A new $500,000 federal grant awarded to Yeshiva University’s YU Global Technology Department will provide Washington Heights small business owners and high school students with hands-on training in AI, foster new opportunities for entrepreneurial success in the local community, and provide participants with the tools to compete and thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.
The funding, secured by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, will support two main tracks: helping small business owners streamline their operations and better reach customers, and providing local high school students with early exposure to the AI systems that are shaping today’s workforce.
“I am proud to provide $500,000 in federal funding to Yeshiva University’s Global Entrepreneurship Assistance Program, which will help teach AI skills to small business owners and high school students in New York,” said Senator Schumer. “By expanding this program, we will support more small businesses in the Washington Heights community while helping prepare local students for the workforce. I will continue to fight to ensure our community has the resources it needs to succeed in a rapidly changing economy.”
The program provides foundational AI training tailored to real-world business needs and uses live data and participant input to continually improve the curriculum. Business owners will be able to focus on areas such as marketing, bookkeeping, and customer management, and high school seniors will graduate with hands-on experience that will prepare them to compete in an AI-driven workforce.
“Yeshiva University strives to ensure that the benefits of technological advances are felt not only in the marketplace but also within the communities we serve,” said Yeshiva University President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman. “By providing practical AI skills to local businesses and students, we are creating opportunities, strengthening local economies, and helping prepare the next generation to lead with both innovation and purpose.”
The effort is being implemented through YU Global, Yeshiva University’s digital education and workforce development arm, which uses AI technology to rapidly develop skills-based training programs for learners at all stages of their careers.
“We’re just excited that this initiative is changing the game for these companies and providing them with the education and support services they need to grow,” said Daniel Wozniak, YU’s vice president of global strategy and business development. “When we help small businesses succeed, we actually improve people’s lives for generations. That’s what YU does.”
Based in Washington Heights, Yeshiva University is uniquely positioned to bring this work directly to the communities in which it is based. This program reflects YU’s commitment to expand opportunities, improve lives, and build a workforce ready for future demands by partnering with local businesses and schools.
For more information, please visit https://global.yu.edu/.
