George Gund

CLEVELAND OH — The George Gund Foundation made grants at its November board meeting to expand the availability of locally-grown food in Greater Cleveland and encourage increased support for anti-hunger programs in Ohio.

The awards were among 93 grants totaling $8,010,630 made at the Foundation’s final meeting of 2010. Total grantmaking for the year was $23,584,339. Grants are made three times each year to a variety of education, human service, arts, environment and economic and community development organizations.

The Foundation made a $100,000 grant to the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition, a public-private partnership aimed at improving access to healthy food in urban neighborhoods and stimulating the regional food economy. The coalition is a collaborative initiative led by the Ohio State University Extension, Cuyahoga County and Case Western Reserve University’s Center for Health Promotion Research.

The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks received a two-year $160,000 grant to advocate for increased government funding for hunger programs and to support the Ohio Benefit Bank, a free internet based program to help low-income individuals access support services that are essential to steady employment and providing for their families.

Grant funds also will be used to study the feasibility of creating a community flash freezing facility that would help growers extend the shelf-life of their produce at a reduced cost in return for committing a portion of the food to local food banks.

The Foundation also continued its longstanding commitment to retinal degenerative disease research with a $2 million grant to the Foundation Fighting Blindness and its work on health policy and health care reform with grants to Families USA Foundation ($50,000), the Center for Families and Children ($25,000) and the Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati ($75,000 over two years).

Other grants of interest included:

• $110,000 to the Cleveland Festival of Art and Technology for Ingenuity 2011
• $70,000 to the Trust for Public Land for its work in protecting land in Greater Cleveland for public use
• $120,000 over two years to the City Club of Cleveland for events commemorating its centennial anniversary
• $25,000 to the East Side Organizing Project for its foreclosure prevention and counseling services

The George Gund Foundation was established in 1952 by George Gund, former chairman of the Cleveland Trust Company. The Foundation funds programs that enhance our understanding of the physical and social environment in which we live and increase our ability to cope with its changing requirements. Grants are made quarterly in the areas of education, human services, economic and community development, environment and arts. Foundation commitments to date have totaled more than $562 million.

For further information contact:
Deena M. Epstein (216) 241.3114

CLEVELAND OH — The George Gund Foundation gave a boost to the Museum of Contemporary Art -Cleveland’s plans for a new building in University Circle with an additional $500,000 grant and a $2 million loan.

“This is an important building which will serve as a dynamic gateway to the new residential/retail Uptown District and a catalyst for additional development in University Circle,” said David Abbott, Foundation executive director. “The Foundation was an early supporter of MOCA’s plans for a new home with a $2.1 million grant, and this additional support will help ensure that groundbreaking takes place this year.”

The Foundation provided also support at its summer board meeting for a new charter school management organization, creation of an urban land trust and continued reform of Ohio’s juvenile justice system.

Breakthrough Charter Schools, a collaboration of three high-performing Cleveland charter school operators, received $150,000 to create a single “back office” for the Citizens’ Academy, Intergenerational School and Zealous Schools, operator of E Prep and Village Prep, and explore opening of additional charter schools.

A three-year $325,000 grant will help the West Creek Preservation Committee expand the geographic scope of its work to include preserving green space and ecological habitats in all of Cleveland.

Organizations receiving grants to help with their work on various aspects of juvenile justice reform include Voices for Ohio’s Children (up to $125,000), Northern Kentucky Children’s Law Center ($100,000), Public Children Services Association of Ohio ($80,000 over two years) and Kent State University’s Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence and Center for Innovative Practice ($75,000).

These grants were among 104 totaling $6,193,809 approved at the Foundation’s second meeting of 2010.
Other grants of interest include:

• $100,000 over two years to Midtown Cleveland for its work in developing the Health and Technology Corridor
• $50,000 to the Cleveland Music School Settlement to conduct a search for a new director of early childhood programs
• $55,000 to Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio and $30,000 to Community Catalyst to help with planning for implementation of health care reform in Ohio
• $200,000 to the Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland for program support
• $150,000 to the Greater Ohio Policy Center for operating support
• $150,000 over two years to Environmental Health Watch for operating support
• $125,000 to Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio for arts integrated programs in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

The George Gund Foundation was established in 1952 by George Gund, former chairman of the Cleveland Trust Company. The Foundation funds programs that enhance our understanding of the physical and social environment in which we live and increase our ability to cope with its changing requirements. Grants are made quarterly in the areas of education, human services, economic and community development, environment and arts. Foundation commitments to date have totaled more than $554 million.

For further information contact:
Deena M. Epstein (216) 241.3114