California

The San Diego Foundation has announced the launch of the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit designed to engage government, corporations, and philanthropy and enhance the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the region. As a hub for innovative partnerships, the center will conduct research, support coordinated governmental and agency relationships, develop consensus regarding the region's core needs, and recommend policy solutions to assist leaders in attracting federal and state impact funding and addressing issues such as improving critical infrastructure, creating stable high-paying jobs, and generating other measurable long-term socioeconomic and environmental benefits. In addition, the center will support recovery from the economic effects of COVID-19 and work to meet the needs of underserved communities by attracting funding and resources to the region; working with municipalities and regional agencies to co-design programs and pursue federal recovery and infrastructure funding; crafting policy solutions; and driving large-scale partnerships and investment opportunities.

The Wild Rivers Community and Humboldt Area foundations are helping deliver much-needed meals to Sutter Coast Hospital, the Del Norte Triplicate reports. The $30,000 grant from the affiliated foundations will help residents and county leaders work with local restaurants, food trucks, and caterers to provide prepackaged meals. Since pandemic lockdowns began in March 2020, the two foundations have awarded two hundred and forty-six grants totaling $3.3 million from their COVID-19 Regional Response Fund, most of which has been shared with nonprofits in Del Norte, Curry, Humboldt, and Trinity counties.

Colorado

The Community First Foundation in Arvada and Jefferson County Public Health have awarded grants totaling more than $1.7 million to a dozen nonprofits working to improve food access in Jefferson County. The grants will support infrastructure and capacity-building efforts to build a resilient food system and ensure equitable access to locally produced and nutritious food in the county. Recipients awarded grants of between $16,000 and $300,000 include Warren Tech High School, GoFarm, Food Bank of the Rockies, and Hunger Free Golden.

Louisiana

The Greater New Orleans Foundation and New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson have announced $650,000 in immediate assistance grants to local nonprofits leading disaster response efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Since activating the Disaster Response & Restoration Fund, over $2 million has been raised from more than five hundred and fifty individuals, including $300,000 in matching funds from Benson. The fund also received contributions from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the Baltimore Ravens and the Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation, the United Health Foundation, Chevron U.S.A., the Shreveport-based Community Foundation of Northeast Louisiana, and the PepsiCo Foundation.

Nebraska

The Omaha Community Foundation has announced another round of Community Resilience Fund grants. Three local nonprofits serving those disproportionately affected by COVID-19 were awarded funds totaling $65,000, including Boys Town, Gotta Be Me, and the Nebraska Center for Workforce Development and Education.

New Jersey

The Trenton Arts Fund at the Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded a total of $25,000 in grants to eight nonprofits working to make the arts more accessible to the community. Recipients include Artworks Trenton, the Trenton Circus Squad, Trenton Museum Society, and Trenton Music Makers.

New Mexico

The Santa Fe Community Foundation has announced the winners of its Piñon Awards, which recognize nonprofits for their contributions to northern New Mexico communities. Each of the four organizations will receive an unrestricted grant of $4,000. Recipients are Sky Mountain Wild Horse Sanctuary, Communities in Schools of New Mexico, the School for Advanced Research, and Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance.

Ohio

The Dayton Foundation has announced that five older adults have been selected as the latest fellows for its Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative, which deploys retired or career-transitioning older adults into the community to work on significant community issues. The fellows include Antonia Dosik (Yellow Springs Senior Center); Beth Grubb (Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Minority Business Partnership), Donna Kastner (The Collaboratory), Leigh Sempeles (Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission), and Joni Watson (Brunner Literacy Center).

Pennsylvania

The S.W. Smith Memorial Public Library distributed nearly eight hundred free healthy snacks to local children with a grant from Bradford-based McKean County Community Foundation, the Bradford Era reports. In the spring of 2020, the foundation established a COVID-19 Assistance Fund, which enabled the library to distribute the snacks at summer library events and programs such as Star Wars Reads Day, 5K Run/ Walk and Kids Fun Run, Holiday Extravaganza in July, Leap into Science Parts 1-3, Pop-Up Story Hour, Pop-Up SummerQuest, Family Fun Day, Splish Splash Day, Jeffini the Great, and Jim Ronan and the Juice Box Heroes.

Tennessee

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in Nashville has announced a first round of grants totaling $200,000 in support of eleven area nonprofits and organizations helping those affected by the deadly flooding in Humphreys, Dickson, Houston, and Hickman counties on August 21. Recipients include the Dickson County Help Center, Salter's Chapel AME Church, Bethesda Community Mission, and McEwen Church of Christ. 

Wisconsin

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has announced it is conducting the second part of its virtual A Milwaukee for All series about early childhood education on September 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Rhian Evans Allvin, CEO the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and Sherri Killins Stewart, director of state systems alignment and integration and co-director of state services with the Build Initiative, will join area changemakers and others from the community to learn how to help transform the education system.