Syracuse and CenterState CEO Receive $500,000 Grant from Microsoft

Posted on May 1, 2022

Image
Press Release Website Graphic Microsoft Grant 4.29.22 (reduced)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and CenterState CEO announced they have received a $500,000 Skills for Jobs and Livelihoods grant from Microsoft Philanthropies. A team representing Microsoft, including Naria Santa Lucia, GM, Digital Inclusion and U.S. Community Engagement at Microsoft Philanthropies, met with Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, and partners from CenterState CEO to discuss how community impact will be driven through the grant.

"Microsoft Philanthropies is making another major investment in the Syracuse Surge," said Mayor Walsh. "This is public-private collaboration at its very best. With this grant funding, the City of Syracuse and its Syracuse Surge collaborators will give more city residents the skills and abilities they need to build successful careers in the New Economy. I am deeply grateful to Microsoft for its early and consistent commitment to the Syracuse Surge and to the people of the City of Syracuse."

CenterState CEO will partner with the City of Syracuse, under the Syracuse Surge initiative to foster digital equity by enabling residents to increase their digital skills and better navigate online services; gain access to career pathways in software-related fields and launch and grow companies. Programs funded by the grant will focus on members of low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, as well as women.

“By expanding access to digital skills, supporting small businesses, and accelerating the startup ecosystem, we are expanding opportunity,” said Naria Santa Lucia, Microsoft General Manager for Digital Inclusion and U.S. Community Engagement. "We are excited to work with the Syracuse community to drive digital literacy and workforce training programs needed for in-demand jobs.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Microsoft for this investment in our community, which will enable us to better connect talent to the tech skills and resources that are critical to the jobs and economy of the future,” said Robert Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “Through this investment we can advance the intentional strategies and collaborative initiatives needed to ensure more members of our community have access to opportunities in a competitive digital economy.”

Read the full press release, here.

More coverage:

Urban CNY

The City of Syracuse

The Central New York Business Journal

CNY Central

NewsChannel 9

Other
Media Coverage

Image
City of Syracuse
Media Coverage | 09/08/2023

Two Central New York Consortiums Are Finalists For Defense Manufacturing Program

The Upstate Defense Consortium, in partnership with Empire State Development, CenterState CEO, the Griffiss Institute, Syracuse Universit

Image
Rob Emergent 2023
Media Coverage | 08/28/2023

Emergent's Driving Leadership Podcast with Rob Simpson

CenterState CEO President Rob Simpson chats with Emergent Partner Bill Berthel about exciting new opportunities for our region.

Image
NY Smart I-Corridor Graphic
Media Coverage | 08/17/2023

Syracuse Joins Rochester and Buffalo in Federal Tech Hub Application

The three metro areas of Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse submitted a joint application to become a federally-recognized Tech Hub this wee

Image
Alan Rottenberg, Dave Mankiewicz, and Donna Gillespie gather to celebrate Central New York's Career Apprenticeship Initiative.
Media Coverage | 08/10/2023

Career Apprenticeship Initiative Aims To Retain CNY's College-Educated Talent

CenterState CEO; Alan Rottenberg, founder of the Canadian Career Apprenticeship Initiative; the Kingston Economic Development Corporation

Image
CenterState CEO President Rob Simpson being interviewed at The Tech Garden Expansion Kickoff.
Media Coverage | 08/10/2023

The Tech Garden Expansion Project Officially Gets Underway

CenterState CEO, local leaders and supporters gathered to announced the onset of construction for the transformational expansion of its b

Image
Syracuse Surge Accelerator finalists announced
Media Coverage | 08/08/2023

Syracuse Surge Accelerator Announces Five Finalists

CenterState CEO announced the five companies selected to participate in the first year of the new and innovative Syracuse Surge A

Image
Media Coverage | 07/27/2023

Syracuse Alumni Turn College Town into Hometown

Graduates of Syracuse University speak to the success they’ve found in Central New York.

Image
Kara Interview GENIUS NY 2023
Media Coverage | 07/13/2023

Kara Jones Talks GENIUS NY with NewsChannel 9's Jeff Kulikowsky

Learn all about the program and what to expect with this year's Cohort.

Image
Surge Accelerator 2023 Semifinalists
Media Coverage | 07/13/2023

Syracuse Surge Accelerator Announces 10 Semi-finalists for First Cohort

The Syracuse Surge Accelerator is a one-year in-person accelerator to provide direct resources and support for Black-Indigenous-Persons of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs.