Announcements

The George Gund Foundation awarded $4.7 million at its first board meeting of the year under the leadership of its new president, Tony Richardson. Grants reflect a continued emphasis on racial justice, the increasingly evident threats to democracy and reproductive freedoms, and other priorities outlined in the Foundation’s What We Believe statement. Grants include the following:

• $150,000 for the Valuing Black Assets Initiative of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Center. The initiative aims to challenge the systemic structural barriers, entrenched racist narratives, and policy biases that have extracted wealth from Black individuals and communities by utilizing data to mobilize leaders and innovations that center Black people and assets critical to social and economic mobility. Funding will support efforts to launch the Valuing Black Assets Initiative in Cleveland in partnership with local government, neighborhood stakeholders, and community development practitioners.

• $300,000 in operating support over two years to Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and $150,000 in operating support to Preterm. Trustees further approved a commitment of up-to $500,000 to support continued access to comprehensive reproductive health care locally and to plan for the future of such access following an expected ruling this coming June by the U.S. Supreme Court to severely limit or eliminate access to safe and legal abortion care as a matter of federal Constitutional right.

• $372,000 to support a special cohort of Public Service Fellows at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The Public Service Fellowship, launched by the Cleveland Foundation in 2016, offers emerging young leaders from across the country a 12-month full-time paid placement at a selected public sector agency or nonprofit partner in Cleveland. The program was created to attract and/or retain talent by providing a place to learn and develop both professionally and civically.

• Up-to $100,000 to the Ohio Progressive Collaborative for redistricting reform to ensure Ohioans are fairly represented in the Ohio Legislature and U.S. Congress and that lawmakers follow the Ohio Constitution’s requirements around fairer districts across the state.

• $200,000 to two organizations to further the research and piloting of programs designed to support young Black children and new Black mothers to thrive, not simply survive. Trustees awarded $100,000 to OhioGuidestone for its pilot initiative to improve Black maternal vitality following childbirth through integrated physical and behavioral health supports provided by racially concordant medical professionals; and $100,000 to Starting Point to work with partners in developing a model curriculum to identify and eliminate the impact of implicit racial bias in PreK classrooms.

• $90,000 over two years to the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy for its farm mentoring program. The farm mentoring program has launched a cohort of farms in and around the national park, with a long-term goal of launching enough small farms growing products and raising livestock to locally produce 25 percent of food consumed in the region.

• $90,000 over two years to PIANO International Association of Northern Ohio and $40,000 over two years to the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society. Both organizations work with students from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to enhance and support arts education.

• $200,000 to the Say Yes Cleveland Scholarship Fund campaign, which has raised $94.5 million toward its $125 million goal. Say Yes Cleveland, which launched in 2019, provides wraparound support services and last-dollar postsecondary tuition scholarships to eligible students who graduate from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Its goals are to attract and retain families in the City of Cleveland, encourage families to enroll in our public schools, increase higher education attainment, and spur economic growth and expansion in Cleveland.

Further details on the February 2022 grants can be found at gundfoundation.org.

The George Gund Foundation was established in 1952 by George Gund, former chair 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 three times a year in the areas of climate and environmental justice, creative culture and arts, public education, thriving families and social justice, and vibrant neighborhoods and inclusive economy. Foundation commitments to date have totaled over $851 million.

The Cleveland, Saint Luke’s, and George Gund foundations are working collectively to bolster equitable placemaking efforts in the City of Cleveland, recognizing 1) the need for diverse practitioners in this field who reflect the diversity of the neighborhoods; and 2) the need to support non-traditional “placemakers” – residents, organizers, and artists – who are engaging in this work already but could benefit from additional support. We do not profess to have the answers but hope to engage with smart minds to source solutions to the questions raised in this request for proposals. Interested parties should respond to this RFP by March 1 for full consideration. Interviews are anticipated by mid-March with the engagement starting in April 2022. Diverse perspective is important to this process, therefore the selection of a consultant/firm and the shaping of this work will be supported by a small committee of practitioners, residents, and the three funders.

Equal employment opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at The George Gund Foundation, where employment is without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic established by applicable law. This policy of equal employment opportunity applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment. These fundamental principles apply to contract relationships as well.

The Funders Collaborative on COVID Recovery (FCCR) has launched the Nonprofit COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Survey aimed at learning directly from the nonprofit sector what area nonprofits need to thrive Post-COVID.

The last 20 months have been some of the most difficult months for our community. When the pandemic hit hard in March 2020, local funders came together to form the Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund to quickly respond to the emerging needs of nonprofits and the community. This past fall, the rapid response fund came to a close, but the work to support nonprofits in our region continues through the Funders Collaborative on COVID Recovery. Through the work of this collaborative, local philanthropy aims to more deeply understand the composition, needs, and opportunities of our nonprofit partners and the nonprofit sector broadly. Information gathered from the survey will help ensure that Cleveland’s nonprofit sector is resilient, equitable, and thriving as our community copes with and emerges from the pandemic.

The survey is open from January 5, 2022 through January 28, 2022 for nonprofit leaders to submit responses. All organizations completing the survey will be entered into a drawing for one $5,000, two $2,500, or ten $1,000 prizes.

Results of the survey will be available online by April 2022 through the Funders Collaborative on COVID Recovery. All data gathered from the survey will only be shared in the aggregate; individual organization responses will not be publicly shared. Member philanthropies of the Funders Collaborative will also be completing the survey. For more information, please visit the Funders Collaborative on COVID Recovery website.

Thank you so much for considering this opportunity to complete the survey. We appreciate your time and information.

The George Gund Foundation awarded over $31 million at its final board meeting of the year, meeting its commitment to an increased payout of 10 percent in 2021. The Foundation’s focus on climate change, inequality and racial injustice, and democracy building, as outlined in its What We Believe statement, is emphasized in its grants, including these:

• $5 million to establish a Living Learning Community at Cleveland State University for Say Yes Cleveland scholarship recipients who graduate from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The Living Learning Community is designed to provide students with a residential experience that integrates intensive academic support, leadership training, mentorship, graduation coaching, comprehensive wraparound services, and experiential learning.

• $1.5 million to the Say Yes Cleveland Scholarship Fund. Say Yes Cleveland, which launched in 2019, aims to attract and retain families in the City of Cleveland and in our public schools. Say Yes Cleveland provides wraparound support services and last-dollar postsecondary tuition scholarships to eligible students who graduate from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Say Yes Cleveland has raised $94.5 million toward its $125 million goal.

• $1.1 million to the Center for Community Solutions for a mayoral transition fund ($500,000), which will support Mayor-Elect Bibb as he builds out his staff and cabinet and identifies key priorities in his new administration; and for the Greater Cleveland American Rescue Plan Council ($600,000), which will work to maximize receipt and effective, equitable use of unprecedented amounts of federal funding flowing to Cleveland and Cuyahoga County in the next three years.

• $400,000 to the Young Latino Network to support the organization’s growth and inclusive civic engagement efforts in the City of Cleveland. The Young Latino Network focuses on building a pipeline of next generation Latinx leaders in Greater Cleveland.

• $300,000 to two organizations focused on the needs and interests of the Asian American and Pacific Islander populations in Cleveland, which have historically been neglected by the philanthropic community: $200,000 to Asian Services in Action; and $100,000 to Ohio Voice for OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership in Ohio.

• $50,000 to the Neighborhood Leadership Institute to support Neighborhood Leadership Cleveland, a grassroots leadership development program for residents in Greater Cleveland.

• $750,000 to The Marshall Project, which will establish a first-of-its-kind local criminal justice newsroom across multiple platforms in Cleveland to shine light on injustices within the criminal legal system.

• $1 million to MAGNET (Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network) to support the development of the Manufacturing Innovation, Technology and Job Center, a joint effort between MAGNET and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District that will showcase and strengthen manufacturing innovations and inclusive workforce growth in Northeast Ohio.

• $2 million to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for its capital expansion project, with funds targeted toward the public engagement and development of the Lakefront Park, a community green space between the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center that celebrates the city-to-lake connection.

• $1 million for the COVID-19 Relief Fund Phase III, now organized through the Funders Collaborative for COVID Recovery, which will focus on building nonprofit resilience, centering equity, increasing vaccine uptake, and pursuing long-term systems and policy changes.

Further details on the November 2021 grants can be found at gundfoundation.org.

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 three times a year in the areas of climate and environmental justice, creative culture and arts, public education, thriving families and social justice, and vibrant neighborhoods and inclusive economy. Foundation commitments to date have totaled over $847 million.

The George Gund Foundation today named Tony Richardson as its new president, effective in January 2022. Richardson has been executive director of The Nord Family Foundation in Amherst, Ohio, since early 2019 and previously served as a program officer there. He succeeds David Abbott, Gund’s president for 19 years, who is retiring.

“I have a deep reverence for the Gund Foundation’s leadership and its values-driven, innovative approach,” said Richardson. “I am thrilled to be moving into this new role.”

Richardson is a native of Lorain, where he served three years as a member of the City Council. He also chaired the Lorain Academic Distress Commission from 2017 through 2019.

“I am so excited that Tony will be joining us,” said Catherine Gund, chair of the Gund Foundation. “He has honed his skills at a widely admired nearby foundation. With his passion and deliberation, he will continue to bring to life our What We Believe commitment. His lived experience will deepen our understanding of the issues we confront. I have no doubt that he is the right person for the vibrant and challenging moment we face at the Foundation, in the city of Cleveland, and nationwide. Tony will be a wonderful addition to our team.”

Richardson’s compelling personal history includes childhood homelessness, poverty, and academic degrees from Oberlin College and Ohio State University’s law school. He and his wife, Lacee, have two daughters who enjoy art, music, and creative writing.

Nancy Mendez, a Gund Foundation trustee and vice chair of the search committee that managed the process of reviewing candidates for the position, commented “Tony represents the promise that an individual’s intelligence, drive, and passion can determine one’s leadership capacity regardless of where they are born, their race, or their family’s income. I am so hopeful for Gund and the future of leadership in Cleveland.”

Richardson, 38, is a board member of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, Funders Together to End Homelessness, Philanthropy Ohio, and the Corella & Bertram F. Bonner Foundation.

“My personal and professional values align perfectly with the Gund Foundation’s values expressed in its What We Believe statement,” Richardson added. “I’m extremely proud to be joining a foundation that is committed to tackling climate change, understanding and unraveling systemic racism, and supporting those who are fighting to fulfill the promise of democracy.”

Margaret Bernstein, a Gund trustee who also served on the search committee, reflected on the timing of Richardson’s appointment, which coincides with the exciting moment of Cleveland’s election of a new mayor, Justin Bibb. “Tony, a 38-year-old African-American man with a career of advocating for racial equity, brings an extraordinary set of skills to the Gund Foundation. He will be a transformative leader.”

“I look forward to welcoming Tony to the foundation and to ensuring a smooth transition,” said Abbott. “With the experience he has had at Nord, I expect that he will hit the ground running.”

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 three times a year in the areas of climate and environmental justice, creative culture and arts, public education, thriving families and social justice, and vibrant neighborhoods and inclusive economy. Foundation commitments to date have totaled over $816 million.

CLEVELAND, OH – John Mitterholzer, director of The George Gund Foundation’s Climate and Environmental Justice program, will be participating in the international United Nations Climate Conference as a United States Civil Society delegate. Mitterholzer is co-chair of the Climate and Energy Funders Group, the largest group of climate change related funders in the world.

In his role at the U.N. Climate Conference, Mitterholzer will co-convene daily gatherings of philanthropic funders from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe to develop collaborative relationships and share best practices that work together and leverage more effective work toward meeting the goals of the Paris Climate Accord adopted in 2015.

“Ohio is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the United States,” Mitterholzer notes. “Collective action across all sectors is urgently required. Human activity already has triggered a chain of damaging climate change and environmental degradation. Those who suffer first and foremost are disproportionately people of color who live in more vulnerable locations and the poor who have fewer resources to adapt. The U.N. Climate Conference brings together the best minds in the world to address climate change. It is the most important work we can do.”

Foundation President David Abbott adds, “We believe that Cleveland can continue to help develop original responses to issues that can benefit people everywhere. Our focus on Cleveland offers an important point of leverage to affect issues that go well beyond the city’s boundaries and climate change certainly does.”

Mitterholzer will be sharing insight and information throughout his time at the U.N. Climate Conference via the Foundation’s social media accounts. Follow him on Twitter at @GundFoundation, Instagram at @GeorgeGundFoundation, and Facebook at @GundFoundation.

The 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, October 31–November 12, 2021. The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action toward the goals of the Paris Agreement and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The George Gund Foundation was established in 1952 by George Gund, former chairman of the Cleveland Trust Company. The Foundation funds programs in climate and environmental justice, creative culture and arts, public education, thriving families and social justice, and vibrant neighborhoods and inclusive economy. Foundation commitments to date have totaled over $816 million.

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John Mitterholzer
Program Director, Climate and Environmental Justice

John Mitterholzer is the Foundation’s program director for Climate and Environmental Justice. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2008, he was a program officer at the Cleveland Foundation. Mitterholzer is the former chair of the Funders Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, the current co-chair of the Climate and Energy Funders Group, and an active member of the Environmental Grantmakers Association. He holds a B.A. in history from Baldwin Wallace University and an M.A. in history from the University of Memphis.

Advancing environmental justice and climate change action reflect core values of The George Gund Foundation. Every nonprofit organization applying for grant support is required to include a climate change statement with their proposal.

The George Gund Foundation Fellowship provides an opportunity for promising professionals to work inside the Foundation, a philanthropic organization that plays a vital role in supporting the civic life of Greater Cleveland and in various state and national policy deliberations that affect our community.  The Fellowship is a two-year, full-time commitment beginning in summer 2022, requiring residence in Northeast Ohio during the term of engagement.  The Fellowship experience will be tailored to the Foundation’s needs and, to some extent, to the Fellow’s interests and will include a wide range of substantive assignments including analyzing grant proposals, organizing and conducting site visits and research related to the Foundation’s grantmaking interests.

To be considered for the Fellowship, each candidate must submit a cover letter, a short essay discussing why the Fellowship opportunity is appealing, a detailed resume and two letters of recommendation.  Please also indicate how you learned of the position.  These materials should be combined into one PDF document for submission and are due no later than 5 p.m. EST on January 6, 2022.  The Fellow will be selected in the spring of 2022.  Application materials should be emailed to hr@gundfdn.org.  Letters of recommendation may be submitted as part of the application or sent separately via email or regular mail.

The Foundation views the Fellowship as a valuable early career opportunity and the selection process will be highly competitive. The successful candidate for this Fellowship will have demonstrated a desire to work in public service or the nonprofit sector.  Excellent critical thinking and writing skills as well as sufficient computer competency to carry out assigned work are essential.  While a graduate degree and/or several years work experience are typical of Gund Fellows, the Foundation also welcomes applications from untraditional candidates who possess the skills outlined above but whose life experiences have taken them down different paths.

Each George Gund Foundation Fellow will receive a stipend of $47,500 per year, plus a full benefits package including health, dental, disability and life insurance, 403(b) contributions and work-related travel expenses.  Housing, transportation and other living arrangements are the responsibility of the Fellow.  The George Gund Foundation (www.gundfoundation.org), established in 1952, is the largest private foundation in Ohio.  The Foundation makes annual grants totaling approximately $25 million.  Program directors professionally handle grantmaking in public education, vibrant neighborhood and inclusive economy, thriving families and social justice, creative culture and arts, climate and environmental justice, and democracy building.

The George Gund Foundation is an equal opportunity employer, hiring without discrimination due to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, disability or any other protected characteristic established by law.  The Foundation has a deep commitment to racial equity and inclusion and seeks a highly diverse pool from which to select the strongest candidate for this position; individuals from underrepresented identities who match this Fellowship profile are strongly encouraged to apply.

“The solution to the problems of democracy is more democracy: More people engaged as active citizens with their communities and country. More avenues for that engagement. More accountability for lying, for inciting division and animosity. More respect for facts and truth. More people voting.”

In David Abbott’s final letter to the Cleveland community as the Foundation’s president, he challenges us all—including foundations—to be vigilant and active citizens in our continued pursuit of a just democracy for all people. That requires free and fair elections, which are under attack across the country.

The George Gund Foundation’s 2020 annual report portrays democracy in action, through the eye of Brian Palmer, a photographer and award-winning journalist based in Richmond, Virginia. He strives to tell stories that might not otherwise be told—stories of conflict, activism, and daily life. Here, in this collection, he portrays Clevelanders exercising their citizenship rights even with the nation in the grip of a pandemic.

Catherine Gund, chair of the Foundation, reminds us that philanthropy is “a debt that is owed to society,” and that the colossal—and widening—wealth gaps in Cleveland will persist unless we keep racial justice at the top of our agenda and distribute money through our grantmaking like we are paying our debt.

The George Gund Foundation is seeking candidates for the position of president to further its mission to advance human wellbeing through progressive, responsive, and accountable philanthropy. The position profile describes the opportunity and the qualifications, professional experiences, and personal attributes sought by the Board of Trustees. The successful candidate will succeed longtime president David Abbott, who will retire at the end of 2021 after 19 years.

All applications are being confidentially fielded by the executive search firm, Isaacson, Miller, which will help to identify, recruit, and screen potential candidates. Isaacson, Miller’s search process is built on a fundamental commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed to the search firm at www.imsearch.com/Gund. Foundation trustees and staff will not be meeting with potential candidates outside of the formal search process. Applications received by the end of August will be assured full consideration, and the Foundation expects to make an appointment in November.

The George Gund Foundation awarded $16.2 million at its June board meeting to organizations addressing the most pressing issues in Cleveland and Ohio, while also committing to an increased payout of 10 percent in 2021, double the legally-required five percent payout for private foundations. The Foundation’s focus on climate change, inequality and racial injustice, and democracy building, as outlined in its What We Believe statement, is emphasized in its grants, including these:

• $1.5 million to the Energy Foundation for the Ohio Climate Justice Fund, which invests in organizations in Ohio led by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color who work at the intersection of racial justice and climate action. The Fund was created to elevate a diverse coalition of advocates to influence policy change and help move toward a just and inclusive clean energy economy for Ohio.
• $800,000 to nonprofit developer, Community Builders, for the transformation of Woodhill Estates into a mixed-income housing community in the Woodhill/Buckeye area. This grant will complement the $35 million Choice Neighborhoods award that Cuyahoga Housing Metropolitan Authority received in May 2021. The Foundation’s investment will support resident engagement and supportive services during and after the completion of the new housing. Funding will also support the inclusion of solar energy in the development as well as community arts and greenspace.
• $500,000 to support the launch of a racial equity training series for Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) educators, with an eye toward building anti-racist perspectives, policies, and practices in schools. This work is a collaborative effort among the CMSD, Cleveland Teachers Union, Cleveland Council of Administrators, and Cleveland Foundation, and engages Third Space Action Lab, Racial Equity Institute, Teaching Cleveland, and Facing History and Ourselves.
• $17,500 to Ohio Voice for OPAWL, a grassroots community group that organizes for social justice and elevates the voices, visibility, and progressive leadership of Asian American and Pacific Islander women, nonbinary, queer, and trans people in Ohio. OPAWL builds collective power and progressive leadership through community building, art and storytelling, political education, and organizing campaigns.
• $150,000 to the Western Reserve Historical Society for the museum’s African American archives, which have been collected, preserved, and shared for 50 years. The grant will support plans in 2022 to present rigorous scholarship and experiences around African American history to a growing local and national audience and present a plan to develop a database of local African-American historical archived materials.
• $35,000 to the Museum of Creative Human Art (MOCHA), cofounded by artist Antwoine Washington and native Clevelander Michael C. Russell II, who are committed to changing the lives of historically excluded youth through art education and providing space for emerging local Black artists to exhibit work at a private gallery, many of whom do so for the first time through MOCHA.
• $1.5 million over two years to support the continued prototyping of the Say Yes Integrated Health initiative, which seeks to provide physical, mental, and behavioral health care to CMSD students through school-based services. Addressing student health and wellness is a key component of the Say Yes model, as it attends to the needs of the whole child and fosters effective learning.
• $250,000 to Case Western Reserve University for First Year Cleveland, which focuses on reducing racial inequities leading to infant mortality, particularly for Black women and babies in Cleveland. Efforts include providing evidence-based interventions that support healthy Black mothers and babies; providing Everyday Bias for Healthcare Professionals and Breaking Through Bias in Maternity Care workshops for health care providers; and growing the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Society to honor and engage grieving parents.
• $1.075 million in three grants to College Now, a key partner in Cleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools and the Say Yes Cleveland initiative. Grant funds will support college advisory services and post-secondary scholarships for CMSD students ($325,000); the Say Yes Scholars Program at Tri-C for efforts to keep CMSD graduates on track toward their degree ($250,000); and Say Yes Cleveland infrastructure needs, including website redesign, scholarship management system, and a post-secondary planning system ($500,000).
• $200,000 over two years to the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) for operating support and a housing justice fellowship. Among its services, NEOCH brings together local organizations and volunteers to provide assistance and connections to social supports for individuals who sleep outside on the streets, and coordinates public policy advocacy opportunities for its members and allies at the city, county, and state. This grant will also support NEOCH’s expanding engagement in housing justice issues with a focus on tenants’ rights.

Further details on the June 2021 grants can be found at gundfoundation.org.

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 three times a year in the areas of climate and environmental justice, creative culture and arts, public education, thriving families and social justice, and vibrant neighborhoods and inclusive economy. Foundation commitments to date have totaled over $816 million.