4 Big Foundations Pool $90 Million for Global Workers-Rights Partnership

Here are notable new grant awards compiled by the Chronicle:

Ford Foundation, Fundación Avina, Humanity United, and Open Society Foundations

These four foundations have joined the Multilateral Partnership for Organizing, Worker Empowerment, and Rights, which unites governments, philanthropy, trade unions, and civil society to strengthen rights for workers and advance democracy worldwide.

They also contributed $90 million in grants this year to back the partnership’s work. Of the total, the Ford Foundation has thus far given $49.5 million, the Open Society Foundations granted $25 million, Humanity United donated $10.4 million, and Fundación Avina provided the remaining $5.4 million. The U.S. government has committed an additional $130 million to the effort.

The four private foundations are members of Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy, a collaborative that is making grants and lending resources to community- and worker-led movements.

Lilly Endowment

$75 million commitment to its Compelling Preaching program, which will make grants to seminaries and theological schools to help Christian pastors preach more effectively with their congregations.

The foundation made 32 grants in its first round of giving, in addition to $6.5 million to Calvin University to help coordinate the program.

The Lilly Endowment is a financial supporter of the Chronicle.

D. Dan and Betty Kahn Foundation

$50 million to Michigan Medicine to name the University of Michigan Health’s new hospital after D. Dan and Betty Kahn, who were longtime donors to the university. The hospital is expected to open in 2025.

D. Dan Kahn, who died in 2012, was the founder of Production Tool Supply, a Michigan company that makes industrial tools. Betty Kahn died in 2004.

SHP Foundation

$30 million to the Ravenswood City School District, in East Palo Alto, Calif., to build a community center that can be used by students and neighborhood residents.

The SHP Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Sand Hill Property Company, in Palo Alto, Calif.

Amazon

$24 million commitment through its Amazon Housing Equity Fund to build low-cost housing near public transportation in Bethesda, Md.

ECMC Foundation

$20 million over five years to its Men of Color Initiative, which aims to increase postsecondary-degree attainment among Black, Latino, Southeast Asian, and Native American men.

Newman’s Own Foundation

$14 million to 272 organizations that offer programs and services to children who face adversity, illness, food insecurity, and other systemic problems across the United States.

John A. Hartford Foundation

$12.4 million to six projects that aim to improve services for older adults and family caregivers.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Yale University, and the American College of Emergency Physicians will share $4 million to make improvements to emergency-department care that is sensitive to the needs of older adults.

Six Grant Makers

$10.8 million to the Centering Healthcare Institute to expand access to its group health care programs in pregnancy and parenting across the United States.

The effort has received grants from the Bezos Family Foundation, the Richard W. Goldman Family Foundation, Imaginable Futures, the Overdeck Family Foundation, the Pritzker Children’s Initiative, and the Valhalla Charitable Foundation.

Ascendium Education Group

$10 million over three years to Merit America to expand its programs in skills training and job placement to help adults without college degrees begin careers in technology.

Jerome Foundation

$5.5 million to 71 recipients to back services and programs that benefit early-career artists in dance, film and video, literature, music, theater, and the visual arts in Minnesota and New York City.

Cognizant

$5.3 million to 14 organizations in the United States and Canada to expand access to science, technology, engineering, and math for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and advance equity in career pathways in technology.

Blackstone Charitable Foundation

$5 million over three years to expand its LaunchPad skills-building program to Miami Dade College, Florida International University, Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Florida Atlantic University.

Peterson Family Foundation

$5 million to the National Cathedral for repairs to the cathedral and to restore its organ after the church sustained damage during a 2011 earthquake.

Reginald F. Lewis Foundation

$5 million to the Barack Obama Foundation for general operating support and to back its leadership-development programs through the Obama Presidential Center, the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, and the Girls Opportunity Alliance.

Salesforce

$5 million to seven organizations that create job opportunities and career pathways in technology for people from underrepresented backgrounds.

The tech company also gave $4 million for climate-related programs. Global Forest Generation, GreenWave, Island Conservation, and Rainforest Connection will share $1 million in grants to test and expand their nature-based approaches to mitigating the effects of climate change on natural resources. An additional $3 million will support additional nature-related organizations that are working to protect and restore natural ecosystems.

Rockefeller Foundation

$4.6 million for its Food Is Medicine program to support community-based organizations that address food insecurity and diet-related diseases in the United States.

Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

$4.5 million matching grant to the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium for research to develop effective, environmentally friendly, and low-cost fertilizers.

The donation matches a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

$3 million over three years to Think of Us to collect the expertise of people directly involved in the child-welfare system and use those takeaways to advocate for data-driven federal policies that strengthen child welfare in the United States.

First Tech Federal Credit Union

$2.5 million to nonprofit organizations across California, Oregon, and Washington that work with underserved communities in the areas of education, research, and technology.

The credit union raised an additional $1.6 million in donations through its banking locations for the Credit Unions for Kids campaign.

Lenfest Institute for Journalism

$1.5 million to 52 grantees through Every Voice, Every Vote, a new coalition that aims to increase civic participation in the 2023 elections for mayor and city council in Philadelphia.

Deloitte

$1 million to the Smithsonian Institution to help develop the American Women’s History Museum.

Fox Corporation

$1 million to the Smithsonian Institution to support the National Museum of the American Latino.

The McDonald’s Corporation is also giving $1 million to back the new museum, which is planned to open in 2024.

Morrow Renewables

$1 million to the North Texas Food Bank to provide 3 million meals to people in need in the region.

New Grant Opportunity

The Texas Capital Bank Foundation is accepting nominations for four grant opportunities for nonprofit groups in Texas. Three grants of $50,000 will be awarded in the bank’s program areas of Live, Learn, and Lift. The Supporting our Troops, Active and Remembered Award will grant $100,000 to an organization that provides services to military members, families, and veterans. An informational webinar will be held on December 15; nominations are due February 28.

Send grant announcements to grants.editor@philanthropy.com.

Chronicle of Philanthropy subscribers also have full access to GrantStation’s searchable database of grant opportunities. For more information, visit our grants page.