Small Kresge Foundation Teaches Big Lessons in Investment Strategy – WSJ.com.

Every year, investors turn to Harvard and Yale in hopes of discovering how these revered endowment funds beat the market.

During the credit crunch, they might have been better served studying the lesser-known Kresge Foundation.

The $3.8 billion Troy, Mich., foundation returned 9.3% for the 12-month period ended in June.

That compares with a median return of negative 4.7% for foundations and endowments with $1 billion or more in assets, according to the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service.

The foundation was established in 1924 by Sebastian Kresge, who started a business of five-and-10-cent stores that would later become known as the retail chain Kmart.

Kresge offers grants to nonprofit organizations in fields ranging from libraries to food banks and hospitals.

Group 70 Foundation has awarded a total of $107,230 to 21 local community organizations, continuing the employee-created foundation's tradition of giving back to the community.

Group 70 Foundation was established in 2002 by the individual employees of Group 70 International, Inc., a Hawai'i-based firm specializing in sustainable development, architecture, planning and environmental services, interior design, and assets management. For the past six years, the foundation has provided grants to non-profit organizations whose missions focus on sustainability in the State of Hawai'i through design, education, culture, environmental sustainability and community development. Funds are administered by the Hawai'i Community Foundation.

Group 70 Foundation Gives $100,000+ To Local Charities.

The New Jersey Foundation for Aging (NJFA) established its Community Grant Program in 2000. Over the course of its history, NJFA has provided 32 grants to programs throughout the state.

The Community Grants Program provides support to programs which are considered innovative in meeting the needs of older persons or inspiring older persons in local communities. Innovation is defined by NJFA as being a new program or new growth of an existing program. Examples of innovative programs may include a new service designed to address an existing issue; a new model of delivering services; or a new intervention for a newly identified problem. NJFA believes that the definition of innovation should be broad as innovation in one community of New Jersey may differ from another community.

Foundation for Aging accepting grant proposals – NJ.com.