Gulf Coast Ecological Health and Community Renewal Fund Awards Grants Selected by Panel of Community Leaders
Collaborative initiative convened by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors awards $200,000 to organizations providing direct support to the Gulf Coast revitalization
NEW YORK (May 25, 2006) – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced sixteen grants from its Gulf Coast Ecological Health and Community Renewal Fund (“the Fund”) that were awarded by panels composed of Gulf Coast community leaders. The grants, which totaled $200,000, were awarded to organizations in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama addressing issues in social justice, including the right and ability of residents to return to the region; environmental and ecological health, protection and restoration; and strengthening local organizing efforts.
The Fund is a special collaborative initiative created by local community leaders and experienced grantmakers to support the revitalization of the Gulf Coast. This is the first of several cycles of grants that will be awarded by the panel of local leaders.
“The devastation wrought by hurricanes Katrina and Rita presented an historic opportunity for the philanthropic community to address underlying causes that contributed to the severity of the disasters in the Gulf Coast,” said Melissa A. Berman, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “The community leaders and grantmakers who came together to create the Fund focused on communities that were historically disenfranchised due to race, class, gender or immigration status. These sixteen grantees represent an important step in achieving goals of sustainable redevelopment and building a community-based regional power base that can inform and influence local, regional and national policy.”
Grantees include:
• Mobile Baykeeper
• People’s Environmental Center
• Texas Environmental Advocacy Services (TEJAS)
• Common Ground
• NAACP Gulf Coast Advocacy Center
• National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness
• New Orleans Workers Justice
• People’s Hurricane Relief Fund
• ACLU of Mississippi
• Action Communication and Education Reform
• Community In-power and Development Association, Inc
• Circle of Love Outreach
• Redemption Community Development Corporation
• REJOICE, Inc.
• Northern Louisiana Interfaith Sponsoring Committee
Founded in 2005 by 13 donors, the Fund is overseen by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors professionals who donate their time in the grantmaking and outreach process. Founding donors include the Agua, Beldon, Dome, John Merck and Rockefeller Brothers Funds; the Ford, Jenifer Altman, Johnson Family, Mitchell Kapor, Nathan Cummings and Park Foundations; and The New York Community Trust.
The Fund’s Advisory Group is comprised of a cross-section of Gulf Coast community leaders who advise on Fund strategies, policies and identify needs on an ongoing basis; the Advisory Group used its local perspective to make recommendations to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, which is ultimately responsible for the final decisions.
“We received 63 applications for this first cycle of panel-chosen grants, and anticipate the same level of interest for succeeding rounds, because local organizations in the Gulf Coast have the strongest insights about immediate and long-term health of their communities,” said Penny Fujiko Willgerodt, a vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors who is overseeing the Fund. “Everyone involved with this Fund is gratified that these focused grants will have a meaningful impact on the region’s future.”
Applications for the second cycle of grantees are due on June 12, 2006 and will be announced in mid-July. Organizations interested in submitting grant proposals can obtain more information on the Fund’s Web site (http://rockpa.org/gulfcoastfund/rfp/).