Community Foundation Update (02/27/2021)
California
With the help of a $1 million seed grant from Facebook, the California Community Foundation has announced the launch of the Black Empowerment Fund. Aimed at improving social and economic outcomes for African Americans, the fund will work to raise awareness of investment opportunities in Black communities in Los Angeles County and, in partnership with the Black Equity Collective, will support the efforts of nonprofits on the front lines of social change to address persistent barriers that limit African Americans' access to quality education, safe and affordable housing, and affordable health care.
The Orange County Community Foundation has released findings from an impact assessment of the Orange County Veterans Initiative, the Newport Beach Independent reports. According to the evaluation, over the last five years the initiative has awarded more than $4 million to seventeen nonprofits working to support veterans in the areas of transition, education, employment, and physical/behavioral health and has helped more than twenty-nine thousand veterans and their families.
Colorado
The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado in Fort Collins has announced the appointment of Kristin Todd as president and CEO, effective April 26. Since 2003, Todd has served in multiple roles at the Denver-based Daniels Fund, most recently as executive director. She previously served as executive vice president of the El Pomar Foundation.
The Community First Foundation in Arvada has added an additional $2 million to its Jeffco Hope Fund, which was created to help Jefferson County nonprofits responding to and/or recovering from impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. To date, the fund has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to nonprofits working to assist residents of the county with their basic needs.
Kansas
The Hutchinson Community Foundation has announced the additions of Esmeralda Tovar-Mora, Michelle Waln, and Calvin Wright to its board of directors. Tovar-Mora is a case manager at Horizons Mental Health Center and an active community volunteer. Waln serves as vice president of culture at Heartland Credit Union. And Wright is president of the Hutchinson chapter of the NAACP.
North Carolina
The Foundation For The Carolinas has announced that it is partnering with Charlotte Center City Partners to co-host a virtual sneak peek of the premiere episode of "Delilah," a production of the Oprah Winfrey Network that was filmed and set in Charlotte. The virtual viewing for the community kicks off at 7:00 p.m. on March 2 (registration required), while the episode will premiere on OWN on March 9.
Ohio
The Cleveland Foundation has announced an additional round of phase two grants from its Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund, including $238,000 in support of four organizations and groups serving Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga counties. Since the launch of phase two in mid-November, the foundation and its fund partners have awarded more than $2.8 million to local nonprofits. The latest grant recipients include Motivated and Empowered, Neighborhood Connections, Ravenwood Health, and United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland.
South Carolina
The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has announced a ninth round of grants totaling $99,400 from its COVID-19 Response Fund. To date, the fund has awarded a total of $655,481 to forty-three organizations in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties.
Wisconsin
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has announced that it raised a total of $2 million from African-American philanthropists through the ThriveOn Collaboration. The funds will support an endowed chair at the Medical College of Wisconsin to be held by Leonard Egede and will support Egede's works to narrow and close persistent health equity gaps in the community.
