Bank of America Names JobPath as its Neighborhood Champion

Programs and services that are removing barriers to educational achievement and improving the economic status of underserved adults will expand, helping more people chart a path toward economic opportunity with help from a multi-year grant from Bank of America. 

JobPath has been named Bank of America’s most recent Neighborhood Champion for its work removing economic barriers and advancing economic opportunity in the Tucson community. As part of the program, JobPath will receive $50,000 in grant support and an opportunity for engagement in virtual leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector on topics like human capital management, increasing financial sustainability and storytelling.

“Nonprofits are vital to a healthy, prosperous Tucson as they work closely with individuals, families and community members to understand the obstacles many are experiencing and developing programs and services that help alleviate or eliminate these barriers,” said Adriana Kong Romero, president of Bank of America Tucson. 

“JobPath works with people to help them chart a path toward economic opportunity and it’s essential that we direct capital, and other necessary resources and training to help position them and their leadership team for long-term success as they grow strategically and continue making that positive impact.”

Celebrating 25 years of service, JobPath is a nonprofit that helps lifts families in Pima County and Tucson out of poverty by supporting under-resourced adults through associate’s degree and certification programs in healthcare, industrial trades, and IT. By providing financial assistance and wraparound case management services, JobPath helps these students complete their programs and start jobs in meaningful careers that offer family-sustaining wages. 

JobPath will use the grant to bolster their efforts across neighboring Cochise, Pinal and Santa Cruz counties.  

“At JobPath we believe that when there is equal access to economic opportunity a thriving community follows. Pandemic related challenges have limited opportunities for those in poverty, specifically for women and people of color. JobPath mission is to combat this inequality,” said JobPath CEO Ana Grief. “Now more than ever, our community has a responsibility to provide equitable access to the resources and guidance needed to secure high-wage careers that can break the pervasive cycle of poverty. When parents succeed, their children are more likely to thrive. This grant from Bank of America will have a multigenerational impact by helping JobPath serve more students than ever before.”

​In Tucson, four nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Champions since 2018, with the bank investing more than $200,000 into these local organizations.

The invitation-only program is highly competitive and organizations are selected by a committee comprising community leaders and past Neighborhood Champion honorees. The Neighborhood Champions program is an extension of the bank’s signature philanthropic initiative, Neighborhood Builders®, the largest corporate philanthropic investment in nonprofit leadership in the country. Through 2021, Bank of America has invested $6.3 million in 126 organizations within 42 communities through the Neighborhood Champions program.