Cleveland Foundation grantee newsletter
January 2009
 
IN THIS ISSUE
 
Economic news 
A message from the foundation
 
Recent grants 
focus on education, economy
 
In the community
MyCom offers solutions for youth
 
New positions for two employees
 
Events
Learn how to create additional revenue  
 
Foundation podcasts

Affiliated Programs Summer internship program applications due soon; Neighborhood Connections news

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EventsEVENTS
Learn how to create additional
revenue for your nonprofit
 
8:30 a.m. - noon
Jan. 29, 2009
Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations 
 
Community Wealth Ventures is sponsoring a workshop for nonprofits to discover how to create successful side businesses using their current assets.
 
 "At a time when traditional revenue sources from foundations and the public sector are dwindling, it's ever more important for nonprofits to be creative, to think through how they can diversify their revenue," said Jill Paulsen, program officer at the foundation. She will be one of the panelists at the workshop.
 
More...

OnlineNewsONLINE NEWS
Cleveland Foundation podcasts
 
Jill Paulsen
Program officer Jill Paulsen did a recent podcast on how nonprofits can create revenue-generating businesses. 
AffliliatedProgramsAFFILIATED PROGRAMS 
Applications accepted for summer internship program
 
Know any impressive undergraduates, graduate students, or recent college graduates with an interest in the nonprofit field? Encourage them to apply for our summer internship program.
 
We are entering the 10th year of the popular program, where we place some of the area's best students at local nonprofit organizations for a paid 11-week work experience.  
 
Participants will have weekly professional development sessions and will be matched with a mentor.
 
Those seeking more information can visit our website. Student applications are due Feb. 6.
 
 
 
The next application deadline for Neighborhood Connections, the small-grants program for neighborhood projects, is Friday, Feb. 13, at 5 p.m. Please remember to include six copies of your application.

QuickLinksQUICK LINKS
MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDATION 
Our response to the economic crisis
 
With the current economic crisis, we have seen an increased demand at agencies that address basic human needs such as
food, shelter, and medical services. We remain committed to helping those agencies that improve people's daily lives. We also remain committed to long-term, overarching initiatives that have the potential to restructure our city, giving us new jobs, high-quality schools, and livable neighborhoods, among other benefits. 
 
We have taken several steps to ensure our grantmaking dollars have the greatest impact. To have the resources to respond appropriately to our community's immediate needs, our board has deferred our major capital grants program, which usually runs in the spring. They will reconsider in June whether to run this program in 2009.   
 
The Ohio Grantmakers Forum is hosting an event (see below) to discuss the impact the economy is having on grantmaking in our region, and we encourage you to attend. Remember, we are all in this together and the value of partnerships multiplies in these difficult times.
 
Sincerely,
Robert E. Eckardt, Dr. PH
Senior Vice President for Programs and Evaluation
 
UPCOMING PROGRAM
How Cleveland funders are responding to the economic crisis
8:30 - 10 a.m.
Feb. 2, 2009
Steven A. Minter Conference Center
1422 Euclid Ave., 12th floor
 
The Ohio Grantmakers Forum invites you to participate in a conversation for funders and nonprofits about today's challenging economic environment. You will hear the latest information about giving in the Cleveland area and what the forecast for grantmaking looks like in 2009.
 
Discover how changes in foundation funding and priorities could impact the work of your organizations. In addition, you can exchange ideas with colleagues to better meet the needs of the communities you serve.
 
This program is free to funders and nonprofit representatives. Please RSVP to Mary Clare Donnelly, program assistant, by Jan. 28.  
 
GrantsGRANTS 
Recent grantmaking focuses on education, economy 
Esperanza received funding for programs that promote literacy for Hispanic youth.
  
The board of directors authorized fourth-quarter grants totaling more than $18 million to benefit some of Cleveland's most pressing issues.
 
We continued our support of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, with nearly $1.5 million allocated to develop innovative strategies to improve the quality of education for Cleveland students. The board also approved $4 million for the sixth year of support for the Fund for Our Economic Future to continue its work to strengthen our local economy.  
 
Other highlights include an $80,000 grant to Esperanza for programs that promote literacy and economic opportunities for Hispanic youth. America SCORES received $45,000 for its after-school literacy and physical education program. The Foundation Center received a grant in support of the library and learning center in Cleveland. It is a resource for the nonprofit community for writing proposals and other funding-related issues.
 
 
 
Online grantmaking will soon have new look
 
In late January, we will unveil our revamped online application process, designed to be simpler and easier to use. We will send an official e-mail announcing the change and you may contact Grants Management if you have any questions about the new process.
 
Keep your grant reports coming  
 
We require most grant recipients to submit progress reports on grant-related activity. Reports are necessary for proper oversight and accountability, and also serve as a valuable learning tool for foundation staff and grantee organizations. 
 
Please remember to submit grant reports on the due date(s) assigned at the time of the award. You may access the forms on our website. If you have any questions regarding what form to complete, feel free to contact Grants Management at 216-615-7254 or e-mail us.
InthecommunityIN THE COMMUNITY
MyCom supports Cleveland youth 
 
Lynette Henderson, a recent Cleveland high school graduate, participated in MyCom through a summer job. She saved her money and uses it for expenses at Ohio University, where she is a freshman. Launched in early October, the foundation's youth development program, MyCom (My commitment, My community), has seen a number of successes in only a few short months.
 
More than 24,000 youth have been touched by the program already.
  • 20,000 information packets were distributed to parents of kindergartners to ease the students' transition to school.
  • More than 3,000 youth were involved in activities outside of school such as art, recreation and youth leadership opportunities. 
  • 1,200 teens had summer jobs.
For more about MyCom and how your organization can get involved, please visit our website.
StaffnewsSTAFF NEWS
Stuebi, Cerveny move into new roles at foundation 
 
The Cleveland Foundation and Early Stage Partners (ESP), a Cleveland venture capital firm, have announced a joint arrangement to employ Richard Stuebi in pursuing their complementary interests in advanced energy. Stuebi, who has served as the foundation's BP Fellow for Energy and Environmental Advancement since March 2006, will continue his affiliation with the foundation beyond the expiration of his current three-year fellowship. He also will join ESP as a managing director responsible for the firm's investments in advanced energy and other similar ventures.

Kathleen Cerveny has been appointed to the new position of director of evaluation and institutional learning, where she will evaluate our grants to assess their impact and effectiveness and recommend strategies for strengthening our grantmaking. Cerveny, who has been with the foundation since 1991, previously served as program director for arts and culture.

Continue reading about Stuebi...
Continue reading about Cerveny...