Arizona

The Tucson-based Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA) has announced that, with assistance from an anonymous donor and the expertise of Technicians for Sustainability, it has installed 252 solar panels capable of producing 200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy each year on its campus rooftops and parking structures. In addition to increasing the sustainability of the foundation’s services and directly reducing operating costs for its nonprofit suite tenants, the panels are helping minimize CFSA’s environmental impact. By shifting to solar power, CFSA is preventing more than 410,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and saving over 95,000 gallons of water annually. CFSA also has begun the process of installing four solar-powered charging stations for electric vehicles.

California

The San Diego Foundation has announced that $300,000 in grant funding is available to local nonprofit organizations in support of mental, behavioral, and related support services for children of all ages and their families. Proposals must focus on implementing culturally responsive and trauma-informed approaches that address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and/or other clinical screening tools; ensuring that children and families have access to and/or care coordination for high-quality, affordable, and culturally responsive mental and behavioral health care; or providing supportive interventions that are culturally responsive and trauma-informed for children and/or their parents, guardians, or caregivers to support mental and behavioral wellness, such as family-centered interventions, peer-to-peer support, interactive education, coaching and mentoring, and other programs promoting resiliency.

In response to the region’s series of catastrophic wildfires, the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) has awarded grants totaling $1 million for phase one of its three-year, $30 million Forest Futures Campaign, a comprehensive playbook that can be replicated by other communities to align local organizations around minimizing the risk of extreme wildfires through better preparation, investment in forest health and infrastructure, and diversifying local economies. The first 11 grants were awarded to nine local institutions with forest management projects that will begin before the next fire season to protect the community and build infrastructure through workforce development. Recipients include the National Forest Foundation, Truckee Donner Land Trust, the Truckee River Watershed Council, and the Feather River Land Trust.

Colorado

The Community Foundation Boulder County has announced that, as of April 2, its Wildfire Fund has raised over $38 million from more than 76,000 donors to address the aftermath of the Marshall Fire and has disbursed a total of $8,165,000, or 21 percent, of the funds raised. In addition to the funding disbursed for immediate supports, the Wildfire Fund is prioritizing home rebuilding, the needs of the most vulnerable survivors of the fire, and ensuring that wrap-around supports such as mental health and navigation of the recovery process are made available for all. The allocation of the remaining funds includes $20 million in support of rebuilding efforts, up to $2.5 million for unmet basic needs, up to $750,000 for mental health supports, $1 million to establish recovery navigation, $1 million to assist with smoke/ash remediation, up to $500,000 for social infrastructure/community resiliency, up to $750,000 in support of nonprofits assisting with disaster response, and up to $2 million for debris removal.

Massachusetts

The Cambridge Community Foundation has announced the second recipient of the Zandy Bard Fund, which was established by Bard’s family after his unexpected death in January 2021 at the age of 32 to offer opportunities for young people by providing access to resources such as paid internships, classes or workshops, or other enriching experiences that will expand their vision of what’s possible for them. Heinz Thomas-Vital, a 19-year-old who grew up in the Port neighborhood, interned at Cambridge Community Television (CCTV) with the Office of Workforce Development’s Next Up program, making his own short film about his favorite places in Cambridge and directed an episode of CCTV’s new series, Black Excellence Project. This month, he will take on a paid internship with the foundation and CCTV, helping develop a series of short videos featuring people and groups tackling intractable social problems in Cambridge.

New York

The Westchester Community Foundation, a division of the New York Community Trust, has announced grants totaling $567,500 to 18 local nonprofits, including seven in support of criminal justice reform, with a focus on providing a continuum of services for young people at risk of incarceration or already involved with the justice system. Recipients include the Center for Court Innovation, Finding Peace Within, 914United, and Release Aging People in Prison.

Monroe County residents are more likely to acknowledge that there is racism in their community today than they were 10 years ago, according to a poll commissioned by the Rochester Area Community Foundation and the Democrat and Chronicle and conducted by the Sienna College Research Institute. The foundation initiated the poll series in 2012 after one of its affiliates documented severe racial and ethnic disparities that were holding back the community’s progress. Conducted in December, the survey found that 81 percent of residents ages 18 to 34 believe minorities who live in the area experience racial or ethnic discrimination; nearly three-quarters of all respondents agree, compared with 63 percent in 2012. White, Black, and Latinx respondents overwhelmingly agree that African Americans are the minority group most often discriminated against in the county. And 45 percent of Black respondents and 35 percent of Latinx respondents said they could recall an occasion in the last few months when they were treated unfairly because of their race, ethnicity, or some other personal characteristic.

Ohio

The Dayton Foundation has announced the 2022 recipients of its Award for Excellence in Community Leadership, which recognizes community groups that have established committee-advised funds through the foundation and that are affecting change by demonstrating best practices for community organizing, fundraising, collaboration, and strategic planning. The four awardees—the Centerville-Washington Foundation, the Kettering Education Foundation, the Trotwood-Madison Education Foundation, and the West Carrollton Education Foundation—each will receive $500.

Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Foundation has announced that it is accepting applications for the 2022 class of its Equity Leadership Initiative (ELI). Applicants must be residents of Rhode Island who identify as Asian, Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous, or multiracial. The yearlong program supports existing leaders of color who are working in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors. The leadership development initiative will begin in September, and applicants must demonstrate a commitment to racial equity and social justice and be able to participate in monthly leadership and program activities. Up to 30 applicants will be invited to participate. There is no cost to apply or participate.

Wisconsin

Further expanding access to capital for Black- and Brown-owned businesses, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation has issued an impact investment loan of $1.54 million to Milwaukee-based JCP Construction. The funds will support the company in a variety of ways, including growth and job creation now and for the future. As a result of the investment and projects coming online in the coming year, JCP expects to increase both office staff and its workforce in the field.

The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation has announced the release of a new tool designed to assist in evaluating and addressing community needs in Brown County. Designed and developed in partnership with the Greater Green Bay Community Hub and Brown County United Way, the Community Hub will inform Brown County residents, community leaders, local nonprofits, and policy makers about the overall health and trends of the community to help prioritize collaborative solutions to pressing needs. The Community Hub is a dynamic data platform that will be the new home for the 2011, 2016 and 2021 LIFE Study reports, which provide a snapshot of the community through both public perception and evidence-based research. The personal experiences and perspectives on life in Brown County are incorporated into each report and compared with local, regional, and national data trends.