George Family Foundation awards nearly $1.1 million in latest grant round
MINNEAPOLIS – (Jan. 20, 2016) – The George Family Foundation is supporting pilot projects to help food shelves offer healthier options, underwriting significant organizational development initiatives, and continuing annual operating support to select organizations, in its latest grant round announced today.
Founded by Penny and Bill George in 1994, the $65 million private family foundation supports programs that promote integrative health and healing, authentic leadership, community, advancing women and girls, the environment, spirituality and youth development.
The Foundation awarded nearly $1.1 million in this grant round, out of an annual giving budget of more than $3.4 million.
Seeking additional ways for community organizations to support integrative health and healing efforts, the Foundation awarded $50,000 to Second Harvest Heartland for its Health Project. Second Harvest Heartland will partner with four Minnesota health care systems in a pilot program that provides healthy foods for patients with diabetes through their local food shelves.
The Foundation awarded $125,000 to Marnita’s Table, a Minneapolis-based organization that brings people together across race, class and culture to forge connections and find solutions through its model of Intentional Social Interaction. This unique model values and includes people from diverse backgrounds – especially people of color, the GLBT community and those who are disenfranchised, poor, unheard and fragile – at the policy-making and resource-sharing table. “Marnita’s Table has reached a critical point in its development where demand for its services exceeds its capacity. Our grant will support building its web-based services and deepening general administrative and programmatic capacity,” noted Gayle Ober, president of the George Family Foundation.
The Foundation also granted $100,000 to the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health to develop and implement a communications plan. The Consortium, an association of academic and nonprofit health care centers with a commitment to integrative medicine and health, is one of the leading integrative medicine associations in the world.
The Foundation continued its commitment to supporting general operations by awarding $455,000 to 15 organizations primarily based in the Twin Cities.
“Since its inception, the George Family Foundation has been committed to ongoing general operating support for a limited number of organizations that we believe are critical to our communities’ health and wellbeing,” said Ober. “We are grateful for their continuing efforts to keep our community one of the most livable and vibrant in the United States.”
The complete list of grants includes:
$125,000 to Marnita’s Table to support general operations and further organizational advancement projects.
$100,000 to the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health to support the creation and implementation of the Consortium’s communication plan.
$80,000 to Community Initiatives to support the Dalai Lama Fellows Program.
$75,000 to Project SUCCESS to support general operations.
$60,000 to The Nature Conservancy to support the Minnesota Freshwater Program.
$50,000 to Karuna-Shechen to support Shechen Clinics in Nepal.
$50,000 to the Penny George Institute Foundation to support relationship-building and marketing efforts and for the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing practitioner projects.
$50,000 to Second Harvest Heartland to support the Second Harvest Heartland Health Project.
$50,000 to Somali Success School to support general operations.
$50,000 to Twin Cities R!SE to support the Empowerment Institute.
$45,000 to Minneapolis Parks Foundation to support general operations.
$30,000 to Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative to support Nicollet Square Supportive Services.
$25,000 to Auburn Theological Seminary to support the Auburn Senior Fellows Program.
$25,000 to Pathways Minneapolis to support general operations.
$25,000 to The Representation Project to support the Beyond the Mask: Educator Training Program.
$20,000 to The Youth Foundation to support general operations.
$15,000 to Audubon California to support general operations on behalf of the Next Generation Fund.
$15,000 to Minneapolis Institute of Arts to support the Annual Fund.
$15,000 to Minnesota Public Radio to support the Annual Fund.
$15,000 to National Parks Conservation Association to support general operations.
$15,000 to Twin Cities Public Television to support the Annual Fund.
$15,000 to Walk-In Counseling Center to support general operations.
$10,000 to Children’s HeartLink to support general operations.
$10,000 to Eagle Valley Land Trust to support general operations.
$10,000 to Minnesota International Center to support general operations.
$10,000 to Playworks Minnesota to support general operations.
In addition, the Foundation awarded $87,500 to organizations designated by its board members.
ABOUT THE GEORGE FAMILY FOUNDATION
Founded by Penny and Bill George in 1994, the George Family Foundation supports programs, organizations and initiatives that transform lives. The $65 million private family foundation has an annual grantmaking budget of more than $3.4 million. Areas of foundation interest include integrative health and healing, authentic leadership, community, advancing women and girls, the environment, spirituality, and youth development. For more information visit the George Family Foundation website.