Recent Grants Focus on Leadership & Education

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven awards nearly $32,000 as part of its New Haven Leadership Grant Program

    
New Haven, CT (May 20, 2011) – The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven recently awarded $31,800 through its New Haven Leadership Grant Program, formerly known as The Neighborhood Small Grants Program.  Grants ranging from $475 to $3,000 were awarded to 16 programs that exhibited leadership and organizing skills meant to inspire individuals and groups in New Haven’s neighborhoods.  

This year, The Community Foundation gave priority to programs taking place in the vicinity of, or benefiting children, youth and families in the vicinity of the four K-8 pilot Boost! schools (Barnard, Clinton Ave., Troup and Wexler Grant) identified by the New Haven Public School System, as part of its school change reform efforts. Grant applicants needed to demonstrate how each program helped to create or sustain a culture that values education, provides leadership in the community, and helps to empower those who are benefiting from the activity or program.

“We want to help communities develop wraparound services that support kids and families,” says Lee Cruz, Community Outreach Director at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, “so that the kids have a better chance at succeeding.”

Programs awarded grants focused on a wide range of interests, from arts and culture, to education and mentoring, to environmental concerns. Many sports programs were also awarded grants, including the New Haven Pop Warner Youth Football, New Haven Youth Tennis, EIR Urban Youth Boxing and others.

In addition to the grants awarded, the Neighborhood Leadership Grant Program also provides training to the grant recipients. The goal of the training is to teach neighborhood leaders the concepts of a relational culture and how it may apply to their programs. This knowledge is meant to strengthen the programs within each community, allowing leaders to tackle issues along the way and foster new leadership among other residents in the neighborhood. The training will be undertaken by a team from GroundWorks Initiatives led by Community Organizer, Reverend Kevin Ewing.

“The leadership grant is a means to an end,” Cruz explains. “The end is not a program. The end is to be in communication and relation with people who want to make a difference in their community.”

2011 New Haven Neighborhood Leadership Grant Program Recipients:

New Haven Youth Tennis - “Tennis in the Neighborhood”
To support the Tennis in the Neighborhood program which includes a component on health related issues like food choices and healthcare.  
Grant Amount: $1,000

EIR Urban Youth Boxing  - “Boxing Club”
To support a boxing club for up to 120 children (per semester) in grades 2-12. 
Grant Amount: $1,500

New Haven Pop Warner -  “Youth Football Program”
To support a youth football program for children ages 5-15 years old (8 teams). 
Grant Amount: $3,000

Community Alliance for Youth Sports  - “Sports Registration”
To support the cost of registering 40 children in an organized sport.   
Grant Amount: $1,000

Frontline Souljaz  - “Hoopin' not Shootin'”
To support the Hoopin' not Shootin' basketball tournament.  Grant funds will be used to pay for refreshments and music.   
Grant Amount: $3,000

Act New Haven  - “Kids and Communities Working for the Environment”
To support Kids and Communities Working for the Environment - a two part project that engages both children and parents.  
Grant Amount: $1,700

Fortunato Sicilian Puppets  -  “Fortunato Puppets - St. George and the Dragon”
To support the construction of a portable stage and 13 puppets for a new performance of St George and the Dragon. 
Grant Amount: $3,000
      
Women of Power Network  - “Developing Leaders Mentoring Platform”
To support the Developing Leaders Mentoring Platform. 
Grant Amount: $1,500

Higher Heights Youth Empowerment -  “HIGHER Men Mentoring Program”
To support the HIGHER Men Mentoring Program - 20 males attending Metropolitan High School will participate.    
Grant Amount: $3,000

New Haven Inner City -  “Educational Field Trips & Training”
To support 4 programs: Junior Leader Training, New Haven Community Gardening, Overnight Camping and Food Pantry Shopping. 
Grant Amount: $3,000

Friends of East Rock  - “FERP & Youth@Work”
To support the expansion of the Youth@ Work program.
Grant Amount: $1,500

Chatham Square Neighborhood Youth Empowerment Group  - “Summer Mentoring/Tutoring Program”
To support the extension of the Quinnipiac Terrace (QT) after school program into the summer for children who reside at the QT. 
Grant Amount: $2,970

Kids, Food and Farm  - “5th grade Grow Box Program”   
To support a pilot program at Clinton Avenue School where 5th grade students would be growing produce, creating a business plan and running a one-day farm stand. 
Grant Amount: $2,355

Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group -  “Pedestrian & Traffic Safety”
To increase awareness about pedestrian and traffic safety.  Yale alumni and Solar Youth will be partnering to paint "Street Smart" logos around YNHH and Westville Manor. 
Grant Amount: $ 475

Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School PTO  - “Barnard West River Energy Fair”
To support various activities that will be presented at the Barnard Energy Fair.  Activities include researching ways to cut down on energy use and creating informative posters. 
Grant Amount: $1,800

West River Neighborhood Service Corporation - “International Day of Prayer for Peace Celebration”   
To support an International Day of Prayer for Peace celebration at the United Nations/New Haven International Peace Garden at West River. 
Grant Amount: $1,000

Since 1928, donors to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven have built the community's endowment currently valued at over $300 million. In 2010, The Foundation’s Board of Directors distributed more than $19 million in grants from over 800 different named charitable funds supporting a wide range of programs and organizations. For more information about The Community Foundation visit www.cfgnh.org.

Media Contact:
Tricia Caldwell
Communications Manager
Phone: 203-777-7090
E-mail:  tcaldwell@cfgnh.org

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Read other articles in the Summer 2011 Community Currents Newsletter