The George Gund Foundation

11/16/2012 in Grantmaking

Gund Foundation Approves November Grants

The George Gund Foundation made a $5 million grant at its November meeting to the Cleveland Museum of Art for its $350 million renovation and expansion project.

“The art museum is one of Cleveland’s great assets, and the Gund Foundation is very pleased to help it achieve a new level of excellence and ever increasing engagement with the lives of Clevelanders,” said David Abbott, the Foundation’s executive director. 

The Foundation also provided support for ongoing efforts to use public spaces to link catalytic downtown development projects and made several grants related to implementation of the federal Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

Land Studio received a two-year $500,000 grant, on behalf of the Group Plan Commission, to continue planning and design work for the redesign of Public Square, development of a link between downtown and the Lake Erie waterfront and redevelopment of public spaces on the downtown Malls. 

Five ACA-related grants will strengthen Ohio-based advocates’ ability to influence the parameters of ACA implementation in Ohio, help individuals and organizations understand ACA provisions and assist providers serving vulnerable populations to adapt and adopt innovative new service delivery models. 

ACA-related grants were made to the Families USA Foundation ($50,000), Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio ($75,000), Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati ($80,000 over two years), North Coast Health Ministry ($40,000) and Stella Maris ($50,000). 

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

These grants were among 75 totaling $11,350,300 approved at the Foundation’s last meeting of 2012. 

Other grants of interest included:

  • $350,000 to Teach America to support its operations in Cleveland
  • $50,000 to support the Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland
  • $60,000 to Policy Matters Ohio for operating support
  • $23,000 to the Piano International Association of Northern Ohio to bring the interactive “Play Me, I’m Yours” public art project to Cleveland 
  • $60,000 to the Great Lakes Museum of Science, Environment and Technology for an executive director search 
  • $75,000 to Bike Cleveland for operating support
  • $40,000 to Beyond Pesticides for the Ohio Safe Lawn, Landscape and Public Spaces Campaign 
  • $75,000 to Public Interest Projects for work in Ohio as part of the National Campaign to Reform State Juvenile Justice Systems

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 education, human services, economic and community development, environment and arts.  Foundation commitments to date have totaled more than $606 million.