KeyBank Foundation Supports EMMA and Beechwood Businesses with $300,000 Investment in Connected Communities
Funding will provide support for Connected Communities’ Small Business Fund.
(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) April 8, 2026 – The KeyBank Foundation is investing $300,000 in Connected Communities to support small businesses and commercial property owners located in the EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods through its Small Business Fund.
The Small Business Fund, a new project within Connected Communities’ Economic Empowerment pillar, provides grants to support capital improvements, including façade upgrades, lighting, signage, interior repairs, accessibility enhancements, and safety improvements—immediately enhancing the appearance, functionality, and walkability of the corridors. Grants will range from $2,500 - $10,000. Participating businesses will engage in peer support through Founder’s Tables at the Connect Lab, along with connections to additional funding opportunities and business resources. This neighborhood corridor approach helps drive improvements that lead to measurable business stability, increased customer activity, and stronger commercial presence for locally owned enterprises.
“Local small businesses create jobs, energize neighborhoods, and keep commercial corridors active,” said Vince Lecce, KeyBank Rochester Market President. “This investment pairs targeted capital improvements with hands-on guidance so entrepreneurs can strengthen operations, attract more customers, and remain rooted in EMMA and Beechwood. It’s an approach designed to build business stability today and economic momentum for the community tomorrow.”
At the community level, the fund will help reduce vacancies, activate storefronts, and improve safety and visibility along key blocks. By investing directly in existing businesses—and pairing that investment with practical guidance, partner support and warm handoffs—the project builds a self-sustaining network of entrepreneurs who can grow, collaborate, and remain rooted in place. This work helps lay the foundation for long-term economic vitality and positions Connected Communities as the community quarterback guiding equitable commercial revitalization in EMMA and Beechwood.
As the Community Quarterback, the organization builds on neighborhood strengths and partners with residents to implement the Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan—advancing cradle-to-career education, mixed-income housing, community wellness, and economic empowerment so families and businesses can thrive.
“This investment from the KeyBank Foundation allows us to strengthen the small businesses that make our neighborhoods vibrant and economically resilient,” said Dr. LaShunda Leslie-Smith, Executive Director of Connected Communities. “This program aims to stabilize and revitalize neighborhood corridors while reinforcing the role of small businesses as anchors of community life. By supporting physical improvements and providing hands-on technical assistance, we are helping local entrepreneurs build businesses that are visible, welcoming, and positioned for long-term success. When our neighborhood storefronts thrive, the entire community benefits—businesses grow stronger, more resources become available to residents, and aesthetic improvements help enhance the value and appeal of surrounding homes.”
“This investment reflects KeyBank’s commitment to locally led, place-based solutions,” said Chiwuike Owunwanne, KeyBank’s Corporate Responsibility Officer in Rochester. “By pairing capital with technical support through trusted community partners, we’re helping small businesses in EMMA and Beechwood strengthen their operations and remain anchors in their neighborhoods for the long term.”
Since 2017, KeyBank has made more than $1.2 billion in investments in Rochester, supporting affordable housing and community development projects; small business and home lending to low-to-moderate income individuals and communities and transformative philanthropy.
ABOUT KEYCORP
KeyCorp's roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $184 billion at December 31, 2025.
Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.
ABOUT CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
Connected Communities is a resident-centered nonprofit organization serving the Beechwood and EMMA neighborhoods in Rochester, New York. As the Community Quarterback, Connected Communities works alongside residents, partners, and institutions to align resources and implement the community-driven Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan (CNP).
Connected Communities focuses on four key areas: Mixed-Income Housing, Cradle-to-Career Education, Community Wellness, and Economic Empowerment. Through strategic partnerships and resident leadership, the organization works to strengthen neighborhoods, expand opportunity, and build long-term stability for families.
Major initiatives include the Neighborhood HUB and Connect Lab, collaborative spaces that connect residents to programs, services, and economic opportunities while supporting local entrepreneurs and community partners. For more information, visit www.connectedcommunitiesroc.org