We were thrilled last month when KeyBank Foundation announced a partnership with JumpStart Inc., a Cleveland-based nonprofit founded in 2004, to help create more than 4,500 jobs in Ohio. 

KeyBank announced a $24 million commitment over four years to JumpStart, which invests in startups and new businesses. The initiative is designed to stimulate economic growth and workforce development by fostering small business success.

The Cleveland Foundation works with both KeyBank and JumpStart to help enhance the lives of Greater Clevelanders. At our Annual Meeting this year, we announced the JumpStart Fund, a new organizational philanthropic fund at the foundation. Their fund will focus on transformational initiatives that will extend the economic benefits of entrepreneurship and small business growth to all communities – not just those who are currently connected to the venture capital ecosystem. You can learn more about the JumpStart Fund here. 

JumpStart recently hosted their third annual Startup Scaleup event in Gordon Square to help startup founders, small business owners and side hustlers amplify their entrepreneurial ambitions and grow their companies. 

KeyBank, like all our trustee banks, has been a vital partner to the Cleveland Foundation for more than a century. We have relationships with five trustee banks as well as local investment firms. You can learn more about how the Cleveland Foundation invests your gifts right here. We are grateful that KeyBank has also been the presenting sponsor of the Cleveland Foundation Annual Meeting for four consecutive years.

At the 2017 Crain’s Women of Note Awards, we were proud to honor Beth Mooney, Chairman and CEO of KeyCorp, with the 2017 Cleveland Foundation Legacy Award.

We look forward to all that this new partnership between KeyBank Foundation and JumpStart will accomplish for our community. And we look forward to our own continued work with both organizations to better the lives of our fellow Greater Clevelanders.