Incorrect syntax near 'db_cursor'
<p>I am getting the 'Incorrect syntax near 'db_cursor' error when attempting to run the below query. Can someone please tell me why and where my error in the scripting? Thanks in advance!</p>

<pre><code>declare @Sort varchar(4000) 
declare @OpenDate datetime
declare @ret int;

     set @Sort = 'All'
     set @OpenDate = '1/1/2015'

     IF (@Sort = 'All') 
        BEGIN
            declare @Organization varchar(2500)
            declare @OrgEmp int         

            Set @OrgEmp = 0
            Set @ret = 0

declare db_cursor CURSOR FOR  
     SELECT distinct RTrim(Organization) + '|' as Oganization,
           (select rpt.ufnGetEmployeePopulation(RTrim(Organization)  + '|',  @OpenDate)) as NumberofEmployee FROM dbo.CorpStartEndDates where EndDate &gt;= @OpenDate 

    OPEN db_cursor   
    FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @Organization, @OrgEmp   

    WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0   
    BEGIN   
        Set @ret = @ret + @OrgEmp

        FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @Organization, @OrgEmp   

         END   

CLOSE db_cursor   
DEALLOCATE db_cursor 
</code></pre>