Arizona

The Community Foundation of Southern Arizona in Tucson has announced that its LGBTQ Alliance Fund has appointed Ethan Smith Cox as chair of its advisory board. Cox, who works as a fundraiser, has raised more than $50 million professionally and as a volunteer.

Connecticut

The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut in New London has awarded grants totaling nearly $300,000 that will benefit more than 50 nonprofit organizations working to support women and girls in areas such as nutrition and meal delivery, job training, leadership skills, and counseling, The Day reports. Recipients include Safe Futures, United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut, Ledge Light Health District, and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.

Georgia

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has announced grants totaling more than $2.3 million in support of 40 organizations. In keeping with TogetherATL, the foundation’s five-year strategic plan and commitment to advance equity and shared prosperity across metro Atlanta, most of the grantee organizations are led by or serve Black Atlantans or other people of color. Recipients include Nana Grants, Georgia Appleseed, Year Up Greater Atlanta, and Zion Hill CDC.

Indiana

The Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) has announced that 16 students have received scholarships from the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The program includes input from CICF as well as its affiliates the Indianapolis and Hamilton County Community foundations. Scholars are recognized for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership. Each Lilly Endowment Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible public or private not-for-profit college or university in Indiana. 

Louisiana

The Greater New Orleans Foundation has announced the activation of its Disaster Response & Restoration Fund and that it will award a total of $75,000 in grants to six local nonprofits serving Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles, and Orleans parishes in response to the tornadoes that hit on December 14. The recipients are Community Center of St. Bernard, Hands On New Orleans, Jefferson Community Foundation, Second Harvest Food Back of Southeast Louisiana, United Way of St. Charles, and VIA LINK.

Maine

The Maine Community Foundation has announced that it accepted 36 new volunteer advisors from across the state in support of its County and Regional Program in 2022. MaineCF’s County and Regional Program provides on-the-ground local leadership for community foundation activities. At the heart of the program are county and regional committees composed of community members committed to their counties, nonprofits that serve them, and the importance of philanthropy. In addition, volunteer county advisors review grant proposals for MaineCF’s Community Building Grant Program and recommend grant awards from their respective county and regional committees.

Michigan

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) have announced grants totaling $500,000 in support of arts and culture organizations that represent a variety of creative disciplines across CFSEM’s seven-county service area and contribute to the vitality of the region’s economy. The inaugural round of grantmaking includes support for Capturing Belief, the Detroit Narrative Agency, Ann Arbor Film Festival, and the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. 

New Jersey

The Community Foundation of South Jersey in Haddonfield has announced a seventh round of grants from the South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund, which will provide a total of $101,000 to 20 nonprofit organizations serving Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem counties. The announcement includes funding for Phase 2 - Treatment and Phase 3 - Recovery requests. With these awards, the fund has distributed 173 grants totaling $1,169,500 to assist families affected by the pandemic and related economic hardship. Recipients include All Things Are Possible Foundation, Civic Story, Hands Up Silent Theater, and Gilda’s Club of South Jersey.

New York

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has announced the inaugural Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Arts & Culture Initiative awards totaling $500,000 in support of more than 75 small to midsize arts organizations serving the eight counties of western New York, plus Monroe County. The criteria for the first year of grant funding were developed based on input from more than 100 arts and cultural representatives across the nine counties, and the grantees were selected by a committee of arts and cultural leaders representing all the counties. Recipients include Arts for Rural America, Buffalo & Brandy, Youngstown Free Library, and a partnership between Shakespeare in Delaware Park and Raices Theatre Company.

Wisconsin

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has announced the appointment of Vincent Lyles to serve as the executive director of Milwaukee Succeeds, effective January 23. He will succeed longtime leader Danae Davis. Lyles currently serves as the system vice president of community relations at Advocate Aurora Health.