"Retaining local talent in northwest PA is crucial to the vitality of our region," said Mike Batchelor, president of The Erie Community Foundation. "With that goal in mind, the Charles McDaniel family of North East recently established a Pay It Forward (PIF) Fund at The Erie Community Foundation to help curb “brain drain” in northwest Pennsylvania and encourage acts of kindness along the way."
Awards will be administered through the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (ERCGP) and will benefit individuals who live and work in Erie, Crawford and/or Warren counties.
Through the Pay It Forward Fund, grants to pay down student loan principal will be made on behalf of award winners to their lending institutions. To be eligible for a Pay It Forward award, individuals must be recent college graduates who have earned a Bachelor’s degree, are committed to living and working in northwest Pennsylvania and have plans to “pay it forward” through future philanthropy, acts of kindness or community service.
The first award is expected to be announced in November 2011, with applications due in September of that year.
To be eligible for the award, applicants must:
• Have a student loan of $500 or greater.
• Have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Live and work in northwest PA (Erie, Crawford and/or Warren counties).
• Have completed his/her Bachelor’s degree within the past five years.
A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, the RCWE’s mission is to connect people with jobs through collaborative workforce development efforts and strong partnerships with economic development, business, education, and government sectors in the Northwest Pennsylvania region.
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