Cleveland Foundation announces more than $ 40 million in grants in second quarter 2021

the Cleveland Foundation The board of directors on Thursday, June 24, announced $ 40.4 million in grants approved in the second quarter of 2021. Supporting residents of Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties, the foundation and its donors have invested nearly $ 65.2 million dollars in the community so far this year, including nearly $ 13.6 million from donor-advised funds in the first half of 2021. Grants highlights include:

Arts and culture

• Cleveland Public Theater, Inc. (CPT) ($ 200,000): Like many arts organizations across the country, the CPT has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. As he turns 40^e anniversary, CPT will use this support to produce a full season of plays, including a full range of in-person outdoor performances, designed to raise awareness and nurture compassion, while hosting cultural engagement programs and events of district.
• The Sculpture Center ($ 25,000): Much of the history of East Cleveland and the neighborhoods close to Cleveland has been forgotten or crushed, which has been detrimental to racial harmony in the community. This grant will support the organization’s Crossroads program, a triennial exhibition of public art seen in augmented reality (AR) and its new exhibition “Still We Rise”, featuring 12 local black, indigenous and color (BIPOC) artists. who will create AR public art that explores this story.

Education

• College Now Greater Cleveland, Inc. ($ 250,000): College tuition, while a major barrier, is not the only challenge for many students. Socio-emotional and academic supports also play an important role in the success of academics, in addition to financial support for tuition fees other than tuition fees. Cuyahoga Community College’s Say Yes Scholars Program is a Tri-C cohort initiative to provide Say Yes-eligible CMSD graduates with targeted coaching and guidance to navigate different aspects of college life. It provides a way for students to be a part of the Say Yes effort, benefit from the College Now mentorship program, and receive much-needed incentive grants. These elements have already led to a dramatic increase in persistence in just two short years – even despite the pandemic – and students feel a greater sense of community and are more involved in events and activities. The Cleveland Foundation continues to partner with the George Gund Foundation, Say Yes Cleveland, College Now, and the Tri-C Foundation to support the Tri-C Say Yes Scholars program in the third year of the effort.

Alliance for Climate Education (ACE)Environment

• Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) ($ 200,000): According to 2019 data prepared by the Rhodium Group, Ohio is the third largest emitter of CO₂ emissions, behind California and Texas. Studies have shown that higher levels of CO₂ broadcasts have a greater impact on communities of color. This grant will allow ACE to hire a Cleveland-based civic engagement organizer to cultivate and deepen partnerships with local organizations and with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, as well as collaborate with other civic engagement partners to state and local level to mobilize youth activism around climate issues.
• United States Energy Foundation ($ 1,000,000): As the third highest CO₂ Issuer in the country, Ohio is important to the national and global climate equation. This funding will help scale up the Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) and Ohio Climate Justice Fund (OCJF) initiatives launched last year. PCFO’s goal is to equitably reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030, and a new regional manager will be responsible for city engagement in Greater Cleveland, with particular attention to providing outreach, assistance technical and planning support for the majority Black, Indigenous and Colored People (BIPOC) and BIPOC-led cities most likely to benefit from the clean energy transition. The “Listen. Drive. Share.” The OCJF program provides small grants and trains local groups to organize a community meeting to imagine what they want their clean energy future to look like.

Leadership

• Cleveland Leadership Center ($ 100,000): The Legacy Leaders program addresses a key need within the Encore network to further engage seasoned leaders who are retired, approaching retirement, or transitioning in their careers, offering them the chance to find meaningful opportunities to contribute – or continue to contribute – to the community. This grant will enable the continued growth of the three-pronged initiative: 1) Cleveland Forward, an ongoing educational conversation series, a strategic planning and roadmap project with Cleveland Cultural Gardens, and the creation of an advocacy network. interests of leaders of color; 2) Puerto Rico Service, a mission trip that will help build stronger ties between the island and the Puerto Rican community of Cleveland; and 3) Social Entrepreneurship, by organizing the annual “Accelerate: Citizens Make Change” civic pitch competition for people with innovative ideas for social change.

HOLA OhioNeighborhood revitalization and engagement

• Cleveland Restoration Company, Inc. ($ 165,000): The need to tackle the affordable housing crisis in Cleveland continues to weigh heavily as poverty, pre-1940 housing stock, redlining and other measures all converged and came to fruition to today’s housing conditions in Hough. This new initiative will allow the preservation and maintenance of houses of architectural significance in a historic district and will enhance the cultural heritage of Newton Avenue and its residents. Additionally, the project provides natural affordable housing to existing long-term tenants, who will pay rents significantly below fair market rents and even lower than affordable housing rents in adjacent buildings.
• HOLA Ohio ($ 10,000): The impending demolition of Club Azteca, an iconic Cleveland building, has highlighted the lack of awareness of the more than 100 years of presence and contributions of Mexican immigrants who are part of Cleveland’s diverse fabric. Through this project, HOLA will work in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society and other entities to tell the complex story of Mexican history in Cleveland and to help formulate a plan that will proactively preserve that story for generations. futures.

Asian services in actionYouth, health and social services

• Asian Services in Action, Inc. (ASIA) ($ 100,000): The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already precarious access of the Asian-American / Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to culturally and linguistically appropriate quality information, health and social services . This funding will allow the organization to strengthen the capacities of its International Community Health Center (CISC) with a dual approach to telehealth: the implementation of a pilot telehealth program for 25 high-risk patients as well as clinic-based telehealth with risks of transmission of COVID-19 between patients, staff and providers while also meeting patient preferences for in-person health care.
• B. Riley Sober House ($ 45,675): Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggests LGBTQ + people are twice as likely to abuse drugs or alcohol as their heterosexual peers, research and maintenance of a job being one of the biggest challenges in staying sober. This grant will allow the organization to introduce career preparation training by hiring a certified career development facilitator to lead a month-long career preparation program for LGBTQ + people that includes, but does not include s ‘Limit it, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, basic computer skills, and financial literacy.
• Cleveland Rape Relief Center ($ 200,000): According to the National Network Rape, Abuse, and Incest, an American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds. More than 50% of sexual assault victims are 12-34 year olds, and the majority of sexual assault victims are women, with one in six women having experienced sexual assault or attempt in their life. life. Recent research published in “The New England Journal of Medicine” described sexual violence during COVID-19 as “a pandemic within a pandemic”. This grant will allow the organization to continue to strengthen its presence in the communities of Shaker Square and Clark-Fulton while strengthening its outreach and community engagement capacities.
• Corporate Community Partners, Inc. ($ 175,000): Homelessness and unstable housing have a profound negative impact on health and well-being, as people who are homeless are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and other health problems. This grant will allow the organization to address homelessness and housing instability in partnership with key local entities including the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, the Cleveland Community Development Corporation Network and others.
• Free Lake County Clinic ($ 650,000): After being moved from its previous location, the free Lake County clinic will now be able to move to a permanent home. In addition to allowing the organization to streamline its operations, this funding will also support the increase in dental services while introducing new lines of services in the area of ​​women’s health and case management.
• Reception House, Inc. ($ 195,000): The Cuyahoga County Developmental Disability Provider Consortium (DDPC) was formed in 1994 for providers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). However, all IDD service providers in Cuyahoga County are now facing a staffing crisis, with an average annual staff turnover rate of around 45-60%. This grant will allow DDPC to learn over the next two years whether a network of employer resources led by success coaches can work with staff on a personalized basis to reduce turnover.