Grantmaking

CLEVELAND OH — The George Gund Foundation made major grants at its December meeting to projects that leverage significant community investment in redevelopment efforts underway in two Cleveland neighborhoods.

Trustees approved a $1.2 million grant to the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO) for the Gordon Square Arts District (GSAD) on Detroit Avenue between W. 58th and W. 73rd Streets. The $24 million GSAD project includes the renovation of the long-closed Capitol Theater into a three-screen art house cinema, a new home for Near West Theatre, upgrades and renovations for Cleveland Public Theatre and new streetscape and parking.

“This leadership gift from the Gund Foundation gives a boost to our plans to use the arts as a catalyst for economic development, create jobs that keep our young people here and connect more residents throughout the county with arts and cultural programming,” said Jeffrey Ramsey, DSDCO executive director. “It also leverages the more than $560 million in development activity completed, under construction or planned in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.”

A $1 million grant to University Circle Incorporated (UCI) will be used for the Euclid Gateway Vision Project which includes new streetscapes, public art and signage to create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly street life in University Circle and enhance entry points into the Circle. Foundation funds will be focused on the “town center” at Mayfield, Ford and Euclid Avenues that will include residential and retail spaces as well as new homes for the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland and the Cleveland Institute of Art.

“The Gund family and foundation have supported the growth and development of University Circle for many decades,” said David Abbott, the foundation’s executive director and former president of UCI. “The town center concept has been in development for many years, and it is now coming close to fruition. The Gund Foundation is very pleased to continue helping UCI push it forward.“

This grant brings the Foundation’s grantmaking to University Circle and its member institutions in the past five years to more than $16.5 million, $12 million of that to major capital projects. More than $6.8 million in grants have been focused on creating a vibrant town center at the Euclid-Mayfield “triangle.“ These grants include $3.5 million for the consolidated Cleveland Institute of Art campus and $2.1 million for a new Museum of Contemporary Art building.

“This is an exciting time in the Circle,” said Chris Ronayne, UCI president. “We are thrilled that the Gund Foundation recognizes this momentum and is supportive of our efforts to create the ‘connective tissue’ that will make the Circle an even more exciting place to live, work, shop and study.”

The grants were among 59 totaling $6,512,100 made by Trustees at the last meeting of 2007. Total grantmaking for the year was $20,815,618.

Other grants of interest included:

• $300,000 to Shorebank Enterprise Group Cleveland for efforts to increase economic opportunity in Cleveland neighborhoods
• $300,000 to the Great Lakes Science Center for planning of a major new exhibit on the Great Lakes
• $275,000 over two years to Ingenuity, the Cleveland Festival of Art and Technology
• $60,000 to the Cuyahoga County District Board of Health for a K-12 reproductive health education program in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
• $38,000 to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for implementation of its Climate Action Plan which will move the organization towards carbon-neutrality
• $70,000 to Entrepreneurs for Sustainability for operating and project support
• $50,000 to the Center for Law and Social Policy for Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a nonpartisan initiative to engage Presidential candidates in discussions on the state of low-income Americans

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 $504 million.

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

CLEVELAND OH — The George Gund Foundation made grants at its September meeting to organizations working to address issues related to predatory lending and the sharp increase in home foreclosures in Cuyahoga County.

Neighborhood Progress, Inc. was awarded $50,000 on behalf of the Vacant Property Coordinating Council, a collaborative effort of several Greater Cleveland nonprofits and governmental agencies addressing both practical and policy issues related to foreclosures.

The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, which received a two-year $120,000 operating grant, has assumed a leadership role in the Ohio Coalition for Responsible Lending, a network of organizations working to promote fair and equitable lending practices for low-income working families. A focus of the coalition’s work will be payday lending institutions that make extremely high interest short term loans and target low-income individuals.

These grants were among 62 totaling $5,394,962 made to arts, education, human services, environment and economic and community development organizations at the Foundation’s third quarterly meeting of 2007.

The Foundation also continued its commitment to research on the causes, nature and prevention of retinal degenerative diseases with a $2,285,000 grant to The Foundation Fighting Blindness which is based in Maryland but funds research throughout the world.

Other grants of interest include:

• $284,400 to the Cleveland State University Foundation for the Cleveland Schools Book Fund, a program to establish a permanent library collection in every K-3 building in the Cleveland Municipal School District.
• $200,000 to Case Western Reserve University for the Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development.
• $130,000 to EcoCity Cleveland for Greater Ohio, a statewide organization working to advance smart growth policies at both the local and state levels.
• $100,000 to the Public Education Network for its work on reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act.
• $70,000 to Cleveland Public Theatre for the 2007–2008 theater season and the DanceWorks series.
• $55,000 to Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio for its efforts to encourage policies that provide affordable, quality health care for low and middle income Ohio residents.
• $54,000 over two years to Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization for the Cleveland EcoVillage.

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 almost more than $498 million.

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

CLEVELAND OH — The George Gund Foundation made grants at its first quarterly meeting of 2007 to support planning for six innovative new schools in the Cleveland Municipal School District and to encourage new residents and businesses to move into downtown Cleveland.

A $300,000 grant will provide funds for planning and curriculum design, principal and teacher recruitment, student recruitment and marketing and consulting assistance for the six “opportunity” schools slated to open in the fall of 2007. These include four single gender K-8 academies, a residential school for high school-aged boys and a STEM (science, technology and engineering) academy.

The Downtown Cleveland Alliance received $208,750 for a variety of projects aimed at making downtown “the most compelling place to live, work and visit in the region.”

The grants were among 67 totaling $3,477,250 made by Gund Trustees at the Foundation’s March meeting.

Other grants of interest included:

• $125,000 over two years to the Institute for Conservation Leadership to provide leadership training and technical assistance for Ohio environmental organizations.
• Up to $25,000 to the Cleveland Municipal School District to develop a strategic plan for arts education.
• $100,000 to Mental Health Services for Homeless Persons for renovation and expansion of its Payne Avenue facilities.
• $150,000 over two years to the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks for advocacy work and for expansion of the Benefit Bank, a web-based tool to help low-income individuals and families determine their eligibility for a variety of state and federal assistance programs.
• $38,000 to the Cleveland Botanical Garden to develop and implement an organizational sustainability plan.
• $66,500 over two years to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center for the Sexual Assault Public Policy and Advocacy Project.

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 almost $487 million.

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

CLEVELAND OH — The George Gund Foundation re-affirmed its commitment to revitalizing Cleveland’s neighborhoods with a three-year $3.6 million grant to Neighborhood Progress, Inc. and a $300,000 grant to Shorebank Enterprise Group Cleveland.

NPI, which is the principal intermediary between funders and community development corporations in Cleveland, has played a key role in the development of new housing and the revitalization of neighborhood commercial districts, resulting in a rise in residential property values and slowing of the city’s population decline.

Shorebank and its related subsidiaries, which have provided financing for a number of housing projects and business start-ups in Cleveland, also operate a business incubator and a program to link businesses with the neighborhood workforce.

The grants were among 86 totaling $7,863,026 that were made by Gund Trustees at the Foundation’s fourth quarterly meeting of 2006. Grantmaking for the year totaled $27,551,038.

Trustees also approved a five-year $1,000,000 grant to the Cleveland Zoological Society to incorporate green building standards into design and construction of the new African Elephant Crossing exhibit facility.

Other grants of interest include:

• $125,000 for the 2007 Ingenuity Festival which will take place in Playhouse Square.
• $300,000 over two years to the Washington D.C. based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities for analysis on federal fiscal policy.
• $75,000 in continued support to the University of Cincinnati for the Teacher Quality Partnership project, a longitudinal study of teacher preparation, in-school support and effectiveness in Ohio.
• $50,000 to the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization to staff the fundraising effort for the Gordon Square Arts District.
• $25,000 to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation for the Resource Mothers and Doulas of Cleveland project.
• $40,000 to Ideastream for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Buckeye High School Robotics Competition.
• $31,320 to the Ohio Citizen Action Fund to purchase air toxic monitoring equipment for use by citizen groups throughout Ohio.

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 $483 million.

For Further Information Contact:
Deena M. Epstein (216)241.3114

CLEVELAND OH — George Gund Foundation Trustees made grants at their June meeting for innovative collaborations that address community issues and needs, ranging from promoting the use of “best practices” standards for local development projects to encouraging new college graduates to make Northeast Ohio their home.

Trustees also renewed their support for the Fund for Our Economic Future, a collaboration of more than 80 philanthropic organizations advancing an economic transformation agenda for Northeast Ohio, with a three-year $3.1 million commitment.

The Cleveland by Design Initiative, which received a two-year $440,000 grant, is a collaboration involving Parkworks, Cleveland Public Art, EcoCity Cleveland and a number of other nonprofits working to encourage green building design, historic preservation, public parks and open space, and pedestrian and transit friendly design. The goal is to provide a “one stop shop” for local developers to encourage them to consider these issues when planning large-scale projects.

The Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, a consortium of 24 colleges and universities, received $100,000 for the College 360 program to encourage students to enroll in Northeast Ohio educational institutions, engage them in the broader community and encourage them to remain here after they have graduated.

The MetroHealth Medical System will uses a two-year $60,000 grant for a collaborative project with the Cleveland Legal Aid Society to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations by removing legal barriers to accessing health services.

The Cleveland Cultural Collaborative is an effort by three University Circle institutions — the Cleveland Botanical Garden, Western Reserve Historical Society and Cleveland Museum of Natural History — to work together to jointly reduce overhead, share services and increase income. A two-year grant of up to $57,000 was made to University Circle Inc. for the project.

The First Suburbs Consortium Development Council, created by 16 inner ring communities, received a two-year $80,000 grant to provide technical assistance, expertise and resources related to development projects to its members.

These were among 86 grants totaling $7,623,068 made to projects in human services, education, environment, arts and economic development and community revitalization at the Foundation’s second quarterly meeting of 2006.

Other grants of interest include:

• $225,000 over three years to the Cleveland Entrepreneurship Preparatory School, a charter school sponsored by the Cleveland Municipal School District that will open in the Glenville neighborhood in August.
• $200,000 over two years to the Center for Law and Social Policy for analysis of federal policies related to welfare reform, child welfare, early childhood development and community re-entry for released prisoners.
• $150,000 over two years to the Westside Industrial Retention & Expansion Network for its ongoing economic development work.
• $200,000 over two years to Adoption Network Cleveland for Adopt Cuyahoga’s Kids.
• $25,000 to Earthwatch Ohio Inc. for the start of a free bimonthly environmental newspaper.
• $22,000 over two years to the Cleveland Artists Foundation to develop education programs related to WPA art located in Greater Cleveland.
• Up to $108,000 to the Ohio League of Conservation Voters for environmental message development

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 $466 million.

For Further Information Contact:
Deena M. Epstein (216)241.3114

The George Gund Foundation made grants at its March board meeting to promote early childhood education, prevent teen pregnancy and maintain urban biodiversity and green space.

The grants were among 60 totaling $3,185,289 to organizations and programs in education, human services, economic development and community revitalization, environment and arts approved at the first quarterly meeting of 2006.

The Foundation made a $235,700 grant, over 15-months, to the Center for Community Solutions which is coordinating the work of the Ohio Early Care and Education Campaign, a coordinated effort to promote public policies that will expand and improve education and other services for young children.

A two-year grant of up to $150,000 to Scenarios USA and a $40,000 grant to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) will be used for teen pregnancy prevention and sexuality education projects.

Scenarios USA helps teens examine their attitudes toward sexuality and responsibility through a project in which youth research, write and film “scenarios” that reflect real life situations. This grant will help expand the annual “What’s the Real Deal?” scriptwriting contest and accompanying community engagement efforts to include Cleveland.

The NCSL grant will support that organization’s efforts to provide resources and information on effective methods of teen pregnancy prevention to state policymakers through policy papers, briefings, workshops and a listserv.

The Cleveland Botanical Garden will use a two-year $43,334 grant for its efforts to improve the quality and quantity of intact ecosystems and maintain biodiversity in the urban core through projects such as planting wildlife-friendly pocket parks.

Other grants of interest included:

• $100,000 to Neighborhood Progress, Inc. for the Vacant Property Reuse and Prevention Project.
• $220,000 over two years to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy of Ohio, a new regional land trust created by the merger of eight local land trusts, for transition and operating expenses.
• $35,000 to Ohio Grantmakers Forum for a statewide taskforce on education reform.
• $40,000 to the Greater Cleveland Media Development Corporation for its continued efforts to promote film and other media production in Cleveland.
• $100,000 to Cleveland Opera to facilitate its merger with Lyric Opera Cleveland and form a new company, Opera Cleveland.
• $35,000 to the Ohio Parklands Foundation for the Ohio Greenways Project.

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 $455 million.

For Further Information Contact:
Deena M. Epstein (216)241.3114

The George Gund Foundation made grants at its December meeting for innovative initiatives focused on revitalizing University Circle, re-imagining the Cuyahoga River Valley and helping nonprofit organizations use technology more creatively.

The Foundation made a $2.1 million grant to the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA) for a new facility that will be part of a planned arts and retail district at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Mayfield Road in University Circle.

“The Foundation has been a longtime supporter of MOCA, and we are delighted that the museum will become the focal point of an exciting new development and will help bring new energy and vitality to the University Circle neighborhood,” said David Abbott, Foundation executive director. “The increased visibility also will benefit MOCA as is seeks to expand programming and exhibitions.”

A two-year $500,000 grant was made to the Cuyahoga Planning Commission for the Cuyahoga Valley Initiative, a broad-scale planning effort to develop a new framework for rejuvenating the valley and encouraging thoughtful development. The planning process will set goals for a new organization that will be formed in mid-2007 to oversee activities and developments in the Valley, a geographic area that stretches from Akron to Lake Erie.

“This project has the potential to set a new regional mission and standard for the rediscovery of the Cuyahoga Valley as an important community asset,” said Abbott.

OneCleveland, a project focused on using the fiber optic system that runs through the city to network education, government, health care, cultural, research and other nonprofit organizations, received a $300,000 grant.

OneCleveland, a project of the technology-based nonprofit NorTech, will use grant funds to assist organizations in developing new approaches to using technology to more effectively and efficiently to help those they serve.

These grants were among 92 totaling $7,863,750 made by Foundation Trustees at the last quarterly meeting of 2005. Grantmaking for the year was $18,056,679.

Other grants of interest included:

• $1 million over four years to the Musical Arts Association to support the Cleveland Orchestra’s transition to a new business plan;
• $125,000 to the Cleveland Festival of Art and Technology for the 2006 Ingenuity Festival;
• $250,000 over three years to the Center for Families and Children for renovation of its main offices in the Midtown Corridor and three of its community-based facilities;
• $300,000 to ShoreBank Enterprise Group Cleveland for efforts to create economic opportunities in East Side Cleveland neighborhoods;
• $35,000 to the Cleveland Municipal School District for the search for a new chief executive officer;
• $100,000 to Care Alliance, which provides health care to the homeless and uninsured, for its move to a larger facility; and
• $50,000 to KnowledgeWorks Foundation for the Achieving the Dream initiative at Cuyahoga Community College.

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 $427 million.

The George Gund Foundation made commitments at its September meeting to help develop plans for a “campus town” in University Circle, create a system for a universal pre-kindergarten program in Cuyahoga County and introduce environmentally sensitive “green building” principles into new low-income housing projects.

Trustees approved 55 grants totaling $4,375,235 made to arts, education, human services, environment and economic and community development organizations at the Foundation’s third quarterly meeting of 2005.

The Foundation also made a $500,000 program-related investment to the Enterprise Housing Financial Services for a revolving loan fund that will be used to help integrate green building standards into the renovation and building of affordable housing.

A $81,250 grant to University Circle Incorporated will support a planning process to create a vision and a set of design principles for new development in the Circle that will include housing, retail and entertainment in a “town center” or “campus town” at the intersection of Euclid Avenue, Ford Road and Mayfield Road.

The Foundation increased its commitment to Cuyahoga County’s Invest in Children Initiative, a groundbreaking public/private partnership to promote well-being for children ages birth through six, with a $137,000 grant. Funds will be used for research and planning for a voluntary, high-quality universal pre-kindergarten program for three and four year-olds.

The Foundation also continued it commitment to research on inherited retinal degenerative diseases with a $2 million grant to the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Other grants of interest included:

• $300,000 to the Cleveland Municipal School District for development of curriculum for the Cleveland Literacy System.
• $250,000 to the Cleveland Foundation for the new Greater Cleveland Literacy Collaborative.
• $60,000 to the Harbor Heritage Society for operating support for the Steamship William G. Mather Museum and the move from the E. Ninth Street Pier to a spot near the Great Lakes Science Center.
• $50,000 to the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign for efforts to insure adequate and equitable funding for public education in Ohio.
• $30,000 to the Nature Conservancy for biodiversity conservation projects in Northeast Ohio.
• $100,000 to the Northern Kentucky Children’s Law Center for its Ohio office and its efforts to improve the state’s juvenile justice system.
• $50,000 to Karamu House for its 90th anniversary theater season.

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 $447 million.

Projects to stop the “brain drain” in Northeast Ohio, stage events on Cleveland’s lakefront and coordinate efforts to improve early childhood education in Ohio received funding from the George Gund Foundation at its June meeting.

The Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education received $100,000 for College 360°, a four-year, $5 million effort to increase the region’s supply of college-educated workers by defining and marketing the region as a “premier destination for learning, living, and working.“ The initiative is a partnership involving higher education, business and the travel and tourism and hospitality sectors.

A $35,000 grant was made to Parkworks, Inc. for summer arts and entertainment events at Northcoast Harbor, and a $15,000 grant was made to EcoCity Cleveland for environmental education activities that are part of the Burning River Fest 2005 to be held at Voinovich Park.

The Action for Children of Franklin County will use a $40,000 grant to coordinate and facilitate three statewide initiatives working to improve early childhood programming and education in Ohio, the Build Ohio Alliance, School Readiness Solutions Group and Ohio Early Care and Education Campaign.

These grants were among 73 totaling $2,972,452 approved by Foundation Trustees at the second quarterly meeting of 2005.

Other grants of interest included:

• $500,000 over two years to ideastream for television and radio public affairs programming.
• $320,000 over two years to the Community Renewal Society for continued publication of “CATALYST,” a newsmagazine focused on the Cleveland Municipal School District.
• $225,000 over two years to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio for operating support.
• $100,000 to Kent State University for the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative.
• $50,000 to the Chagrin River Land Conservancy for the merger of eight land trusts in Northeast Ohio into the new Western Reserve Land Conservancy.
• Up to $50,000 to the Cleveland Botanical Garden (CBG) for a study of how CBG and its University Circle neighbors, the Western Reserve Historical Society and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, can work together more collaboratively.

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 $443 million.