George Family Foundation awards nearly $2 million dollars in latest grant round
News release
Draft as of 1/27/17
George Family Foundation awards $1,806,500 in latest grant round
MINNEAPOLIS – (Jan. 30, 2017) – The George Family Foundation renewed its commitment to women’s leadership development and access to healthy food for low-income people with diabetes in its latest grant round, announced today. The latest round of grants supports the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota’s (WFM) Wenda Weekes Moore Internship and Reatha Clark King Fellowship Program, Second Harvest Heartland’s FOODRx program and other select organizations.
Founded by Penny and Bill George in 1994, the $61 million private family foundation supports programs that promote integrative health and healing, authentic leadership, spirituality and mindfulness, youth development, the environment and community.
The Foundation awarded $1,806,500 in this grant round, out of an annual giving budget of more than $3.8 million.
Since the inception of the Wenda Weekes Moore Internship and Reatha Clark King Fellowship Program, the Foundation has helped to prepare more than 34 women of color to assume leadership roles in philanthropic organizations, many of whom stayed in Minnesota. The George Family Foundation has been supporting WFM’s leadership development programs since 2008.
“As our world becomes more diverse, we need to experience that diversity in the leadership of our philanthropic organizations,” says Gayle Ober, the Foundation’s president. “Programs like the Wenda Weekes Moore Internship and Reatha Clark King Fellowship Program help our sector do that.”
The George Family Foundation also approved a second grant to support Second Harvest Heartland’s FOODRx program. This unique pilot program works with three health care systems in Minnesota to identify diabetes patients who are also using the services of a food bank. The patient’s physician literally writes a prescription for healthy food that is then “filled” by Second Harvest Heartland. The Foundation’s early investment in this pilot program helped Second Harvest Heartland leverage more than $1.27 million in additional contributions.
The Foundation continues to provide general operating support to select organizations in our community. At its December meeting, the Foundation’s board approved grants totaling $370,000 for general operating purposes.
The complete list of grants includes:
$500,000 to the Guthrie Theater to support new play productions and an R&D fund to explore technological approaches to greater access for audiences outside of the theater itself.
$150,000 to Sojourners to support the technology upgrade and expansion of Sojo’s web-based communication tools.
$100,000 to the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health to support the creation and implementation of the Consortium’s communication plan.
$100,000 to the Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education/National Academy of Sciences to support the planning and execution of the Global Forum on Innovation in Health 2018.
$100,000 to Marnita’s Table to support general operations and further organizational advancement projects.
$100,000 to the Penny George Institute Foundation to support various programs at the Penny George Institute for Health & Healing.
$75,000 to Second Harvest Heartland to support the FOODRx health program.
$75,000 to YouthPower365 to support general operations.
$60,000 to the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota to support the Wenda Weekes Moore Internship and Reatha Clark King Fellowship Program.
$50,000 to Auburn Theological Seminary to support the Auburn Senior Fellows Program.
$30,000 to Carleton College to support the George International Fellows: Carleton College need-based Financial Aid for International Students program.
$30,000 to Krista Tippett Public Productions to support general operations.
$25,000 to Everytown for Gun Safety to support general operations.
$25,000 to the Mind and Life Institute to support Mind and Life Dialogues for 2017.
$20,000 to the Center for Courage & Renewal to support the Minnesota Courage & Renewal Academy for Leaders.
$15,000 to the American Medical Student Association Foundation to support the HEART-IM program.
$15,000 to Audubon California to support programs in the San Francisco Bay Area.
$15,000 to Children’s HeartLink to support general operations.
$15,000 to the Eagle Valley Land Trust to support general operations.
$15,000 to Global Minnesota to support general operations.
$15,000 to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to support the Annual Fund.
$15,000 to the Minnesota Orchestra in honor of the leadership of Marilyn Carlson Nelson and Paula DeCosse.
$15,000 to Minnesota Public Radio to support the Annual Fund.
$15,000 to the National Parks Conservation Association to support NPCA’s Yellowstone work.
$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 Big City Mountaineers to support the under-resourced youth on Boundary Waters Expeditions and Camps program.
$10,000 to the Destiny Arts Center to support general operations on behalf of the Next Generation Fund.
$10,000 to Lundstrum Performing Arts to support general operations on behalf of the Next Generation Fund.
$10,000 to the MacPhail Center for Music to support the North Minneapolis After-School Strings Program & the MacPhail Northside Youth Orchestra on behalf of the Next Generation Fund.
$10,000 to the Minneapolis College of Art & Design to provide scholarships for the Summer Youth Programs on behalf of the Next Generation Fund.
$7,500 to Betty Ford Alpine Gardens to support the Annual Butterfly Launch.
In addition, the Foundation awarded $144,000 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 $61 million private family foundation has an annual grantmaking budget of more than $3.8 million. Areas of foundation interest include integrative health and healing, authentic leadership, spirituality and mindfulness, youth development, environment and community. For more information visit the George Family Foundation website.