Our board of directors approved $4.7 million in grants for the month of May, helping to fund a wide range of programs and initiatives across Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties. Check out these highlights from our May grantmaking:
Community outreach at local arts organizations
Our $4.7 million in May grants includes dollars for local arts organizations to expand their community outreach efforts. Our $45,000 grant to Dancing Wheels, an organization founded by 2016 Cleveland Arts Prize Lifetime Achievement Award winner Mary Verdi-Fletcher, will support virtual classes, youth and adult programming. We’re also granting $55,000 to Verb Ballets, helping the organization fund community engagement programming for its 2016-2017 season.
A healing space for the Chardon community
Four years after the tragic shooting at Chardon High School, the community continues to heal and to mourn the loss of the three young victims. To honor the victims, celebrate the survivors and recognize the resiliency of the community, Chardon Tomorrow has worked with community volunteers to develop the Chardon Living Memorial Park. As part of our May grantmaking, we’re awarding $25,000 to Chardon Tomorrow to help fund ADA accessible outdoor fitness equipment for the park, which will also feature a trail, play areas, commemorative plaques and a reflection center.
Strategic plans and programs to serve refugees in Greater Cleveland
We’re continuing our support for the Refugee Services Collaborative of Greater Cleveland with a $70,000 grant to Building Hope in the City. The Refugee Services Collaborative is an innovative coalition of organizations united to serve the rising number of refugees settled in Northeast Ohio. Our grant will help the group expand its community engagement efforts, develop workforce training and placement programs and develop a strategic plan for the future.
Innovative initiatives for seniors with dementia
Two of our May grants are helping to fund innovative initiatives and programs for seniors with dementia in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties. We’re granting $10,000 to the Village at Marymount to expand their music and memory program, which has demonstrated success in improving the quality of life for seniors with dementia. Our $20,100 grant to the Jennings Center for Older Adults will help the organization develop new senior living facilities based on the “Small House” model for seniors with dementia in Lake and Geauga counties.
Public art for Cleveland Harbor
Our $45,000 grant to the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority supports its Harbor Lights public art installation, in which it plans to light two concrete silos at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River with 30 LED Flood lights this summer. The sophisticated lighting system is capable of creating a sense of movement up, down and around the silos and allows the colors to be thematically changed for different events. The project will transform the gray silos into canvases of light, serving as a visual amenity for residents and visitors to the waterfront and both west and east banks of the flats.
Support services for re-entry residents and their families
Our May grantmaking is helping to fund programs and services to help previously incarcerated individuals and their families build healthier lives. We’re helping the Cleveland Eastside Ex-Offender Coalition deliver recovery and support services to people impacted by incarceration, substance abuse and mental illness with a $52,578 grant. Additionally, our $65,000 grant to Jordon Community Resource Center will support workforce training and job placement for at-risk and previously incarcerated women.
Out-of-school resources for students in Painesville
The Learning Zone program of the Salvation Army provides school age children with out-of-school time learning opportunities to encourage their academic, social and emotional growth. We granted $25,000 to The Learning Zone in the city of Painesville to help the program expand bi-lingual staff capacity to serve its 98% Hispanic student body, many of whom are living below the poverty line and struggling with English as a second language.
These are just a few of the causes and organizations we’re supporting through our grants in May, thanks to the generosity of our donors. Follow our grantmaking each month, get weekly updates on the latest foundation news, and explore in-depth stories behind our grants here on the blog!
