrict is all about.”

You might see varying forms of capitalization when exploring the idea of an ecodistrict in your community. This is intentional, and they each have their own meaning:

“ecodistrict” refers to the concept in the field of urban planning that integrates ecologically-sound practices with sustainable community development.

“Ecodistrict” refers to a specific community that is engaged in developing an ecodistrict.
“EcoDistricts” refers to the parent organization that formulated and published the official Protocol and oversees a certification process. They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon.

Click here to learn more.

Upcoming ONS Mini-Grant deadline January 30, 2020

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

The upcoming One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline is January 30, 2020.

Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by this date will receive a decision in February 2020. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the next mini-grant deadline is March 31 of 2020.

The mini-grant program awards Northsider’s up to $1,000 to support small scale community projects that demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community.

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/

Printed applications are accepted by postal mail. You may also submit your applications as attachments to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, Attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline. All projects must be completed by August 1, 2020.

In pre-approved circumstances, project leaders may submit for additional mini-grants. Only one mini-grant per project leader may be active at one time. Please contact vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org for additional information.

The ONS Street Team will launch early next year. Stay tuned for future announcements. Those with questions may email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org.

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising supports nonprofits and small businesses to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability, and opportunity. NSR believes that people and communities hold the knowledge and power to make positive change. We envision a future where regenerative community development practices create the conditions for true social, environmental, and economic justice.

About One Northside

One Northside is a community-driven initiative to improve the quality of life in all 18 neighborhoods of the Northside. Since early 2014, hundreds of Northside residents have engaged with local leaders and stakeholders in community-wide conversations to create a shared agenda for the revitalization of this vital component of the greater Pittsburgh region.

Managers passion for inclusion reflects dedication to diverse programming

Posted on November 2, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Programs that connect people with resources and inspire action are an essential step to building more vibrant communities; more importantly are the programs co-created by the community the organization serves.

It’s the programs that are about inclusion that Jamie Johnson, Manager of Performance Improvement at New Sun Rising, has a real passion to support. At NSR, Johnson leads risk management, program evaluation, and process assessment to improve the outcomes of the organization, but her keenness for doing so comes from her own experiences with Youth Places at the age of 15.

“We pretty much internally ran an organization as youth for our own community and it was a great experience,” Johnson said. “I feel like it taught me about nonprofit process and program development, but also taught me a lot about leadership.”

Johnson went on to serve her community through AmeriCorps before and between attending Edinboro University for psychology and sociology, and earning a Master’s of Education in Marriage and Family Therapy from Duquesne University.

It was at Edinboro where Johnson met Ebony McQueen-Harris. The two stayed connected, and later during their careers McQueen-Harris told Johnson about NSR and Ignite Northside, an accelerator program that supported entrepreneurs from idea to action in support of the goals of One Northside. At the time, McQueen-Harris was the program manager.

“I was a behavior specialist for an after school program at Faison [Arts Academy] and then I fully moved into social services and worked for an organization called Touching Families,” Johnson said. “I became the program director there, but [Ebony] knew I always had an interest in starting my own business.”

That nudge resulted in Johnson founding Build You Up!, a business based on applying her counseling skills to entrepreneurs and “being able to help business owners and leaders work on themselves internally, so they grow and become their best selves for their organization.”

By the time Ignite Northside 2.0 launched, McQueen-Harris had brought Johnson on board to help facilitate the program. Anne George was a program participant during that time and had regular meetings with Johnson and McQueen-Harris to pin down her business goals. George created the app iXMessage, designed for tween girls to socialize online in a trusted environment.

“[Johnson] really helped me step out of my shell,” George said. “Here is a person who has never worked with someone like me before, in that field, and she wasn’t daunted by it at all. She helped me advocate for myself and did that when no one had a product like mine; I just think that speaks to how good they are and how they know what to do for people to get their business started.”

There is a sincere commitment that Johnson has to the people she works with, and that was on full display during Ignite Northside where she helped participants like George dig into who they are as individuals and find out how that connects them to the work they do. This commitment, along with her passion for process and performance, come together to provide unique benefits to those she supports.

“She is a very [strategic] and detailed person,” said Brettney Duck, Executive Director of G.O girls, a nonprofit that serves young women transitioning out of foster care into adulthood.

Duck was a caseworker at Touching Families when she met Johnson, who was program director at the time. After Johnson left to join New Sun Rising, Duck soon followed suit to create her own venture: G.O girls. Because of Johnson’s inherent ability to lead and direct, she was the first person Duck thought of when creating the board of directors for her organization and asked Johnson to be the president.

Both Johnson and Duck work together facilitating My Place, a program created by ACTION-Housing for young adults between 18-24 who have aged out of the foster care system and need assistance. Earlier this year, NSR was contracted to build upon the success of the program and provide increased support for residents’ employment stability, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

“We don’t want to be another program offering services to young people who have gone through the system,” Duck said. “We are very intentional about that and always ask ‘What are you getting from this program?’, and the feedback we get is, ‘You make us feel comfortable.’”

“Jamie is a good partner to have, because she doesnt take over. I’m the lead consultant for the program and she gives me my room; it’s always nice to have those types of [allies].”

It’s through the lens of inclusion, performance improvement, and a genuine commitment to meet people where they are at that she shares her appreciation of professional awakening with business and nonprofit leaders.

“I want people to know that they can establish things for themselves and they can make an impact in their communities, they don’t have to wait,” Johnson said. “They can do it now.”

Next One Northside Mini-Grant deadline October 31, 2019

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Pittsburgh, PA — The upcoming One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline on October 31, 2019 is the last for this calendar year. The following deadline is January 30, 2020.

Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by Oct. 31 will receive a decision in November 2019. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but those submitted after the Oct. 31 deadline will not receive a decision until February 2020.

NSR encourages prospective applicants to attend the next Open Office Hours to learn more about the mini-grant process in advance of preparing their application, which will be Monday, Oct. 21 from 1-2:30 p.m. at Woods Run Library, 1201 Woods Run Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.

Contact

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/

About New Sun Rising

About One Northside

ONS Mini-Grant applications being accepted now through 2020

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Melanie Sandoval reads with Aaron, a student from Spring Hill Elementary School involved in the after school reading program the Comic Book Shop, which received a 2018 ONS Mini-Grant.

Sometimes a lot of funding is needed to get a project off the ground, and sometimes it isn’t.

For those small-scale community projects, New Sun Rising’s One Northside Mini-Grants are back. Created to support community members in their efforts to elevate their neighborhoods, Northsiders can apply to receive $1,000 in funding to support initiatives that strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and activate significant places in their community.

Applications will be released on August 1, 2019, accepted on an ongoing basis, and reviewed bi-monthly. Deadlines to submit applications is 11:59 p.m. on: August 31, 2019; October 31, 2019; January 30, 2019; March 31, 2020; May 31, 2020 based on the availability of funds.

One Northside Mini-Grants will be announced in September 2019, November 2019, February 2020, April 2020, and June 2020.

Grant recipients may also receive additional support through New Sun Rising and the One Northside Mini-Grant Street Team to develop their project and secure additional resources. Applications are currently being accepted for those who would like to join the Street Team; they must be Northside residents and will support community members in their efforts to advance the ONS vision.

Members of the Street Team will receive a stipend of $1,500 and must be able to commit 60 hours in total, including training, throughout the months of August, September, October, November in 2019 and February 2020. Individuals of the Street Team are expected to educate and support community members about ONS Mini-Grants and help submit applications, as well as communicate the mini-grant program with residents and program partners individually and at neighborhood events.

Individuals who are awarded mini-grants may be able to find additional funding through ioby, which gives local leaders the ability to crowdfund the resources they need to build real, lasting change from the ground up. Pittsburghers specifically have raised over $500,000 for community programs. Currently, the ioby One Northside Crowdfunding Challenge will double donations to Northside projects.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend Information Workshops to meet with New Sun Rising staff and the One Northside Mini-Grant Street Team to learn more about the application process. Additionally, the Street Team will be available for informal meet-ups at community locations as requested. Check the schedule online at www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside for workshop locations, dates, and times. Contact New Sun Rising staff with your inquiry or other questions by phone (412) 407-9007 or email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. If you’re interested in hosting an information session in your neighborhood, please let us know.

Interested applicants are invited to attend the One Northside Community Project Support Slam Kickoff event from 6-8 p.m. on August 21 to honor past grantees and share information about ONS and ioby. Location is to be decided and updates will be posted on New Sun Rising’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

New Sun Rising is also seeking up to five community members to serve on the Mini-Grant Evaluation Committee, which will review applications virtually and meet six times over the coming year to discuss and approve them.

Those interested in becoming a member of the ONS Mini-Grant Street Team can send their resume or questions to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. This email can also be used to contact NSR for those interested in being on the Mini-Grant Evaluation Committee.

The preferred method to submit mini-grant applications is online at www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside.

Printed applications will be accepted at the Allegheny and Woods Run Carnegie Libraries during normal business hours and by postal mail. Individuals can also submit their application as attachments to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline. All projects must end by August 1, 2020.

New Sun Rising seeks residents for One Northside Mini-Grant Street Team

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Pittsburgh, PA — New Sun Rising is set to lead the 2019 One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant program and are in search of four Northside residents to serve on the Street Team that will support community members in their efforts to advance the ONS vision.

The ONS Mini-Grants award Northsider’s up to $1,000 to support small scale community projects that demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community.

Educate community members about ONS Mini-Grants
Support community members to submit their application
Communicate with residents + program partners individually and at neighborhood events to promote the ONS Mini-Grant Program

The Street Team should help increase access for community members to mini-grant opportunities and assist in diversifying the applicant pool. They will also serve as a brand ambassador for the ONS vision.

The ONS Mini-Grant Street Team should be community ambassadors and enrich the places where they live, work, and play. They should believe in investing in the future of the communities that sustain themselves and their neighbors.

Contact

Send resume or questions to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. This is an independent contracting position and Street Team members will receive a 1099 at the end of the year.

About New Sun Rising

About One Northside

Cooperatives Meetup and Networking

Most people want a better way to work, and they like the cooperative business model, but they aren’t confident enough yet about co-ops to take the plunge. Many people start cooperative businesses as a sideline, so it’s not a big risk.

Many people may have the same ideas of cooperatives they want to start, but need additional people to build their businesses and co-ops.

So, let’s have some face-to-face events, some with facilitated discussions and/or presentations so potential co-op members can be informed about new accomplishments and trends in the co-op space, and meet each other and people making waves in the pool.

The “pieces of the puzzle” are here; we just need to connect people and resources who represent them.

Most importantly, let’s build a pipeline of co-op businesses to form and cultivate a network of knowledgeable, helpful cooperators. You are not alone! Join us July 30!

Nonprofits prepare for accelerator program’s final pitch event

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: The SVP Full Circle Spring 2019 Cohort and SVP Partners during a happy hour and networking event in May at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub.

While they embody different missions, the common thread amongst the SVP Full Circle Spring 2019 Cohort is a familiar one for those who work in not-for-profit organizations.

“With nonprofit work you think big and want to save the world on a zero dollar budget,” said Jackie Smith, executive director of Greater Valley Community Services. “And [the coaches] keep it in perspective.”

Social Venture Partners Full Circle is a 14-week accelerator program that combines consulting, workshops, seminars, networking and a final pitch event that will take place on Wednesday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Energy Innovation Center, 1435 Bedford Ave.

Meant for nonprofits that are at a critical juncture regarding their organizations future development, the program looks for applicants that are committed to achieving measurable outcomes and ready to expand and grow their impact.

The coaches that Smith referred to, also known as SVP Partners, are individuals engaged within the nonprofit community that are able to contribute their time and energy to furthering the advancement of the selected nonprofits chosen to participate in the program.

“The Full Circle Program is an incredible opportunity for nonprofit leaders and SVP Partners from the corporate sector to work collectively to improve internal operations and develop strategies for growth,” said Leigh Solomon Pugliano, Full Circle manager and director of opportunity at New Sun Rising. “It also provides greater insight to the corporate sector, the issues our communities are facing, and the incredible work our nonprofits do to make change.”

The program is held in the fall and spring, and accepts a total of five nonprofits each season. Recently, four out of the five organizations gathered for a happy hour event at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub to network and practice for the final pitch event on June 26. During the event, individuals shared their nonprofits history and the key areas they have been working on within the program. Those organizations included:

Greater Valley Community Services

Based in Braddock, Greater Valley Community Services was created to strengthen and hold S.P.A.C.E (supportive programs affording collaborative engagement) for youth, adults, and seniors in the community. Executive Director Jackie Smith said that recently there has been a disconnect between residents and the businesses coming into the neighborhood, especially with youth, and when she read the description for the Full Circle program felt that the fit them perfectly.

“We’ve been stuck in a place and thought this might be the boost that we needed for the program that we wanted to work on,” Smith said.

Partnering with the Woodland Hills School District and entrepreneurs in the community, GVCS plans to create a program that will connect high school students to small business owners who will work together to create marketing plans, websites, and eventually apps for the neighborhood businesses. Smith said the SVP coaches have been instrumental in understanding the best ways to engage both students and businesses, and in deciding how classes will be structured for students in the program.

Unity Through Creativity

The Grounding Lab, a program under Unity Through Creativity, is situated in Hazelwood and uses arts infused techniques to assist people experiencing despair and enhance their emotional coping skills through contemplative process of deep self-reflection. With 40 years of nursing experience and research, Creative Director Margaret Baco said she has developed the understanding that true healing from traumatic experiences can come from engaging in expressive arts.

Baco said the SVP coaches have helped her focus on creating a community strategy, program development, strategic thinking, and networking. Specifically, she said she has appreciated the connections between those in the program.

“We are attracting one another during this dynamic process and New Sun Rising is able to see how networking through this cohort can strengthens our capacity to function,” Baco said. “It’s an outcome that I am deeply grateful for.”

Legacy Arts Project

In 2005, Erin Perry became a member of the dance ensemble at Legacy Arts Project, an organization focused on preserving the history and traditions of African arts as represented throughout the diaspora through education, instruction and interactions. In 2011, Perry became the executive director and has continued to expand the vision and grow the organization. She said Legacy Arts Project is “not only the exploration of African art, but also the exploration of self and well being.

Perry said joining the Full Circle program has provided guidance on fiscal sponsorships and marketing, and has also “rejuvenated” the nonprofits outlook around its programming and impact it has made in the Homewood community.

“If we were to have a personality assessment of our organization, [I’d say] we are humble,” Perry said. “At the same time we haven’t done a full service to the organization in promoting the work we do or have done, and the coaches have allowed us to recognize humility and pride in the power that has been going on and motivated us to tell the story.”

Coraopolis Community Development Foundation

The Coraopolis Community Development Foundation was formed to serve its community by encouraging and assisting in renewal through community service and development projects, and Executive Director Amy Cavicchia said if she asks someone to volunteer, it’s because it’s something she’s also going to do herself.

Cavicchia has been easing in to her position at the nonprofit over the last two years and said her work with the Full Circle program has been focused on her elevator pitch and donor management.

“This program has really kept me focused and realizing what you can do and what you can’t do.” Cavicchia said. “Write it down, figure it out, do what you can and don’t worry about what you can’t do, because you can’t do it.”

Associated Artists Pittsburgh

Associated Artists Pittsburgh was unavailable during the event. Their mission is to enhance the region’s cultural vitality and promote visual arts excellence by showcasing artists’ work through contemporary exhibitions, providing community-based education programs, and facilitating a broad dialogue to engage artists with one another and the community.

Launch Sto-Rox participants share personal + professional outcomes

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Launch Sto-Rox participants at the Showcase + Celebration held in May 2019.

Lawshawn Reed started her company Strong Ambitious Women in 2015 to offer strength based services surrounding self-esteem and confidence in young girls.

Reed works in Pittsburgh Public Schools and the inspiration for her to start her business came from seeing young children dealing with difficult issues or traumatic experiences that in turn impacted their self-esteem.

“I wanted to show them how to reclaim and reprogram their minds, and how to navigate through life and understand themselves,” Reed said.

She said even though the company was founded four years ago, she was struggling to adequately maintain the financial side of her business and understand they kind of service she was providing.

“I was mentoring [kids], but I didn’t understand the kind of mentorship I was providing and Launch Sto-Rox helped me identify that,” Reed said.

Launch Sto-Rox is a 12-month Vibrant Communities program from New Sun Rising for small businesses and entrepreneurs whose core concepts aligned with the Sto-Rox community’s priorities for development. The program concluded this spring and held a showcase and celebration in early May. Over the past year, program participants worked with coaches and focused on strengthening four key areas: business plans, connectivity, resources, and identity.

“Overall [the experience] was exceptional,” Reed said. “It challenged me to do more research and be more intentional on what I do and understanding the worth of myself and the company.”

Tino Brockington felt similarly. His business PittMovers is a moving service company based in McKees Rocks and caters to residents within the city limits. Brockington said he learned how to structure his business in a way that is “more predictable” so they can forecast and plan accordingly, but he also appreciated being able to connect with other small business owners.

“It gave us the ability to network with other individuals experiencing the same thing we were going through,” Brockington said. “[It gave us] a better focus on what we are working towards, because at the end of the day we have the same goal and that’s to be successful.”

The program allowed Brockington to think critically of PittMovers and how he can better service the community, and he said Launch Sto-Rox opened him up to creating a moving assistance program for local residents who do not have the means or the ability to move on their own.

“[Launch Sto-Rox] is a great starting point for any small business,” Brockington said.

Reed agreed, saying that it’s a valuable program for a small business owner in any stage of development.

“Anyone looking to identify their company and understand the necessary steps to take to grow their business, or they just want to know how to start the business and become vital in whatever they’re doing, this program will be a benefit for them.”

GROW Residency program now accepting applications

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: PearlArts Studios at New Sun Rising’s Vibrancy Awards in March 2019. PearlArts participated in the first iteration of the GROW Residency program. (Photo by Sean Gray)

You’re invited to apply for New Sun Rising’s GROW Residency program. As a participant of this program, you’ll work the Director of Opportunity and the NSR team to move towards the growth and sustainability of your business or organization.

The GROW Residency program will provide flexible, ongoing support to growth stage businesses, nonprofit projects, and community/collaborative initiatives. Residents will have access to workshops and services specifically designed to meet their needs, including up to 8 hours of consulting and capacity building support per month.

The GROW Residency curriculum includes:

Business Mentoring
Professional Development
Organizational Development
Networking / Connecting Opportunities
Revenue Model Development
Advocacy (introduction to potential funders, collaborators, and partners)
Review of Grants and Project Proposals
Pitch Development

Successful completion of the residency will move your organization through strategic action and planning that promotes long-term value and profitability. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive an unrestricted financial award of $2000 and access to grants and loans via the GROW Vibrancy Fund. Each cohort will have 7 participants selected by a committee of judges.

Applications close on May 24th. The 2019 GROW Residency Program kicks off on June 12th. To learn more about the program before you apply, contact leigh@newsunrising.org to schedule a meeting. Apply here.

Small Business Meetup Speaker Series

Mandy Wolovich from Emergence: A Women’s Collective speaking about the legal considerations when starting a business

Food generously provided by Sprezzatura.

Tea generously provided by Tupelo Honey Tea.

Child Care provided.