Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation (GEEDC) is a private foundation based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1974 by R. Benjamin Wiley and J. Robert Baldwin, it supports economic development, education, and pre-apprenticeship opportunities for minorities, women, and marginalized people in the Erie community.
Key facts about Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation
In short: Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation gave $402K across 47 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 25-1269138
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $401,798
- Grants made (2024)
- 47
- Average grant
- $8,549
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $11,318,652
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Business applicants can apply online during the annual application period and should identify a specific community need and explain how a more diverse workforce would help address it. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The website lists April 1–August 1 for business-grant applications; the 2026 cycle has passed.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.3M
-5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$402K
-5.5% YoY
Grant Count
47
-24.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+24.7% YoY
How Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation gives
- Giving fell 57% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2022 it paid out 418% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
GEEDC’s stated mission is to make economic development, educational assistance, and pre-apprenticeship trades more accessible to minorities, women, and marginalized citizens of Erie, Pennsylvania. Its website describes an emphasis on reducing barriers to success through scholarships and grants.
The organization’s business-grant information says applicants should identify a specific community need and consider how a more diverse workforce could help address it. GEEDC also offers scholarships for BIPOC students living in Erie County. Its website describes support for post-secondary education, pre-apprenticeship training, and paid internships, including training in fields such as health services, food services, financial services, and trades.
Among the organizations it supported in 2024, Booker T. Washington Center received $6,500. The center describes its mission as improving conditions for work, play, study, health, and living in Erie, and working with agencies with consistent goals. Erie Community Foundation received $5,000; it describes its mission as improving regional quality of life by addressing community issues, building charitable endowments, and promoting philanthropic and community leadership.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, GEEDC reported 47 grants totaling $401,798. Grant amounts ranged from $125 to $150,000, with a median of $2,500. The largest awards included $150,000 to Newco Electric and $50,000 to BeBe Design House, both for “Financial support of its programs”; $28,295 to Abundant Life and $25,000 to Empowered Life Community Development, also for program support; and scholarships of $14,519 to Abigail Rutkowski and $10,000 to Ethan King-Vincent.
Review Cycle
The website lists April 1–August 1 for business-grant applications; the 2026 cycle has passed. The 2024 filing lists April 15 for fall-semester scholarship applications and November 25 for spring-semester applications. The website says the scholarship window is closed and will reopen in November.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation
Ready to take the next step with Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
GEEDC is based in Erie, Pennsylvania, and its mission centers on Erie residents. Its 2024 filing reports that 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 2% to New York, and less than 1% to the District of Columbia. The scholarship information specifies Erie County residents.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $402K (2024) to $1.9M (2022). In 2024 it made 47 grants totaling $402K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Newco Electric ($150K). Together the top 10 received $249K.
Organizations only. It also paid 29 grants to individuals ($143,619), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
259 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 245 grants of 259 (95%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Newco Electric Erie, PA | Financial support of its programs | $150,000 |
| 29 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $143,619 |
| Abundant Life Erie, PA | Financial support of its programs | $28,295 |
| Empowered Life Community Developmen Erie, PA | Financial support of its programs | $25,000 |
| Super Soul Saturday Program Erie, PA | Financial support of its programs | $10,000 |
| Erie Knights Erie, PA | Scholarship | $9,325 |
| Uplift Foundation Erie, PA | Financial support of its programs | $7,500 |
| Booker T Washington Center Erie, PA | Financial Assistance for Neighborhood Survey | $6,500 |
| Erie Community Foundation Erie, PA | Financial support of its programs | $5,000 |
| Crossover Basketball Club Inc Erie, PA | Financial support of its programs | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,318,652 | $670,745 | $1,350,275 | $401,798 | 47 |
| 2023 | $12,003,577 | $1,429,360 | $1,341,776 | $425,045 | 62 |
| 2022 | $11,921,559 | $639,025 | $2,601,587 | $1,873,321 | 72 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,318,652 | $12,003,577 | $11,921,559 |
| Revenue | $670,745 | $1,429,360 | $639,025 |
| Expenses | $1,350,275 | $1,341,776 | $2,601,587 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,120,564 | $1,059,850 | $2,491,634 |
| Net Investment Income | $212,432 | $524,260 | $119,907 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | $596,445 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gerald L. Blanks as President and CEO; Ronald Bryant as Chairman; Corey Cook as Treasurer; Ricardo S. Giles as Vice Chair; Evan Tucker as Secretary; Adrienne M. Dixon-McCullum as a board member; and Vivian McCullum as CFO.
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation is led by Gerald L Blanks, President & CEO since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gerald L Blanks
President & CEO
President → President & CEO, 2021
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $142K (2024)
Ronald Bryant
Chairman
Treasurer → Chairman, 2021
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Evan Tucker
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$2K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Vivian McCullum
CFO
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → CFO, 2023
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$9K (2020) → $33K (2024)
Adrienne M Dixon-McCullum
Board Member
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$2K (2021) → $0 (2024)
Ricardo S Giles
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$2K (2021) → $0 (2024)
Corey Cook
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
8 hrs/week
$875 (2023) → $0 (2024)
Former officers (8)
- Former: Melvin Witherspoon (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Paul Gambill (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Carla Johnson (2020–2021) — CEO
- Former: Larry Meredith (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Vernon D Dobbs (2020–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Barbara L Drew (2020) — CEO
- Former: Eva Tucker Jr. (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Lori Pickens (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $142K, to Gerald L Blanks (President & CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Gerald Blanks
Mailing address: PO Box 1215, Erie, PA 16512
Phone: (814) 456-2621
Email: gblanks@geedc.org
Website: https://www.geedc.org
Frequently asked questions about Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation
How much does Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation give each year?
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation gave $402K across 47 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $425K across 62 grants.
What is Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation's typical grant size?
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $8,549, across 47 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation give grants?
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Erie, PA (15 grants).
Does Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 47 grants with a stated purpose on Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (30 grants) and "Financial support of its programs" (16 grants).
Who are Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation's largest grantees?
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation's largest 2024 grantees include Newco Electric ($150,000), Abundant Life ($28,295) and Empowered Life Community Developmen ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 29 grants to individuals ($143,619), which are not listed by name. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation?
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation reported $11.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $671K.
What does Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation fund?
GEEDC’s stated mission is to make economic development, educational assistance, and pre-apprenticeship trades more accessible to minorities, women, and marginalized citizens of Erie, Pennsylvania. Its website describes an emphasis on reducing barriers to success through scholarships and grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation?
Business applicants can apply online during the annual application period and should identify a specific community need and explain how a more diverse workforce would help address it. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation's EIN?
Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1269138. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation by hand.
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