UNH Announces $10,000 Grant from First Niagara Foundation for Nonprofit Institute

The Nonprofit Institute and the SLiCE program will connect UNH students, faculty and supporters with local nonprofits to help them develop more efficient and sustainable programs, said Brian Kench, dean of the UNH College of Business. 

First Niagara's grant will be used to build and populate a database of local nonprofits for the institute and the SLiCE program and to provide students with internship and job opportunities in the nonprofit sector. First Niagara's grant will also be used to host a series of roundtable discussions with nonprofit leaders, students and faculty to develop or enhance relationships and to discuss ways to improve programs. 

"Thanks to First Niagara's grant, residents of Greater New Haven who depend on these nonprofits will be able to benefit from stronger, more successful programs," said Kench. "We are proud of the great work our students and faculty have accomplished and look forward to enhancing our work." 

The institute will serve both undergraduate and graduate students, Kench said, with the goal of ensuring the long-term success of local nonprofits. It will be headed by Ron Kuntze, who is currently a professor of marketing at the John Sykes College of Business at the University of Tampa. Kuntze will join UNH in August. 

"First Niagara believes strongly in supporting programs, initiatives and organizations that make the communities we serve better places to live and work," said Jeff Hubbard, New England Regional President at First Niagara. "These two UNH programs are great examples of just that, and we are proud to support these young people as they work to improve their local neighborhoods." 

About the First Niagara Foundation

The First Niagara Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable entity. Founded in 1998, the First Niagara Foundation is committed to supporting organizations in the communities in which we live and work, with specific focus on Youth and Education, Community Development and Neighborhood Revitalization. In 2015, First Niagara contributed more than $7.8 million in charitable grants and sponsorships to community partners across the bank's four-state footprint. For additional information on First Niagara, visit us at www.firstniagara.com, follow us on Twitter @FirstNiagara, or like us on Facebook at FirstNiagara.

About the University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a private, top-tier comprehensive institution recognized as a national leader in experiential education. Founded in 1920, the university enrolls approximately 1,800 graduate students and more than 5,000 undergraduates. For more information about UNH, go to: newhaven.edu.