Grant News I: The Cleveland Foundations, $11.1 Million

A couple of press releases regarding some grants recently given.
First, The Cleveland Foundation:

Cleveland Foundation announces $11.1 million in quarterly grants

CLEVELAND, June 29, 2007 – The board of directors of The Cleveland Foundation today authorized $11.1 million in grants to address Greater Cleveland's most pressing needs in education, economic development and health care, among other areas.

Those nonprofit organizations receiving funding this quarter include:

Major Capital Grants

Once a year, the Foundation provides funds to select nonprofit organizations in Greater Cleveland that are pursuing major capital projects. These funds are awarded through a competitive review process. Projects seeking funding must be for the purpose of construction, renovation, refurbishment or purchase of buildings; acquisition of land; or creation or improvement of public spaces. Projects must also be central to the mission of each organization applying for grants and likely to have a long-term effect on the organization's success.

The Cleveland Foundation awarded a total of $2.5 million in capital grants this year to the following five groups ($500,000 each):

• Catholic Charities Services Corporation (Parmadale): Parmadale is one of Ohio's largest private residential facilities for the treatment of adolescents with severe behavioral health and developmental difficulties. To address increasing demand for services, and to ensure the safety of patients and staff, Parmadale has embarked on a capital campaign to build three new intensive treatment centers.

• Detroit-Shoreway Community Development Corporation: Detroit-Shoreway is one of three organizations – along with Cleveland Public Theatre and New West Theatre – involved in the Gordon Square Arts District effort. The initiative aims to foster economic development and create attractive arts destinations on Cleveland's west side. Funding will be used to help redevelop the Capitol Theatre, a 1920's movie house on West 65^th Street, into a three-screen, art and independent movie theatre.
• Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation: Fairfax Renaissance seeks to purchase and renovate the former Langston Hughes Library to serve as the headquarters for Senior Outreach Services, an agency that serves inner-city seniors. The project is part of a larger economic develop initiative taking place in the Fairfax neighborhood.
• Hattie Larlham Foundation: Hattie Larlham provides comprehensive services for children with profound disabilities and medical conditions. The agency plans to add two units for children requiring specialized medical technology, upgrade its facility to incorporate modern assistive technologies and equipment, and create a Life Achievement Center for the development of cognitive, social, physical and emotional skills.
• New Directions: New Directions offers treatment for chemically dependent adolescents and their families dealing with emotional, behavioral and psychiatric problems. The organization provides the only gender-specific residential treatment for adolescent females in a nine-county area, and is looking to build new residential treatment centers so that it might continue to offer these services.

Economic Development

A $200,000 grant was awarded to University Circle Incorporated to support its program, "Living in the Circle: Strategic Investment Initiatives for Housing, Retail and Safety in Greater University Circle." Part of the grant will be used to open a visitor center to encourage development of new housing in University Circle. Funds will also be used to study the feasibility of a mixed-use retail development, and to assess the needs, growth potential and performance improvement of the University Circle Police Department.

MidTown Cleveland will receive a $750,000 loan from the Foundation. The organization works to ensure the continued viability of the area from East 55^th to East 79^th streets between Chester and Carnegie avenues. MidTown Cleveland has developed a comprehensive approach to redeveloping this area, and will use the loan to acquire and redevelop key parcels of land.

Public Education Reform

The Foundation will continue its support of Cleveland State University's Executive-in-Residence (EIR) program with a $100,000 grant. The EIR program is one of several initiatives within the College of Education and Human Services designed to position the university as a nationally recognized institution in the preparation and advanced professional development of urban teachers and leaders.

Urban School News, publisher of the newsmagazine CATALYST Cleveland, will receive $370,000 to expand the publication's coverage area. CATALYST Cleveland documents, analyzes and supports school improvement efforts in Cleveland's public schools. The grant will help the magazine report and analyze similar efforts in other large urban school districts around Ohio, not just in Cleveland.

The Ohio 8 Coalition is a strategic alliance involving the superintendents and teachers union presidents from the eight largest urban school districts in the state: Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown. Ohio 8 members seek to showcase the accomplishments of urban districts and work with policymakers to improve education in Ohio. The board approved a $67,816 grant to support three of Ohio 8's strategic priorities:

Slavic Village Development (SVD) will receive $28,000 to help create neighborhood-based "schools of excellence" in the Broadway/Slavic Village area. SVD plans to launch a multiyear strategy with several objectives, including ensuring the community has access to high-quality public schools, and increasing resident and parent involvement in neighborhood schools.

Health Care

The board approved a $116,114 grant to Recovery Resources, one of the largest behavioral health agencies in Northeast Ohio. The organization is working to create an integrated treatment program for clients suffering from both mental illness and substance abuse.