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CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG FOUNDATION 1959-2009
2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation! As one of the largest private foundations in the United States, The Weinberg Foundation has granted more than $1.3 billion dollars to nonprofits that provide direct services to poor and vulnerable populations. Just as important as the amount of money the Foundation has awarded is the long-term intangible assistance countless individuals have received and the influence the Foundation's programs have generated in the philanthropic community.
This coming year, our 50th, will be a difficult one. The world-wide economic pressures resulting in, among other challenges, increased unemployment and cuts in government assistance for the poor will exacerbate the challenges poor and vulnerable populations already face each and every day. As stated in the President's Letter of the Foundation's annual report, the Weinberg Foundation accepts the additional obligations imposed on it by these terrible circumstances, and it will redouble its efforts to make a positive and meaningful difference as it carries forward the vision and mission of Harry and Jeanette Weinberg.
THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG FOUNDATION ANNUAL GATHERING
This year's Annual Community Gathering hosted by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation was the largest to date. More than 500 elected officials, community and philanthropic leaders, dignitaries, and guests joined the Foundation. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin spoke about the Foundation's impact not only on the State of Maryland but also nationally.
Trustee and Vice President Donn Weinberg announced the results of a landmark year of charitable giving for the Foundation. He highlighted the Maryland Small Grants Program, the national Caregivers RFP, the Employee Giving Program, the Weinberg Fellows Program and the largest new grant awarded to East Baltimore Development, Inc. Donn also discussed the effect the recession is having on the philanthropic and nonprofit community. He shared how The Weinberg Foundation has taken "a pause" in its consideration of new grant requests until April 2009. Fortunately, The Weinberg Foundation's asset base is both strong and diverse, and therefore The Foundation will continue its grant making at a relatively stable level this year, next year, and beyond.
NOT ACCEPTING LETTERS OF INQUIRY (LOI) UNTIL APRIL 2009
As the news reports every day, the United States is experiencing severe economic stress. As a result, most nonprofit organizations will experience declining donations during a period when their services will be needed more than ever. The Weinberg Foundation, as one of the largest private foundations in the United States, remains committed to continuing to providing financial support through operating, program and capital grants to nonprofit organizations alleviating the burdens of those living in poverty, especially older adults.
The Foundation will continue its grant making at a relatively stable level this year, next year, and beyond. Last year the Weinberg Foundation distributed $99 million in grants. This year, the Foundation has already approved 348 grants to nonprofits totaling close to $100 million. Next year, the Foundation will distribute between $90 and $100 million in grants, but most of next year's grants are already committed to nonprofits through approved capital grants and multi-year operating and program grants.
During the past three years, the Weinberg Foundation has increased both the amount and the total number of grants awarded each year, as well as the size of its professional grant staff. Because of the substantial amount of grants already approved for next year, the strong desire to evaluate the effectiveness of the Foundation's prior grant making, and a desire to reassess the state of the volatile economy, the Trustees have announced that the Foundation will not accept Letters of Inquiry until April 2009.
Before April 2009, The Weinberg Foundation will publish any changes relevant to the Letter of Inquiry process on its web site www.hjweinbergfoundation.org.
THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG FELLOWS PROGRAM
The purpose of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellows Program is to strengthen the effectiveness of nonprofit agencies which serve disadvantaged members of the community by further developing and strengthening the skills and peer networks of their executive directors. Beginning in Hawaii and expanding into Baltimore in 2002, the Program aims at enhancing the skills and effectiveness of executive directors and key volunteer leaders of nonprofit organizations that serve The Weinberg Foundation's target populations. The program is now run on behalf of the Weinberg Foundation by the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore.
Coming together in a collaborative, supportive environment, participants explore critical issues and trends in nonprofit management; develop common understandings of standards and best practices; connect with a rich network of resources; and work on positioning their agencies for maximum benefit to their communities. Weinberg Fellows meet and form long-term relationships with their peers and develop enduring cross-agency and cross-sector partnerships.
Congratulations to the 2009 Weinberg Fellows:
Joann Blewett - Harford Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
Thomas Bonderenko - Moveable Feast, Inc.
Falayrium Trone (F.T.) - Burden Empire Homes of Maryland, Inc.
Judith S. Friedman - Learning Inc.
Margaret J. Glennon - Leadership Through Athletics, Inc.
Erin Hodge-Williams - Higher Achievement Baltimore
Barbara Avetta Hughes - DRU/Mondawmin Healthy Families, Inc.
Shavaugn Jackson - Diversified Housing Development, Inc.
Barbara Reed Martin - Heartly House, Inc.
Amy Menzer - Dundalk Renaissance Corporation
Kathleen O`Brien - Walden/Sierra
Mitchell Posner - Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation
Douglas Propheter - Career Transition Center, Inc.
Randi Pupkin - Art with a Heart, Inc.
Abe Schuchman - Housing Unlimited, Inc.
Lisa Maria Shelton - Sandi's Learning Center, Incorporated
Margaret E. Sipes - Downtown Baltimore Child Care
Jason A. Sullivan - Fells Point Main Street
H. Linda Trope - Edward A. Myerberg Senior Center
Please refer to the Weinberg Fellows website at www.weinbergfellows.org for more information and to learn how you can apply for the Weinberg Fellows Program
A WEINBERG GRANTEE AWARDED THE 2008 PURPOSE PRIZE
The Weinberg Foundation would like to congratulate Mark Goldsmith, a Weinberg Grantee, on being awarded the 2008 Purpose Prize. Each year, Civic Ventures, awards $100,000 to 5 individuals 60 and older who have demonstrated "uncommon vision, determination and entrepreneurialism in addressing community and national problems." In 2003, Mark launched Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO) to offer inmates coaching, life-skill instruction, educational guidance and job-achievement support. GOSO's mission is to drastically reduce the recidivism rate for 18-24 year old men through purposeful education and directed employment. Since the organizations founding the program has helped more than 400 young men get out and stay out of prison. The Weinberg Foundation's Trustees and staff congratulate Mark on this outstanding achievement.
ANNOUNCING RECENT GRANT AWARDS
The Women's Housing Coalition (Baltimore, Maryland)
The Foundation awarded a $30,000 capital grant to The Women's Housing Coalition (WHC). The organization provides permanent supportive housing to women who have experienced homelessness, substance abuse, or incarceration. WHC runs four residences serving 65 women and families; one of these was opened within the past several months. As part of its goals to increase access to permanent housing, the Foundation has supported the work of WHC for many years. This grant is intended for renovation of a space that will become a Wellness Suite for individuals and group mental health counseling.
www.womenshousing.org
The Corporation for Supportive Housing (New York, NY)
The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) is a national organization working in 12 states and Washington DC. Since inception in 1991, CSH has committed over $200 million in loans and grants and leveraged over a billion dollars to create more than 34,500 units of supportive housing. CSH received a grant of $50,000 to assist Baltimore City with its goal of increasing the number of permanent housing units so that individuals experiencing homelessness can be placed in homes more quickly. This grant will allow CSH to bring both technical and financial resources to Baltimore that will bolster the efforts of local non-profit housing providers.
www.csh.org
Shalva - Israel Association to Relieve the Handicapped Child and Family (Jerusalem, Israel)
The Foundation awarded a capital grant of $3 million over 3 years to Shalva for the construction of a state-of-the-art national children's center for children with intellectual and physical disabilities. The center will provide increased space for programs such as hydrotherapy, respite care, after school care, and "Me and My Mommy" programs for babies with Down Syndrome.
www.shalva.org
Alut - The Israeli National Autism Association (Be'er Sheva, Israel)
The Foundation awarded a capital grant of $1.5 million over 3 years to Alut for the construction of a "Home for Life" for 32 young adults with Autism whose parents or caregivers can no longer provide a residence for them. The Home will include an occupational training center.
www.alut.org.il
Queens Library Foundation (Queens, New York)
The Queens Library Foundation was awarded a $70,000 program grant. The grant will support three initiatives: (1) the Mail-a-Book program for homebound older adults, (2) the new Phone-In program for homebound older adults, and (3) Rotating Collections for individuals residing in nursing homes. These relatively low-cost library services provide access to the simple pleasure of reading, helping to alleviate depression and loneliness. The new Phone-In pilot is a potentially replicable way to provide socialization and intellectual engagement for older adults.
www.queenslibraryfoundation.org
Maryland Department of Aging (Baltimore, Maryland)
The Foundation awarded a $492,597 program grant to support evidence based health promotion programs at senior centers and other community settings in twelve Maryland jurisdictions. Evidence based programs are those that demonstrate effectiveness at improving health status and reducing costs. This can help delay the onset of disability. The state-level grant targets the neediest areas throughout Maryland and brings together local programs to share best practices.
www.mdoa.state.md.us
Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region, Inc. (Silver Spring, Maryland)
The Foundation reinvested in the Easter Seals Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Inter-generational Center with a $500,000 capital challenge grant. The Inter-generational Center houses an adult day center, an inclusive child development center, an assistive technology center, a family caregiver resource center, and therapy services. There are clear benefits of serving older adults and children together at shared sites, and the qualities of the Inter-Generational Center fit with best practices for shared sites. The design of the building truly facilitates programming goals.
http://gwbr.easterseals.com/
Year Up (Baltimore, Maryland)
Year Up was founded in 2000, in Boston, as a one-year intensive education and apprenticeship program for urban young adults, age 18-24. The model includes job skill training, stipends, paid apprenticeships, college credit, a behavior management system and other levels of support. In the first six months, students learn professional and business communication, desktop/IT support and investment operation skills. The second six months are spent in paid apprenticeships with leading companies in financial services, professional services, media and technology, retail and manufacturing, healthcare and biotech, and education/government/non-profit. Eighty-five percent of its graduates secure full time employment at nearly $15/hr ($30K a year) within four months of graduation. In past years, The Weinberg Foundation has supported Year Up in Boston, New York, Providence and Washington D.C. and is pleased to provide this challenge grant of $230,000 over two years to support the pilot of the expansion of the program to Baltimore.
www.yearup.org
Friends of Yemin Orde (Israel)
After funding Yemin Orde Wingate Youth Village in Israel for many years, the Weinberg Foundation is excited to be funding the Yemin Orde Initiatives Five Village program which will infuse five youth villages in Israel with educational philosophy, methodology, and curriculum adapted from Yemin Orde. Youth villages in Israel serve as a home with formal and informal education for disadvantaged youth, often removed from their home by social services or court order or as a residence for young immigrants without familial support. Funds will support professional development, programmatic expansion, and physical infrastructure renovation at five youth villages in Israel, including Kedma Youth Village, Neve Hadassah, and Tom Youth Village. A total of 1,200 youth and 450 staff will be affected by this program, which has the potential to be the model for transformation of the residential education system in Israel. The Weinberg Foundation awarded the Friends of Yemen Orde with a grant of $400,000 over two years.
www.yeminorde.org
Girl Scouts of Central Maryland (Baltimore, Maryland)
The Foundation awarded a grant of $150,000 over three years to Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. The Weinberg Foundation has provided program for Girl Scouts of Central Maryland's Outreach program, which provides subsidized programming to over 6,000 low-income girls and boys in Baltimore City and select areas of Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties through four programs: (1) in-school leadership development, (2) Project Anti-Violence Education (PAVE), (3) Beyond Bars/Bridge Beyond Bars and (4) Families for Prevention. The focuses of the programs are to sustain healthy, positive relationships; remain free of entanglement with the law; improve academically; and develop decision making abilities.
www.gscm.org
Synergy Services (Parkville, Missouri)
The Foundation awarded a capital grant of $200,000 to complete the $8.4 million capital campaign for the Homeless Youth Campus in Parkville, MO and allow Synergy Services to complete their Kresge Foundation match requirement. The new campus will include two buildings: (1) a new 8,000 square foot emergency shelter for homeless and abused youth; and (2) a 22,000 square foot Youth Resiliency Center that will provide medical and dental care, counseling, interactive education, mentoring, creative arts, and leadership opportunities to youth at risk of becoming homeless, as well as to support formerly homeless youth who have been served by the Emergency Shelter. The Foundation is interested in adapting pieces of the Missouri model in Maryland, as local providers look to new ways to serve homeless youth.
www.synergyservices.org
Israeli Alzheimer's Association (Israel)
The Foundation awarded a $91,000 program grant to the Israeli Alzheimer's Association. The grant will support a three year, multi-faceted public information project aimed at increasing public awareness and extending access to services for people with Alzheimer's disease and their families. Israel is a demographically older country with an unusually large population of older adults in several cities. Consequently there are many people at risk for or are suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other age related dementias. While there are services and supports for these individuals, their families and caregivers many Israelis, both Jews and non-Jews alike, are unaware of those services and supports and even the nature of the disease and dementias. This project will get information out about age related dementia and available resources to a wide audience in a variety of languages making access to those services and supports much easier.
www.alz-il.net
Humanim (Baltimore, Maryland)
The Foundation awarded a $2,750,000 capital grant to Humanim to support the rehabilitation of the American Brewery building in East Baltimore, which will house a job training and placement center that serves individuals with physical and/or intellectual barriers to employment. In order to provide better services to the community, Humanim will consolidate its resources and operations into one facility in Baltimore. Two hundred-fifty staff will relocate to the American Brewery building and a minimum of 60 East Baltimore residents will be hired by Humanim within the first year. The anticipated outcome for this project is to increase the economic advancement of the community's residents.
MARYLAND SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM- recent grant awards
Daughter for the Day, Inc. (Maryland)
Daughter for the Day, Inc. (DFTD) was awarded a total of $100,000 over two years for its work that supports senior citizens with one-on-one, personal assistance. DFTD takes its clients to doctor appointments, business appointments, grocery shopping, drops off and picks up prescriptions, and assists with other important errands as needed. The organization offers these services free to any senior citizen over the age of 70 years. Current clients range in age from 70-104 years old, many of whom would stay in their homes, isolated from their community without this program. It is important to note that DFTD is not just a "transportation" service, but an organization whose volunteers stay with seniors throughout an entire outing, helping them every step of the way, ergo the name "Daughter (or Son) For The Day."
www.daughterfortheday.org
A Wider Circle (Maryland)
The Foundation awarded A Wider Circle a total of $72,000 over two years to help families and individuals in poverty by providing furniture, educational workshops, and other basic necessities to help individuals and families break the cycle of poverty. Clients include families transitioning out of battered women's and homeless family shelters and individuals and families who are simply living without life's necessities. Annually, the organization furnishes the homes of nearly 4,000 children and adults.
www.awidercircle.org
Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (Maryland)
The Foundation awarded a grant of $50,000 over two years to provide legal representation to low-income families and professional development services to individuals across the State of Maryland. The focus of services is to improve access to education for students with disabilities. This is accomplished by advocating for families in meetings for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and due process hearings when children are in segregated "special education only" settings and away from their neighborhood schools.
www.mcie.org
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation's 2008 Annual Report is now available on line
Click Here
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