named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Project Seneca
Economic development initiative providing infrastructure to support long-term growth in tourism and related sectors
Strategic Economic Clusters
Initiative focused on developing and supporting three key industry clusters in Schuyler County: Fermentation, Agriculture, and Hospitality & Tourism
Training Videos
Curated educational series covering entrepreneurship, financial management, marketing, customer service, and business growth strategies for small business owners and startups
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Regional Economic Development Initiatives 5 activities
- Developing business infrastructureCreated the Schuyler County Business Park to provide physical infrastructure and support for local businesses and entrepreneurs.
- Fostering rural economic development through public-private partnershipsLeverages collaboration with public and private partners to build high value-added production businesses and innovation hubs in Schuyler County, supporting a vibrant and diverse rural economy and workforce.
- Securing external funding for local projectsWorks with local, state, and federal agencies to secure funding for projects benefiting Schuyler County businesses and community groups.
- Securing major grants for community revitalizationSecured a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant for Watkins Glen to support local economic development.
- Supporting multi-county entrepreneurial ecosystemsSupports the entrepreneurial community across Allegany, Chemung, Steuben, and Schuyler Counties through coordinated programs and services.
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Startup Acceleration & Business Growth Support 4 activities
- Delivering entrepreneurial counseling and advisory servicesSupported hundreds of entrepreneurs through personalized counseling and advisory services to help start and grow businesses.
- Facilitating regional innovation hotspot collaborationsWorks with more than 30 entrepreneurs and participates in two NYSTAR Innovation Hotspots, sharing resources with Cornell, Binghamton, and Buffalo Universities to support innovation across the region.
- Hosting entrepreneur boot camps and networking eventsHosts monthly Schuypreneur Boot Camp events and working sessions for aspiring and existing business owners to discuss ideas, ask questions, network, and receive peer support.
- Operating an entrepreneur mentorship programOperates a mentorship program that matches entrepreneurs with experienced mentors to guide business development and growth.
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Small Business and Nonprofit Lending 2 activities
- Guiding businesses on financial assistance optionsProvides guidance to businesses on available financial assistance options, including access to funding programs and resources.
- Providing microloans to entrepreneursProvides loans of up to $25,000 to support entrepreneurs in starting or growing businesses.
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Regional Tourism Promotion 1 activity
- Promoting tourism-driven economic growthSupported a tourism sector where visitors spent nearly $34 million in 2020, accounting for 6.6% of total county employment in Schuyler County.
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Professional Development for Fundraising and Philanthropy Practitioners 1 activity
- Providing grant writing support and trainingOffers grant writing workshops and provides direct grant writing services and resources to Bronze+ level investors to strengthen local organizations’ funding capacity.
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Wine Industry Promotion & Education 1 activity
- Supporting regional fermentation and wine industry clustersSupports a fermentation cluster with 27 wineries, the fourth-largest concentration in New York State, contributing to regional economic development.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Advancing ag-tech entrepreneurship through academic collaborationAdvances ag-tech entrepreneurship by introducing new crops in collaboration with Cornell University.
- Funding façade improvement projects for local businessesProvides grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 for façade improvements on commercial and mixed-use buildings; accepts applications on a rolling basis, evaluates them quarterly via a review committee, and requires project completion within one year of award.
- Providing online business training resourcesProvides a curated collection of training videos covering all stages of the business journey, including bookkeeping fundamentals, cash flow management, customer service techniques (L.A.S.T. method), Canva tutorials, and using ChatGPT for productivity and operations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$938K
Contributions & grants$94K10%
Program service revenue$728K78%
Investment income$34K4%
Other revenue$82K
expenses
Total expenses$859K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$345K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.01M
Cash$1.50M
Investments$89K
Liabilities$1.76M
Net assets$4.25M
Liquid reserves22.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -55.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUDY MCKINNEY CHERRY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $149K |
board members · 20
- ANNE WELLINER HARTSING — DIRECTOR
- BEN STAMP — DIRECTOR
- BETH DUANE — DIRECTOR
- BRIAN MCKENZIE — DIRECTOR
- CARL BLOWERS — VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR
- CARL TABER — DIRECTOR
- CHRIS BOND — DIRECTOR/SECRETARY
- DON DESROCHERS — DIRECTOR
- JIM RYAN — DIRECTOR (PART YEAR)
- JON BECKMAN — DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT
- KRISTIN VANHORN — SECRETARY/VICE PRESIDENT
- LAURIE DENARDO — DIRECTOR
- LESLIE CONNOLLY — PRESIDENT (PART YEAR)
- MARK RONDINARO — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW ELDRED — DIRECTOR
- MEL SCHROEDER — DIRECTOR
- NIGAR HALE — DIRECTOR
- NORMA BURRIS — DIRECTOR (PART YEAR)
- REBECCA GOULD — TREASURER
- WAYNE PIKE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 24
Who they work with
- Binghamton University Partner — Shares resources with Incubatorworks through NYSTAR Innovation Hotspots.
- Cornell University Partner — Collaborates on ag-tech entrepreneurship and the introduction of new crops in Schuyler County.
- Cornell University Partner — Collaborates on entrepreneurial and economic development initiatives.
- Cornell University Partner — Shares resources with Incubatorworks through NYSTAR Innovation Hotspots.
- FLX Gateway Community Development Corporation Partner — Collaborates on economic development initiatives in Schuyler County.
- FLX Works Partner — Coworking space hosting Schuypreneur Boot Camp events.
- FLX Works Partner — Provides the coworking space where Schuypreneur Boot Camp sessions are held.
- Finger Lakes Gateway Network — Administers the Schuyler County Façade Improvement Program.
- Locate Finger Lakes Partner — Ongoing partnership to support regional economic development.
- OpenAI Partner — Leverages capabilities of ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI, to provide business insights in training content.
- Private partners Partner — Collaborates with private partners to support economic development initiatives in Schuyler County.
- Public partners Partner — Collaborates with public partners to support economic development initiatives in Schuyler County.
- REDEC Coalition — Partnership with regional economic development organization.
- Schuyler County Government — Economic Development Corporation operating within Schuyler County, NY
- Schuyler County Government — Works closely with county government on economic development initiatives.
- Schuyler County Industrial Development Agency Partner — Collaborates on business attraction and development activities.
- Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council Coalition — Member of regional economic development coalition.
- Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council Government — Partner agency providing regional economic development funding and resources.
- State of New York Government — Receives support and collaborates on regional economic development programs.
- U.S. Small Business Administration Government — Federal agency providing small business funding programs and support.
- USDA Government — Federal agency offering rural development and agricultural funding programs.
- University at Buffalo Partner — Shares resources with Incubatorworks through NYSTAR Innovation Hotspots.
- Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce Partner — Partner organization for tourism promotion and business marketing support in Schuyler County.
- Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce Partner — Partnership to support local businesses and economic vitality.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Collaborative Public-Private Economic Developmentmethodology: public_private_partnershipBy leveraging partnerships between public and private sectors and aligning them with regional natural and cultural assets, we stimulate sustainable economic development because collaboration amplifies resources and enables innovation hubs and high value-added production that neither sector could achieve alone.
- Integrated Entrepreneur Supportmethodology: integrated_entrepreneur_supportBy providing entrepreneurs with coordinated access to training, financial assistance, and technical support, we produce stronger business development outcomes because integrated services address multiple barriers simultaneously and align with the holistic needs of early-stage ventures.
- Peer-Driven Entrepreneur Learning and Networkingmethodology: peer_supported_learningBy creating structured forums for entrepreneurs to connect and engage in peer-supported problem-solving, we enhance business resilience and growth because shared experience and collective intelligence lead to faster adaptation and practical innovation.
- Value-Added Export-Led Growthmethodology: value_added_export_developmentBy focusing on the production of higher value-added goods for export markets, we bring net-new income into Schuyler County, because export-oriented businesses generate external revenue inflows that circulate locally and stimulate broader economic growth.