We’re pleased to announce the Cleveland Foundation board of directors has approved $3.7 million in October grants, thanks to the generosity of our donors. Check out highlights from our October grantmaking, which focus on themes of community health, arts and culture, and support for populations with disabilities and special needs. 

Improving community health:

Better Health Partnership is a regional health improvement collaborative led by physicians and centered on primary care. BHP has worked to improve health outcomes for adults living with chronic diseases by creating a safe place for competing health care providers to collaborate on common goals, share learnings and promote best practices. We granted $150,000 to BHP for the Children’s Health Initiative pilot, aimed at expanding BHP’s collaborative model to improve the care and health of children.

Our $100,000 grant to MedWish International, an organization that recovers and repurposes usable medical supplies and equipment from local hospitals for redistribution and use throughout the world, will support the organization’s relocation to a permanent home in Cleveland’s Health Tech Corridor.

Expanding access to arts & cultural programs:

Lake Erie Ink (LEI) provides creative expression opportunities and academic support to Greater Cleveland youth through out-of-school time programs and workshops. LEI also serves educators through workshop and residency opportunities. Our $17,175 grant in October supports improved evaluation processes and expanded outreach efforts for LEI as it continues to grow the number of youth it serves.

We’re supporting Cleveland Play House’s efforts to listen and respond to new and diverse audiences with a $50,000 grant for access and inclusion initiatives. Over the past five years, CPH has participated in our Engaging the Future initiative, and we’re pleased to support CPH’s continued efforts to be a leader and model in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion among arts organizations. 

Enhancing services and care for people with special needs:

New Avenues to Independence (New Avenues) has provided supportive services to individuals with disabilities in Northeast Ohio for more than 60 years. Our October grants include $71,000 to New Avenues for technology upgrades that will improve the organization’s communication capacity, increase security and compliance with HIPPA regulations, and ensure employees have the proper technology tools to provide quality services to clients.  

A $40,000 grant from the Linda J. Peirce Memorial Fund of the Cleveland Foundation will support a renovation of the residential bathing facility at the Hattie Larlham Center for Children with Disabilities. The renovation, which includes new specialty equipment, will help make the daily bathing process safer, easier and more comfortable for residents and their caregivers.

Our October grants also continue the foundation’s support to EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute (EDWINS) with a $75,000 grant. EDWINS helps formerly incarcerated individuals build a foundation of skills and experience in the hospitality industry while providing the support network necessary for successful reentry. Our grant will help EDWINS expand its capacity to provide education and case management services to students.

These are just a few of the grants approved by our board of directors in October. Learn more about our grantmaking here, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter to follow our grantmaking and other important foundation news.