California

The Ventura County Community Foundation in Camarillo has satisfied the state attorney general's concerns about practices that allegedly lowered its fund returns and ran counter to donors' intent, the Ventura County Star reports. In a five-paragraph letter issued in December, the AG's office said it had closed its investigation of the community foundation and that the foundation had made all required changes. In 2016, the foundation restructured oversight of its donor-restricted funds, which had been undervalued due to improper management, following a seven-month review of its management by an outside auditor. In addition to financial oversight and personnel changes, the organization had been ordered to upgrade its training of board members, retain an expert to help review and develop policies, and start repaying $1.8 million that auditors estimated was lost by leaving funds in low-earning money market accounts.

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation has announced the appointments of attorney Greta S. Hansen and financial advisor Alan Zafran to its board of directors.

Connecticut

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven has announced a $15,000 grant in support of the Pro Bono Partnership, which provides free legal services to nonprofits in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. In 2016, the group donated more than a thousand hours of legal services valued at more than $400,000 to thirty-four nonprofits in the New Haven area.

Florida

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has announced grants totaling $322,924 from the Hurricane Irma Relief and Recovery Fund to forty-one local nonprofit organizations in support of their recovery efforts or to defray expenses directly related to the hurricane. Grants ranging from $500 to $40,000 were awarded in support of evacuation costs, lost wages, overtime costs, equipment and preparation costs, relief for clients, business property damage, and lost revenue.

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties has announced four grants totaling $76,500 from the Altobello Donor Advised Fund. Recipients include Hospice of Okeechobee, the Indian River State College Foundation, Martha's House, and Real Life Children's Ranch.

Illinois

The Chicago Community Trust has announced grants totaling $279,000 through its Unity Fund, which was established during the Great Recession to address urgent needs in the Chicagoland area. Grants awarded as part of this most recent distribution include $71,000 in support of emergency services, $113,000 for health and wellness initiatives, $35,000 in support of violence prevention, and $60,000 for legal and financial services.

Nebraska

The Omaha Community Foundation has announced that a new collaboration aimed at strengthening neighborhoods plans to award $50,000 in grants. A partnership between the Peter Kiewit Foundation, the Omaha Community Foundation, and ONE Omaha, the Omaha Neighborhood Grants Program will announce grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to local neighborhood associations in March.

Ohio

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has announced a $25,000 grant to The Cincinnati Project, a community-engaged research initiative at the University of Cincinnati. The funding will support projects that offer clear and direct benefits to women of color in Cincinnati, including public relations research and messaging recommendations, work on tenants' rights, and the dissemination of research findings on gender and racial inequities in city employment.

Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Foundation has announced the addition of former New York Times Company president and CEO Janet Robinson to its board of directors. Robinson currently is vice chair of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and chair emeritus of the Advertising Council.

Vermont

The Vermont Community Foundation has announced that New York Times journalist Jodi Kantor, one of the reporters who broke the Harvey Weinstein story, will speak at an event on February 6. Hosted by the foundation's Vermont Women's Fund, the event will address the collusion and cover-up of sexual harassment in the workplace as well as the impact of journalism on culture.

Wisconsin

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has announced that during 2017 it awarded approximately $95.5 million in grants in support of nonprofit organizations and programs. Of the total, $55.78 million was awarded for community development initiatives, $10.33 million was awarded in support of educational initiatives, $7.61 million was awarded to human services agencies, and $6.19 million was awarded in the area of arts and culture. The community development funding includes $52 million for a downtown arena project as part of a $100 million gift made by former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl in 2014.