The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, which supports philanthropic activities, has recently awarded $405,910 to 42 Pierce County nonprofit organizations. In the first of five categories (Arts and Culture, Basic Need, Education, Environment and Neighborhood/Community) eight local arts organizations benefitted from the biannual grant money: Artist Trust, Arts Impact Puget Sound, the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, the Northwest Leadership Foundation, the Northwest Sinfonietta, Tacoma Art Museum, the Tacoma Opera Association and the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra.

The funding was determined by a new framework, say Community Foundation officials, rewarding organization that "focus on root causes, identify systemic challenges, and support community driven solutions."

Cleveland continues to have rich ethnic diversity in addition to a deep-rooted social legacy of philanthropy. Wealth generated from our once booming industries has contributed to our impressive cultural institutions (world class art museum and orchestra, among many others). The Cleveland Foundation is the oldest and second largest community foundation in the nation, and we have a slew of other local foundations that contribute to many non-profits in town.

We have a strong network of excellent non-profits that are committed to the social, environmental and economic sustainability of our city. These non-profits came together to create the government position of Program Director for the City of Cleveland’s Office of Sustainability, Andrew Watterson.

According to a story on www.mediabistro.com, Walter Cronkite’s family is asking that “donations be sent to The Walter and Betsy Cronkite Fund in care of the Austin Community Foundation.

They will distribute the funds as a tribute to their parents’ wishes and values: local and national charities they supported, among them education (including sailing), journalism, basic needs, health care and research, community organizations, planned parenthood and animals.”

The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation recently awarded more than $89,000 to 14 Northeastern Wisconsin nonprofit agencies and programs through its Funds for Greater Green Bay.

The newest program on the grant roster is the Bellin Foundation's Kidshape/Teenshape program, which received $6,300. The grant subsidized a sliding fee scale to make the program accessible to all.

All the right ingredients were in place this past Friday evening for a big-time community party in downtown Johnstown. And by the time the revelers were headed home after what obviously was a fun evening at the Pasquerilla Conference Center, the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies had $80,000 in additional funding to put toward some very worthwhile projects.

Hats are off to so many people who made this bash a roaring success, chief among them Edward Sheehan Jr. and Mark Pasquerilla. Both continue to be not only successful area businessmen, but also community leaders who have time after time shown a willingness to step forward with ideas and to guide others.

The Contemporary Arts Center announced that it has been awarded three separate grants originating from a family foundation, a community foundation and a Federal agency, totaling over $100,000. Bank Foundation, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts all have revealed recently their awards to the Contemporary Arts Center . Bank Foundations award provides operational support. One of only a handful in the region to be awarded this grant, the CAC will use it to bring jobs to the area.

The Chicago Community Trust announced it surpassed a $1-million target to provide funds for shelters and pantries that have been overwhelmed by soaring demand.

In an initiative launched late last year, the community foundation raised $1.3 million for its Unity Challenge fund for local charities.

In addition, it contributed $2 to the fund for every $1 in donations, bringing the total fund to almost $4 million. A $500,000 donation from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation helped the Trust exceed its initial goal to raise $1 million for the fund.

Scott Brown and Tom Burns of the Greater Dover Advisory Board and Hugh Leahy of the Delaware Community Foundation presented a grant $2,183 to Whatcoat Social Service Agency - WSSA Food Pantry.

Whatcoat Social Service Agency - WSSA Food Pantry is a program that was established to meet the need of those low income families who are going through a crisis such as job loss, illness, or domestic issues. Some need a chance to apply for food stamps while others need to supplement their food budget. Our objective is to keep those who come to us from being hungry.

Organizers of the African American Empowerment Fund of Delaware (AAEFD), a new philanthropic initiative of the Delaware Community Foundation, will officially launch the fund in Sussex County at the Sussex County Association of Realtors (SCAOR), 23407 Park Ave., in Georgetown, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The effort mirrors the successful Fund For Women, a Delaware Community Foundation fund created to improve the lives of women and girls in Delaware.

Lee County's community-based organization, Envision Opelika, has announced the implementation on the Community Foundation of East Alabama, Inc.

"The basis of the foundation is to build funds for philanthropic purposes and non-profit organizations based on identified community needs," board member Barbara Patton said. The needs will be changing, and the community foundation will be here."

The community foundation will work to preserve resources for different types of scholarships: the arts, social philanthropic groups and other types of organizations.

"We don't have any specific organizations chosen just now," said Dora James, Chairperson of the CFEA.

James also said the most successful community foundations were those who reached out beyond just one county to their whole area.