Cleveland Foundation announces $17.2 million in March grants

 Release Date: 3.28.2019

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Foundation board of directors today approved $17.2 million in grants for the month of March. Supporting residents in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties, the foundation has now invested $31 million in the community year to date.

“This month’s grants epitomize the full breadth of the foundation’s commitment to Greater Cleveland,” said India Pierce Lee, Cleveland Foundation senior vice president for program. “We’re proud to be able to partner with our donors to support so many wonderful organizations, including those that are crucial to the community’s efforts to fully integrate Say Yes to Education in the coming years.”

Highlights of March grants approved by the foundation’s Board of Directors include:

Neighborhoods

  • Cleveland Neighborhood Progress ($5,000,000) – Three-year support to execute on its 2019-2021 strategic plan http://www.clevelandnp.org/strategicplan/, and management of the Strategic Investment Initiative program (a highly competitive grant program), and capacity building support for Cleveland’s community development system – all with the aim of creating more livable, equitable and vibrant neighborhoods

Environment

  • Ohio Environmental Council ($371,600) – Two-year funding for a Greater Cleveland field office to amplify existing environmental initiatives and support development of a regional environmental agenda linking environmental protection, health, equity and economic prosperity
  • LAND studio Inc. ($408,500) – Two-year general operating support to advance transformational public space investments in three overarching areas: thriving neighborhoods, the Downtown/Flats area, and city-wide initiatives

Economic & Workforce Development

  • NewBridge ($800,000) – General operating support and expansion of current workforce training programs and additional staff capacity to examine creative training models that support micro-credentialing offerings for individuals needing portable credentials for employment
  • Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry ($250,000) – Support for the provision of trauma-informed wrap-around workforce training, strengthening postsecondary offerings, and expanding advocacy capacity to improve the employment landscape for marginalized communities
  • Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET) ($415,000) – Support for year three of the Early College, Early Career (ECEC) program, with four primary goals in mind: (1) increase the number of students participating in internships across the seven schools; (2) increase the number of participating employers, particularly those within Cleveland to decrease transportation costs; (3) expand the educational options by offering additional industry certifications; and (4) develop a revenue model to drive sustainability

Education

  • Cuyahoga Community College Foundation ($172,107) – Support for year two of the Pathways to Four-Year Degrees initiative with a focus on two specific areas: 1) increasing the number of transfer pathways to four-year institutions; and 2) ensuring that students intending to transfer obtain the information and ongoing guidance necessary to do so in an efficient and timely manner
  • College Now Greater Cleveland Inc. ($600,000) – Continued support to address the most imperative adult and traditional student outcomes: postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion through a variety of avenues, including advising for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), The Cleveland Foundation College Now Scholars Program, and adult programs, services, and scholarships
  • Cleveland State University Foundation ($250,247) – Continued funding for the Computer Science for All (CSforAll) program in CMSD, including scaling offerings for K-12 students and growing the number of credentialed teachers
  • Greater Cleveland Volunteers ($180,000) – Continued support for the AARP Foundation Experience Corps literacy tutoring program that engages older adults (age 50+) to work with students in urban school districts to improve the children’s core literacy skills – the initiative serves CMSD, Euclid City Schools and Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland

Youth & Social Services

  • Youth Opportunities Unlimited ($400,000) – Continued funding for MyCom’s youth employment component, including the placement of about 2,000 youth and young adults into employment opportunities for summer 2019, of which up to 135 will come from MyCom neighborhoods
  • TECH CORPS Ohio ($125,000) – Support to expand out-of-school-time (OST) programs focused on technology workforce in CMSD, first-ring suburbs, and youth serving organizations in order to engage more than 400 elementary and middle school students and their families in a range of activities including week long summer camps, after-school clubs, family nights and one-time workshops
  • Building Hope In The City ($75,000) –Support for the Refugee Services Collaborative of Greater Cleveland to bolster its community engagement and public education efforts and to gather data to develop community-wide strategies for two emerging resettlement issues: secondary migration and vulnerable, high-need refugee populations
  • United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland, Inc. ($200,000) – Two-year support for the organization’s community programming manager position, which is responsible for helping smaller local organizations expand their reach
  • Care Alliance Health Center ($200,000) – Organizational support to provide a wide range of training tracks for employees – including leadership development, manager training, leaders and managers combined program, frontline training, and clinical provider training – via partnerships with Tri-C’s Corporate College and Lean Six Sigma
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland ($400,000) – Continued support for the work of the Cleveland Peacemaker’s Alliance’s around youth violence prevention and reduction through a continued refinement of the organization’s structure and staffing model to enhance its capacity to connect to those youth most at risk of violence and/or gang involvement

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