Hawaii

As of mid-June, the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund has awarded grants totaling $103 million from the $194 million it raised in the aftermath of the August 2023 wildfires, Honolulu Civil Beat reports. Just more than half of the funds, $52 million, has been directed to the Maui Interim Housing Plan, a $500 million public-private partnership launched in January with support from federal and state agencies. HomeAid Hawaii received $40 million to build 500 housing units and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement was awarded $11.3 million to construct 68 units.

Michigan

The Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan (CFSM), in partnership with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and community partners, has established a $35 million fund to pay contractors and support new fundraising efforts to complete the city’s riverfront park revitalization projects. The move comes in the aftermath of the Conservancy’s former CFO, William A. Smith, being charged with bank and wire fraud. The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has committed $10 million to the fund and authorized CFSM to utilize Wilson Foundation endowed funds to establish a $25 million line of credit for construction payments as fundraising continues and recoveries from the embezzlement are received.

New York

The New York Community Trust (NYCT) has announced $7.1 million in grants to 46 nonprofits working to address food insecurity, equitable access, affordable housing, civic participation, and protection of wildlife in New York City. Recipients include Institute for Family Health ($275,000), Immigrant Children Advocates Relief Effort ($300,000), the Fair Housing Justice Center ($150,000), and the Bee Conservancy ($172,000). With these latest grants, NYCT has awarded $24.7 million to nonprofits this year.

Tennessee

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is planning to award almost $2.4 million over the next five years to three organizations—the Greater Memphis Housing Justice Project, Just City, and the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope—to bolster advocacy for more equitable housing and criminal justice systems, MLK50 reports. The move is a shift in strategy for the foundation from funding direct services, such as homeless shelters, but is viewed as more likely to create lasting change.

Vermont

The Vermont Community Foundation has announced the launch of Press Forward Vermont (PFV) a partnership with the national Press Forward coalition, which has committed to investing $500 million across the country to bolster local news reporting and strengthen communities. Employment in Vermont’s newspaper industry has decreased by 75 percent between 2000 and 2023. PFV joins a national network of 25 local chapters and will prioritize grantmaking focused on expanded reporting on public policy while fostering innovation, increased revenue, and professional development.

Wisconsin

The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region has announced that its affiliate, the Chilton Area Community Foundation (CACF), has awarded grants totaling $49,400 to 12 local nonprofits to improve the quality of life in the greater Chilton area, including the Chilton Public Library, Friends of Women in Recovery, and New Hope Center. Evaluation of applications for CACF’s annual grantmaking cycle was conducted by volunteers from the Chilton community and supported by Fox Valley staff.