Alaska

The Juneau Community Foundation has announced the winners of its 2021 Individual Artist Awards. Launched in 2020, the program is dedicated to building an Arts Vibrancy Endowment in support of artists working in all forms and idioms, including the visual arts, dance, music, the fabric arts, photography, theater, and the literary arts. Three winners of the 2021 awards, textile artist Lily Hope, bluegrass musician Erin Heist, and author Frank Katasse, will each receive a cash prize of $2,500, while songwriter Annie Bartholomew will receive $2,000.

Arizona

The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona in Tucson has announced grants totaling $854,000 in support of nonprofits working to improve quality of life in the region. Funded through the foundation's Unrestricted Fund and Field of Interest funds, donor-advised fundholders, and the Connie Hillman Family Foundation, the grants include support for organizations in the areas of human services, arts and culture, the environment, animal welfare, legal services, education, health, youth and elderly services, immigrant services, and Native and Indigenous peoples. Grant recipients include the Amerind Foundation, BICAS, Felicia's Farm, and Make Way for Books.

California

The Oceanside Community Foundation, an affiliate of the San Diego Foundation, has awarded $80,000 to six nonprofit organizations working to promote diversity and inclusion for Oceanside students. The funding will support afternoon enrichment programs and efforts to accelerate learning during the 2021-22 school year. Grant recipients include the Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside, North County Lifeline, the Tariq Khamisa Foundation, Oceanside Theatre Company, Words Alive, and the Gold Youth Arts Organization.

The Orange County Community Foundation hosted Help Them Home — a Giving Day aimed at combating homelessness and its impact on the community — during which nearly thirty-eight hundred donors committed more than $2.1 million in support of twenty Orange County-based nonprofits. According to OCCF, more than 550,000 individuals in the United States are homeless, and 47 percent of them are resident in California. Recipients of the funding include American Family Housing, HomeAid Orange County, Thomas House Family Shelter, and WISEPlace.

Maine

The Maine Council on Aging has announced the launch of an anti-ageism initiative funded by the Maine Community Foundation. To help build age-positive attitudes in the state, the initiative will promote inclusive language around aging and the elderly and will develop tools that move people to action.

Massachusetts

The SouthCoast Community Foundation in New Bedford has announced the appointments of Werlaine Badio as programs officer, with a focus on arts and culture, education, and economic development initiatives, and Nhamaa Cortes as accounting clerk. The foundation also announced the promotion of development systems administrator Adrianna Heard to the position of donor services associate.

Michigan

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and its partners have announced a first round of support from the Community Policing Innovations Initiative totaling $200,000 in support of local public safety departments working with their communities to address issues in policing. Launched earlier this year with support from CFSM, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, the Ballmer Group, and Oakland County, the initiative will provide guidance and support to local communities partnering with local law enforcement to develop substantive, community-driven change in the way policing and public safety services are delivered. Programs supported through the initiative will focus on one of five areas: use of force, officer accountability, disparate enforcement and treatment, re-imagining public safety, and truth & reconciliation. Grant recipients include the Canton Township Police Department and Canton Coalition for Inclusive Communities, City of Detroit/Detroit Police Department, East Downtown Dearborn Authority/Black Legacy Advancement Coalition, Inkster Police Department, and Beloved Community Initiative and First AME Church of Farmington Hills.

New Hampshire

To help address continuing needs in New Hampshire communities, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation has announced that it is increasing its charitable disbursement rate to 5 percent in 2021. In support of its pandemic-relief efforts, the foundation received a $6 million donation to the Community Crisis Action Fund from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott — all of which will be distributed to nonprofits. The foundation also is increasing funding for scholarships, including additional resources for students of color and new Americans, and is working to support the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits' annual NH Gives event, which raised a record $3.4 million for New Hampshire nonprofits in 2020.

Oregon

The Oregon Community Foundation has announced the addition of Dee Anne Everson to its board of directors. Everson is the longtime CEO of the United Way of Jackson County.

Pennsylvania

The Brook J. Lenfest Foundation and Philadelphia Foundation have announced the launch of a $1.8 million program to help youth in foster care or aging out of foster care complete a college education. The Lenfest Immensitas Scholars Program will cover room, board, and expenses such as books, computers, essentials for dorm living and will provide additional supports such as academic advising, a summer bridge program, room and board during school breaks, and money management advice to up to a hundred Philadelphians annually.

Wisconsin

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has announced that it is mobilizing $1 million in low-interest loans to support small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The foundation’s ThriveOn Small Business Loans will be available in the north side neighborhoods of Harambee, Halyard Park, and Brewers Hill, with a focus on Black- and Brown-owned businesses. Eligible business owners can apply for a loan of up to $50,000 at a 2 percent fixed interest rate, with no interest or principal payments for the first twelve months. With an eye to preventing future closures, the loans will be targeted to businesses in the early childhood education, restaurant and hospitality, retail, and arts and culture sectors.