A Santee nonprofit has won a share of the Impact Prize, a $1 million dollar award for innovative workforce development and technical training.
Rise Up Industries, which supports those who have been incarcerated or in gangs, has been preparing members for careers since the 2016 launch of its reentry program. The focus is on careers in Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machining, a trade in which workers are in high demand.
The 18-month program boasts a 100% employment rate for graduates, giving members a chance to successfully reenter society, while reducing the gang population and recidivism rates and filling a regional labor market gap in San Diego.
The Impact Prize, supported by entrepreneur and philanthropist Tom Iovino, chairman and founder of Iovino Entrprises, and the Iovino Family Foundation, is focused on recognizing nonprofit programs with proven outcomes leading to high-value employment for people from diverse backgrounds.
Hundreds of applicants from 39 states entered to claim the prize.
“Each winning organization, while unique in their approach, shares a collective and inspiring commitment to provide the communities they serve with the tools necessary for high quality and sustainable employment,” Iovino said. “The leaders of these programs are visionaries who understand how lasting change is built from the ground up. I am encouraged by the measurable impact they have had in their communities and feel incredibly fortunate to support their continuing work.”
The other 2024 winners are:
- Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse – A deconstruction workforce development program in the Chicago area that collaborates with other non-profit partners and building trades employers to recruit trainees and provide career development job placement services.
- Lost Angels Children’s Project – Vocational training, social enterprise and outreach programs for young people ages 18-24 years old with low incomes who face high barriers to advancement in the Antelope Valley and greater Los Angeles.
- West Virginia Women Work – Supports women seeking to overcome barriers to economic independence with comprehensive training and support services, focusing on skilled trades and manufacturing fields.
The Impact Prize is managed in partnership with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, an organization providing advisory, management and other services for families, foundations and philanthropic initiatives.
