Jessie Ball duPont Fund (New York, NY)
Guarantee commitments from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund and nine other philanthropic organizations across the United States and a large health care system have formed the Community Investment Guarantee Pool (the Pool). Guarantees are unfunded commitments from an organization’s endowment that offer risk mitigation. The Pool, with guarantee commitments totaling $33.1 million, is a new tool for community development finance and the first in the United States. It is expected to catalyze more than $150 million in new community investments in small businesses, climate, and affordable housing.
LOCUS Impact Investing, a subsidiary of Virginia Community Capital will serve as the program manager working with the investors, underwriting guarantee commitments as well as monitoring and managing the portfolio for both impact and risk.
The Kresge Foundation incubated the Pool prior to its formal launch. It commissioned a study on the use of guarantees by impact investing and philanthropic organizations through the Global Impact Investing Network. The study found that while many organizations had an interest in using guarantees as an additional impact investing tool, they did not always have the skills, knowledge, or capacity to take on highly customized transactions. It also revealed a need for an intermediary who could create efficiencies, centralize a source of credit enhancement, and accelerate community investments without requiring current liquidity.
Kresge made an initial $10 million commitment to the Pool. Other investors in the Pool include The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The California Endowment, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, CommonSpirit Health, Gary Community Investments, Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Phillips Foundation, Seattle Foundation, and Weingart Foundation. The goal is to grow investor commitments to over $75 million for greater impact in under-resourced communities across the country. The Rockefeller Foundation is also expected to provide operational support for the Pool.
The Pool will span the United States with some geographic preference given to California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Seattle and will deploy the first guarantees later this year.
Contact: Melanie Cost at 610.453.4153 or mcost@dupontfund.org.
Episcopal Health Foundation (Houston, TX)
From home-visiting programs to innovative models based in pediatric clinics, Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) is providing $3.5 million to efforts that are focused on helping parents and caregivers promote early childhood brain development. EHF’s latest commitment supports early brain development programs in Greater Houston, Austin, Waco Texas as well as several statewide projects. Supporting early childhood brain development is a key part of the foundation’s strategic plan to improve health, not just health care in Texas. In 2019, EHF invested $3.4 million in similar early brain-building projects and programs across the state.
EHF’s latest early childhood brain development grants were awarded to:
- Alliance for Strong Families and Communities to support—piloting the Change In Mind Learning Collaborative model in Texas. ($727,456)
- AVANCE Austin—to support the expansion of AVANCE’s evidence-based Parent-Child Education Program in high-poverty areas in and around Austin, Texas. ($200,000)
- First3Years—to build on a successful pilot program to introduce the Welch Emotional Connection Screening tool to more community-based organizations and health clinics. ($465,000)
- Heart of Texas Community Health Center—to design a comprehensive plan for a peer support group program for soon-to-be and new parents at the clinic. ($52,230)
- Houston Health Foundation—to leverage the network of Texas Vaccines for Children clinics to empower families in need with strategies to help form strong and resilient brains in children from birth to three years old. ($250,000)
- Parents as Teachers National Center—to help create a combined virtual and home-visiting program for families in rural areas across Central and East Texas with children from birth to three years old. ($221,179)
- Partners in Parenting—to support the program which improves the parent/child bond and fosters healthy brain development by providing free peer support groups for low-income families with new babies in Travis County, Texas. ($50,000)
- Rupani Foundation—to build and strengthen the organization and also continue its Informed Parents ($150,000)
- Texans Care for Children—to help Texans Care for Children drive statewide advocacy efforts to improve early brain development through community engagement, coalition building, research, policy development, and education for the public and policymakers across Texas. ($520,000)
- Texas Children’s Hospital—to support the Texas Children’s Hospital upWORDS program that improves parents’ and caregivers’ knowledge of early childhood brain development and is delivered by speech language pathologists and social service specialists. ($395,000)
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission—to provide early childhood brain development training for Early Childhood Intervention providers to become Master Coaches and increase awareness about caregiver-child interactions on early child brain development. ($300,000)
- The University of Texas at Austin – College of Education—to expand the development, evaluation, and sustainability of the innovative parenting intervention program, Parenting A-Z. ($256,944)
Contact: Brian Sasser at 832.795.9404 at bsasser@episcopalhealth.org.
George Family Foundation (Minneapolis, MN)
The George Family Foundation expanded its support for individual leadership programs, faith-based social justice efforts and youth development programs in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis; Dallas, Texas; Oakland, California; and the Vail Valley in Colorado. It has also continued to support the general operations of many long-term partners.
The foundation awarded $980,000 to 38 organizations, bringing its total giving for 2019 to $4,434,700. The complete list of grants includes:
- Audubon California—to support programs in the San Francisco Bay, California area. ($15,000)
- Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative—to support Nicollet Square supportive services. ($15,000)
- Betty Ford Alpine Gardens—to support general operations. ($10,000)
- Carleton College—to support the George International Fellows program. ($10,000)
- Children’s HeartLink—to support general operations. ($15,000)
- Cookie Cart—to support general operations. ($20,000)
- The Dallas Foundation—to support general operations for Bonton Farms. ($15,000)
- Destiny Arts Center—to support general operations on behalf of the Next Generation Fund. ($45,000)
- Eagle Valley Land Trust—to support general operations. ($15,000)
- Everytown for Gun Safety—to support general operations. ($50,000)
- Fund for Women’s Equality—to support general operations. ($25,000)
- Global Minnesota—to support general operations. ($15,000)
- ISAIAH—to support the Greater Than Fear program. ($20,000)
- Junior Players Dallas—to support general operations for Junior Player Free Arts Education program on behalf of the Next Generation Fund. ($5,000)
- Karuna-Shechen—to support Shechen Clinics in Nepal. ($25,000)
- Lundstrum Performing Arts—to support general operations on behalf of the Next Generation Fund. ($30,000)
- Mayo Clinic—to support the Healthy Living Program. ($25,000)
- Mind & Life Institute—to support general operations. ($25,000)
- Minnesota Council on Foundations—to support the Minnesota Census Mobilization Partnership in preparing Minnesota for the 2020 census. ($10,000)
- Minneapolis Institute of Art—to support the annual fund. ($15,000)
- Minnesota Orchestra—in honor of the leadership of Marilyn Carlson Nelson and Paula DeCosse. ($15,000)
- Minnesota Public Radio—to support the annual fund. ($15,000)
- National Parks Conservation Association—to support its Yellowstone work. ($15,000)
- National Parks Conservation Association—to support general operations and the Legal Defense Fund. ($60,000)
- Pathways Minneapolis—to support general operations. ($15,000)
- Penny George Institute Foundation—to support training for Penny George Institute for Health and Healing practitioners. ($25,000)
- Relationships First—to support general operations. ($25,000)
- Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation—to support the Itasca Project’s Minnesota Young American Leaders Program. ($35,000)
- Somali Success School—to support general operations. ($50,000)
- Teach For All—to support the Collective Leadership Academy. ($60,000)
- Twin Cities Public Television—to support the annual fund.($15,000)
- University of St. Thomas—to support the annual fund. ($15,000)
- Urban Strategies, Inc.—to support Green Garden Bakery. ($10,000)
- VoteRunLead—to support ongoing efforts to build diverse, authentic women leadership in Minnesota and Texas. ($15,000)
- Walk-In Counseling Center—to support general operations. ($15,000)
- Walking Mountains Science Center—to support its community programs. ($60,000)
- Women’s Foundation of Minnesota—to support the Wenda Weekes Moore Internship and Dr. Reatha Clark King Fellowship. ($40,000)
- YouthPower365—to support general operations. ($90,000)
The foundation also awarded $79,000 to organizations designated by its board members.
Contact: Kate Lilja Lohnes at 952.893.7140 or kate@lilja.com.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation (Wellesly, MA)
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation awarded nearly $2.9 million in grants to 990 nonprofit organizations in 450 communities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire in 2019. The foundation helps build healthy communities by investing in programs that provide low-income families with access to fresh, healthy food, and supports Harvard Pilgrim employees as they invest their time and talents across the region.
A summary of some of the foundation’s 2019 major grant recipients is included below:
- Alan Day Community Garden—to support the volunteer and youth leadership program staff to expand volunteer capacity to increase food production, donations, and distribution. ($25,000)
- Boston Area Gleaners—to strengthen volunteer recruitment and support systems to harvest more surplus food for redistribution to food security organizations. ($25,000)
- Boston Children’s Hospital—for vaping treatment/physician training project. ($100,000)
- Boys & Girls Club—to support the Farm-to-Family program. ($104,000)
- City Year—for Service Activities at Trotter School and Extended Day programs. ($40,000)
- City Year—to support Service Activities at Northwest Elementary School and Cullerot Park in Manchester, New Hampshire. ($10,000)
- Coastal Food Shed—to support Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($60,000)
- Community Harvest Project—to increase fresh produce grown and distributed to food insecure partners, expanding the Volunteer Farming Program and educational programming. ($25,000)
- Cumberland County Food Security—to expand the Cumberland County Gleaning Initiative by recruiting more farmers, volunteers, and residents. ($25,000)
- Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley—to support the Savvy Caregiver and Matter of Balance training in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. ($150,526)
- Fairgate Farm—to build volunteer participation, access, and consumption of healthy, locally-grown organic produce. ($22,640)
- FEED Center—to support the Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($60,000)
- Gardening the Community—to strengthen youth and community volunteer programs, creating more opportunities for youth leadership development and engaging more people in growing healthy food. ($25,000)
- Gather—to increase the amount of fresh healthy food provided to the Seacoast community by strengthening volunteer recruitment and management capacity. ($25,000)
- Greater Nashua Food Council—to expand volunteer programs for gleaning, community gardening, and fresh produce distribution in Greater Nashua, New Hampshire. ($20,000)
- Groundwork Lawrence—to increase volunteerism at Costello Urban Farm to grow more produce, deepen fresh food impact, and broaden community engagement. ($25,000)
- Grow Food Northampton—to enhance capacity to grow and distribute quality vegetables to food pantry and meal site partners through increased volunteer engagement. ($25,000)
- Growing Places—to expand volunteer involvement and connecting underserved North Central Massachusetts communities with fresh, healthy produce. ($24,989)
- Grow Windham—to create a just food system in Willimantic and working with local farmers to glean excess produce for pantries in the community. ($21,351)
- Hartford Food Systems—to support the Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($20,000)
- Healthy Acadia—to enhance volunteer support for the gleaning program; harvesting produce on nearby farms and delivering produce to food pantries, meal programs, and other community organizations. ($25,000)
- Just Roots, Inc.—for the Grow and Glean program to increase distribution of local, healthy produce from farm to community. ($24,700)
- Keney Park Sustainability Project—to expand the mobile teaching kitchen’s nutrition education programs and vegetable production at the Keney Park Urban Agriculture Education site. ($25,000)
- Madison Park Development Corps (MPDC)—to strengthen community garden and nutrition education efforts by building capacity among gardeners who are MPDC affordable housing residents and other volunteers. ($25,000)
- Maine Health—for physician training. ($500,000)
- Massachusetts Military Support Foundation—to support Coast Guard families. ($5,000)
- Mill City Grows—to support the Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($20,000)
- New Britain ROOTS—to build a community engagement program at community gardens and a youth-run urban farm. ($15,000)
- New Hampshire Food Bank—to increase access to fresh foods through expansion of the Fresh Food Pantry, North Country Farmers’ Cooperative, and Mobile Food Pantries. ($25,000)
- New Haven Farms and New Haven Land Trust—to expand community volunteer opportunities and the Growing Entrepreneurs program for New Haven, Connecticut high school-aged students. ($25,000)
- NH Center for Nonprofits—for the Nonprofit Impact Awards. ($7,500)
- Nourishing the North Shore—to expand volunteer-driven healthy, local food distribution channel, the VEGOUT Mobile Market, which supports low and middle-income community members. ($25,000)
- Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success—to support the Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($60,000)
- Penquis CAP—to increase fresh food access to low income Mainers in MidCoast and the Islands through gleaning and safe storage of seasonal crops. ($25,000)
- Regional Environmental Council—to support the Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($20,000)
- Seacoast Eat Local—to support the Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($20,000)
- Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Cultivating Community—to support the Good Food Bus Mobile Farmers’ Market. ($20,000)
- Taproot—to increase outreach efforts with farmers, backyard gardeners, and recipient organizations as well as purchase equipment to preserve fresh produce during the gleaning season. ($25,000)
- Twin Villages Foodbank Farm—to grow vegetables for food pantries and low-income food programs serving the coastal communities of Lincoln County, Maine. ($25,000)
- Urban Farming Institute—for growing, planting, and harvesting food with youth to distribute a portion to seniors and families in need. ($25,000)
- Willing Hands Enterprises—to expand volunteer-led gardening and gleaning programs and double the amount of locally-grown food delivered to food-insecure members of the community. ($25,000)
Contact: Kimberly Winn at Kimberly_Winn@harvardpilgrim.org.
Healthcare Georgia Foundation (Atlanta, GA)
Healthcare Georgia Foundation announced grant awards totaling $1,158,000, including support for its new Direct Services Grant Program focusing on chronic disease; specifically, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Twelve Georgia-based organizations serving geographically diverse populations received funding to ensure that individuals have equitable access to high quality health care, resources, and community support.
Recipients of the foundation’s second quarter grants include:
- Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.
- Center for Black Women’s Wellness, Inc.
- Fayette C.A.R.E Clinic, Inc.
- First Choice Primary Care, Inc.
- Good News Clinics
- Good Samaritan Health Center, Inc.
- Good Samaritan Health Center of Cobb
- Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett
- Health Education Assessment And Leadership, Inc.
- Kingdom Care, Inc.
- MedLink Georgia, Inc.
- Mercy Health Center, Inc.
Contact: Rachael Dempsey at 404.653.0990 or rdempsey@healthcaregeorgia.org.
New York Community Trust (New York, NY)
The New York Community Trust announced new grants totaling $7 million to help nonprofits address urgent challenges—including reforming the city’s commercial solid waste system, protecting the rights of taxicab drivers, increasing children’s access to healthy food, and fighting against gerrymandering.
Health-related grants include:
- Bridges from School to Work—to expand an employment program for young adults with disabilities transitioning out of high school. ($100,000)
- Cancer Care—for financial aid to at least 2,200 cancer patients who need help offsetting the cost of transportation, child care, pain medications, insurance premiums, and co-payments. ($700,000)
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory—to study a potentially game-changing new drug to treat triple negative breast cancer. ($200,000)
- God’s Love We Deliver—to provide nutrition counseling and healthful meals to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. ($100,000)
- Hunter College of CUNY—to advocate for legal recognition of supported decision-making, which helps adults with intellectual disabilities make important life decisions with appropriate support rather than through guardianship. ($150,000)
- INCLUDEnyc—to expand services for Spanish-speaking families of children with disabilities. ($125,000)
- Institute for Community Living—to add primary care services to mobile psychiatric teams in Brooklyn, New York. ($140,000)
- LiveOn NY—to prepare senior centers to meet the needs of the older adult population. ($150,000)
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—to help immigrant adults and children get access to cancer treatment. ($100,000)
- New York Genome Center—to lead a consortium of New York research institutes analyzing genomic cancer data from patients of color, who are rarely included in clinical data to develop cancer treatments. ($200,000)
- New York Legal Assistance Group—to provide legal help to cancer patients about public benefits and insurance so they can obtain care. ($100,000)
- NYC Health + Hospitals—to begin an assisted walking program for adult patients at Jacobi and North Central Bronx Hospitals. ($200,000)
- Quality Services for the Autism Community—to develop and test an intensive work skills training program for young adults with autism. ($130,000)
- Release Aging People in Prison Campaign—to advocate for the release of elderly prisoners. ($100,000)
Contact: Amy Wolf at 646.214.1004 or aw@nyct-cfi.org.