ECONOMIC GROWTH
We inspire entrepreneurs by providing access to workforce training and opportunities for employment and career development. Enabling our region’s economy to expand ensures our communities can thrive.
Edinboro Market Engages
the Community
Edinboro Market is more than an oasis in a food desert; it’s a catalyst for change in the agri-culinary industry in the region by supporting small-scale farming and food entrepreneurs. The Erie Community Foundation Shaping Tomorrow local grant of $127K to Edinboro Market, Inc. leveraged a $663,000 federal investment by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Edinboro Market utilized grant funding to expand its reach and impact. Relocating to a larger facility later in 2024 is just the beginning. Edinboro Market now works closely with seventy-five small-scale farms and food businesses but anticipates doubling that number within the next five years.
Every week, approximately 270 customers shop at Edinboro Market where the founders, Marti and Curtis, greet them. By bolstering Edinboro Market’s operations, increasing sales for local producers, and offering educational and career pathways, the Cultivating Agri-culinary Industry in NWPA project will build a stronger, more resilient community and economy for generations.
“Our mission is to provide access to fresh, local food; and entrepreneurial marketplace for small farms and food producers; and an understanding of the importance of both.”
Marti Martz
co-founder of Edinboro Market, Inc.
Strengthening Erie’s Law
Enforcement Pipeline
The number of people aspiring to become police officers has decreased noticeably in recent years, influenced by a combination of factors, including low morale, increased public scrutiny, reduced budgets, and the stressful nature of the job. Currently, in Pennsylvania, there are more than 1,200 open municipal police officer positions.
Many departments and academies, like Mercyhurst Police Academy, are actively seeking solutions to these issues, but the path forward is complex. That’s why The Erie Community Foundation authorized a grant of $100,000 to support a new program called the Mercyhurst Municipal Police Officer Training Academy: A Recruitment and Retention Initiative; ARRIVE for short.
ARRIVE’s recruitment efforts aim to enroll and graduate students who are typically underrepresented in the policing workforce, such as females, racial minorities, and economically disadvantaged individuals. Recruitment efforts include an enhanced marketing plan and increased scholarship opportunities.
““The Mercyhurst Municipal Police Academy is a regional asset serving Erie County and all the greater northwest Pennsylvania region. Thanks to the Erie Community Foundation, this grant will help the academy continue to train law enforcement officials to the highest standards, while also ensuring that those officers are a reflection of the communities they serve.”