The Raymond John Wean Foundation announces Mahoning Valley investment grants

The board of directors of The Raymond John Wean Foundation earlier this month approved $376,000 to three organizations to support economic opportunity in the Mahoning Valley.

“2025 was a particularly challenging year for Mahoning Valley nonprofits, amid policy shifts, funding cuts and increased uncertainty,” said Wean Foundation President Jennifer Roller. “These grants will ensure the continuation of vital services and support to our region’s marginalized and vulnerable residents, creating a path to economic stability and upward mobility.”

The organizations that received grants are:

• gener8tor Management LLC to support up to 19 individuals in its Skills Accelerator Program in the Mahoning Valley. gener8tor is a nationally recognized accelerator focused on creating jobs and wealth by connecting individuals to skills training, workforce development and entrepreneurial opportunities. gener8tor has been active in the Mahoning Valley since 2017 and brought the gener8tor Skills Accelerator Program (GSAP) to the region in 2024. The initial cohort of 16 participants had a graduation rate of 69%. The program focuses on project management skills and office professional training, with the option to pursue project management professional certification. Participants receive training along with support for employment placement. The program’s focus on digital and professional skills development directly supports pathways to livable-wage employment and upward mobility for Mahoning Valley residents.
• Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio for general operating support to stabilize operations amid Medicaid funding disruptions. The support offsets immediate revenue shortfalls that would otherwise limit health care for thousands of Mahoning Valley residents. Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio provides comprehensive reproductive and primary care to 3,300 patients annually at the Youngstown Health Center and via its Virtual Health Center. More than half of Youngstown patients live at or below 200% of the federal poverty line and identify as people of color. Access to health care affects an individual’s ability to work, pursue education and maintain economic stability. This year, the organization implemented a 10% reduction of staff statewide due to funding constraints, potentially impacting service quality. The organization remains vulnerable to further shifts in federal and state policy. The Wean Foundation recognizes that in a region like the Mahoning Valley, alternative funding may be more limited and patient socio-economic need may be higher. For many patients, losing access to Planned Parenthood’s services would create more challenges: unmanaged health conditions, missed work and financial strain as they are forced to redirect limited resources away from basic needs like food, housing and transportation.
• Thrive Mahoning Valley in support of full-time leadership positions to drive its strategic priorities. Thrive fosters its vision of a welcoming and inclusive Mahoning Valley through programming that connects residents of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to economic, social and educational opportunities. Originally established to support displaced Puerto Ricans, Thrive continues to primarily engage Hispanic and Latinx individuals while extending services to all marginalized populations. The organization provides case management, translation and transportation assistance, referrals, meals, scholarships and facilitation services. As individuals and families settle in the Mahoning Valley, Thrive’s New Resident Assistance program identifies internal programs or makes referrals to other agencies to assist. To date, Thrive’s most extensive program, Pedal Forward, has distributed 78 bikes at no cost, with a waiting list of over 50 individuals.

For more information on the Wean Foundation’s grant opportunities, visit the Wean Foundation website.