2021 has no doubt been a difficult for many. As the world entered the second year of the pandemic, Brockport Research Institute used many of our lessons learned from 2020 to not only continue operations remotely but also continue growing in our operations. As we enter in 2022, we would like to look back on this past year and highlight our accomplishments from the past year.

Over the course of the year, our associates secured over $9 million worth of funding for our clients. Some of the grants awarded include the following:

• A $4 million Hispanic-Serving Institution STEM and Articulation grant awarded to the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon from the U.S. Department of Education that will support efforts to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students entering degree programs in the STEM fields

• Two $3.5 million Extended School Day/Violence Prevention grants awarded to South Seneca Central School District and Batavia City School Districts that will support extended school day activities and school safety programs promoting violence prevention. 

In April, BRI was awarded an 2021 ATHENA Organizational Award® by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and Women’s Council. This award honored organizations and businesses that are creating a culture where women can reach their full leadership potential and fostering women leadership opportunities both locally and nationally. We are proud to have been named as a finalist for this honor alongside incredible community organizations and businesses such as AutismUp, Helen & Gertrude, and The Center for Youth.

In Fall 2021, we launched our latest Professional Development Catalog. Drawing from our large network of professionals in their field, our course offerings for this upcoming year included timely topics such as virtual and hybrid learning, social-emotional learning, and promoting racial justice and equity in the classroom. In 2022, we are excited to offer 47 different courses that can be customized to your organization's needs.

The BRI team also grew throughout 2021. We're proud to have onboarded 27 new associates and four new employees. Please join us in welcoming our following new BRI staff members!

• Stephanie Barrett, Grants Manager

• Christine Czarnopyski, Office Assistant

• Joy Pansari, Senior Evaluator

• Spencer Woodyard, Grant Writer and Data Analyst

In addition, Michele Viola has been promoted to Director of Operations for BRI. Our team is now 65 associates and 8 employees strong! 

We also upgraded opened a second BRI office housing our Operations Annex! This new Annex is located at Mercer Street in Brockport, New York and can be reached at 585-431-3418. Stay tuned to our blog and social media for more information and a sneak peek at our Annex coming soon!

Lastly, we would like to give a big thank you to all our staff and associates for all their hard work during this past year as well as to our community for all their continued support during this unprecedented time. We could not do this without your dedication. We look forward to working with you in 2022!