NYC Innovation Talent Fund
Fuel New York City’s Tech Future by Supporting the Students Who Will Build It
New York City’s innovation economy is accelerating—across AI, cybersecurity, data science, fintech, health tech, semiconductors, and media. Yet its continued strength depends on something simple and profound: ensuring that CUNY’s diverse and ambitious computing students can finish their degrees. .
The NYC Innovation Talent Fund, a collaboration between CUNY’s Office of Academic Affairs and Last Mile Education Fund, was created to do exactly that — remove the financial barriers that derail students in their final mile.
placeholder photo
If it weren’t for this award, I wouldn't have the option to change my current circumstances, and at best would have had to drop school due to them. I feel even more motivated to finish my degree now, and hopefully one day pay forward the support I received.
Daniel H., College of Staten Island, CUNY
Small Dollars Are Derailing Big Futures
We’ve all had a moment when one unexpected cost could’ve derailed everything. Most of us had help. CUNY’s computing students often don’t.
19,000 computing majors — many Pell-eligible, financially stretched, and one bill away from stopping out. These aren’t academic failures—they’re financial ones.
The consequences are stark:
9,000–10,000 students are midway through their degrees. Only 19% graduate in four years; 50% in six.
Thousands leave simply because they lack a safety net. A broken laptop or lapsed MetroCard shouldn’t be the reason NYC loses its future tech talent.
NYC Depends on CUNY Talent
More than 80% of CUNY grads stay in NYC, powering the city’s companies, industries, and public agencies.
This is the workforce that keeps the city competitive. But talent can’t drive innovation if students can’t reach graduation.
Investing in these students delivers:
Immediate impact on degree completion
A robust, expansive, resilient, homegrown tech workforce
One of the highest-ROI strategies available for workforce development
Introducing The NYC Innovation Talent Fund
A collaboration between CUNY’s Office of Academic Affairs and Last Mile Education Fund, the NYC Innovation Talent Fund delivers fast, flexible, student-centered financial support—precisely when it can change the trajectory of a student’s life and career.
This fund ensures that talented CUNY computing students don’t fall short in their final mile simply because they lacked a safety net.
Investment provides:
Emergency support to keep students enrolled
Replacement of essential tools like laptops and transit passes
Relief from one-time financial shocks that derail momentum
A pathway from degree completion to NYC’s most in-demand jobs
Together, we can transform last-mile barriers into launchpads.
I'm immensely grateful for your program and the help you've have given me. Without this grant I might not have been able to have a roof over my head in a month or in eviction limbo. Thank you so much, I really appreciate this!
Refath B., CUNY City College
Why Investors Choose Last Mile: A Proven Model With Outsized Returns
Last Mile delivers fast, flexible awards in days, not months, with no GPA barriers—investing in persistence, not perfection.
Partnering with Last Mile Education Fund delivers a proven model with unmatched ROI. With nationwide reach, we support students in high-demand career pathways at any U.S. institution.
Our platform amplifies impact by pooling employer contributions, powered by a scalable tech backbone and lean operations. Funders benefit from transparent, centralized reporting and the collective power of a shared model that multiplies results across contributors.
Last Mile’s approach is already transforming outcomes at scale:
$16M+ invested directly into 13,000+ students served across 1,000+ institutions
74% graduation rate within 12 months (triple peers of similar backgrounds)
<$3,000 average award
246× 10-year social return on investment
Graduates entering high-demand jobs across the innovation economy
Small investments. Extraordinary outcomes.
Be Part of the Solution
Join the inaugural funders of the NYC Innovation Talent Fund.
Invest in the students who will power the city’s next era of growth, resilience, and discovery.