Community Foundation Update- -(4/12/08)

Alabama

The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has announced that it has successfully completed the Three Parks Initiative, a joint campaign with Region 2020 to help expand Railroad Park, Red Mountain Park, and the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center.
Earlier this year, area businesses and foundations committed
$15 million toward the $17.35 million goal.

Arkansas

The Searcy-based White County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Arkansas Community Foundation, has topped $1 million in endowment funds and awarded grants totaling almost $11,000 to fifteen local organizations, the Searcy Daily Citizen reports.

The Conway-based Community Foundation of Faulkner County has received a $300,000 endowment gift from the local Chamber of Commerce, the Log Cabin Democrat reports. The gift helps raise the foundation's endowment to $500,000, which the foundation hopes to double by 2012. This year, the foundation will award seventeen scholarships worth a total of $61,500.

California

The Los Angeles-based California Community Foundation has announced $400,000 in capacity-building grants to four midsize arts organizations: FilAm Arts, Khmer Arts Academy, the Robey Theatre, and the Social and Public Art Resource Center. The two-year, $100,000 grants were awarded through the foundation's partnership with the James Irvine Foundation's Communities Advancing the Arts initiative.

Indiana

The Terre Haute-based Wabash Valley Community Foundation has announced more than $144,000 in grants to seventeen area organizations, the Tribune-Star reports. Awards include nearly $38,000 to the West Central Indiana Economic Development District/Area 7 Agency on Aging, which will use the funds to expand the services of McMillan Adult Day Care for new clients from Clay, Parke, Sullivan, and Vermillion counties.

During the fourth annual Southern Indiana Women in Philanthropy event, six Indiana community foundations will recognize a woman philanthropist of the year and an emerging woman philanthropist from each respective region, the New Albany News and Tribune reports. Honorees were selected by community foundations in Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Orange, and Washington counties.

Minnesota

The Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, has announced $100,000 in grants to seventeen area nonprofits. Increased giving by area residents and a large estate gift last year pushed the foundation's grantmaking capacity to record levels; the foundation typically awards $10,000 to $15,000 during a grant cycle.

North Dakota

The Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation has announced more than $150,000 in grants to thirty organizations serving the people of the Cass and Clay county region. Awards ranging from $432 to $11,500 include $5,000 to the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center of Fargo-Moorhead, $6,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Village Family Service Center, and $7,000 to the Fargo Theatre.

Pennsylvania

The Pittsburgh Foundation has elected Gregory Curtis as chairman of its board of directors.

People in the News

The Seattle Public Library has announced that DEBORAH L. JACOBS will join the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as deputy director of its Global Libraries program.

The Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has named DEEPA GUPTA as program officer for its general program and CHRISTOPHER HOLTZ as Asia program officer in its conservation and sustainable development program.

The Philadelphia-based Pew Charitable Trusts has announced SHELLEY A. HEARNE as managing director of its health and human services program.

The Baltimore-based Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has hired PHYLLIS BLOOM as director of its Maryland small grants program.

The San Francisco-based Koret Foundation has appointed ANITA FRIEDMAN to its board.

The MasterCard Foundation in Toronto, Ontario, has named REETA ROY as president and CEO.

The Miami-based National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts has appointed CHRISTINA DEPAUL as president and CEO.

The Senate Finance Committee has announced that Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has hired THERESA PATTARA as tax counsel for matters related to tax-exempt organizations.

In other news, MARA MANUS has announced that she is stepping down after six years as executive director of New York City's Public Theater.