Foundations
Here's a look at documents from U.S. foundations
Featured Stories
Sovereign Wealth Funds and the West
DETROIT, Michigan, Dec. 18 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on Dec. 17, 2025:
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Sovereign Wealth Funds and the West
Too little, too late?
By Jake Scott
When I was at school, learning about the privatization waves of the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, my teacher made a comparison between our own fortunes in Britain, and those of our North Sea neighbors in Norway, that stuck with me.
In Britain, we used the proceeds from re-privatizing key industries like British Petroleum to fund the tax cuts that were considered necessary to
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DETROIT, Michigan, Dec. 18 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on Dec. 17, 2025:
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Sovereign Wealth Funds and the West
Too little, too late?
By Jake Scott
When I was at school, learning about the privatization waves of the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, my teacher made a comparison between our own fortunes in Britain, and those of our North Sea neighbors in Norway, that stuck with me.
In Britain, we used the proceeds from re-privatizing key industries like British Petroleum to fund the tax cuts that were considered necessary torevitalize the economy. The story is well-told: by liberalizing the economy, the initial shortfall in direct income would be offset in the short-term and exceeded in the long-term from the proceeds of an energetic private sector, and a free-market economy would provide the future prosperity, built on a broad and reliable tax base, necessary to keep Britain afloat.
In Norway, on the other hand, such future prosperity was secured in a different way: through a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). As the website for the Norwegian investment bank (set up as part of this fund) explains, the discovery of oil in the Norwegian North Sea in 1969 that funded a rapid economic explosion led to the establishment of (what is now) the Government Pension Fund Global in 1990. All proceeds from the sale of the oil would hereafter be used to fund investments in global opportunities.
There is a particularly telling paragraph on the website:
Oil revenue has been very important for Norway, but one day the oil will run out. The aim of the fund is to ensure that we use this money responsibly, think long-term and so safeguard the future of the Norwegian economy.
The Norwegian SWF is now the largest in the world, with over $1.78 trillion in Assets Under Management (AUM).
Should Britain have done the same? One could easily say, "One day the revenues from privatization will run out." Perhaps Britain should have set up its own SWF, but spilt milk and all that.
Nevertheless, Norway was not the first country to establish an SWF; in fact, as a recent article in Foreign Policy on sovereign wealth funds and instrumental capital explained, that title goes to Kuwait, in 1953. The Kuwait Investment Board, now the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), was set up to manage (you guessed it!) the country's surplus from oil reserves. The KIA is currently the fifth-largest SWF in the world, at $1 trillion in AUM, despite Kuwait being a very middle-ranked economy. Following Kuwait's example, many Gulf States established their own SWFs, banking the revenue that the sale of oil generated, and using it to modernize their nations.
But the role that SWFs play is changing, and this is partly a consequence of a subtle reimagining around the world of the role of the State in politics. Part of the vision of the liberalization of economies in the late 20th century was the "rediscovery" of the State as a neutral arbiter and regulator of the autonomous spheres of lifecivil society, personal preference, religious liberty, and (of course) the market. SWFs were an attractive counterweight to the instability that may have accompanied such liberalization; by providing a long-term source of wealth for the sovereign body politic, the State could be somewhat insulated from the spontaneity of civil life.
Jared Cohen and George Lee, the authors of the Foreign Policy essay (and co-heads of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute), argue that SWFs have, paradoxically, dragged the State back in as an economic actor in its own right. Because of the sheer size of the Funds (in total the 170 SWFs around the world have $14 trillion in AUM), States are now able to leverage these resources to pursue their own ends, deploying capital to advance their strategic national objectives.
The Middle East continues to be the epicenter, the fulcrum on which this lever moves. Collectively, Middle Eastern SWFs (such as Kuwait's, Saudi Arabia's, Bahrain's, and Qatar's) have $5.6 trillion in AUM, and are projected to reach $8.8 trillion by 2030. If this was a single nation, as Cohen and Lee write, it would be the third-largest economy in the world. And each of these nations are, in their own way, pursuing a similar goal, not unlike that of Norway's: diversification.
One day, the oil will run out, so these petroeconomies must use the enormous SWFs they command to help prepare. But as a result, it is forcing the Gulf States to think and act more strategically about who they are partnering with, because these comparatively small nations are now competing with the largest economies in the world, China and the US: for example, Qatar has financed the construction of the US-operated Al Udeid Air Base, and has recently won the rights to "build a new Qatari Emiri Air Force facility in Idaho."
Now the West is racing to catch up. Britain does not yet have an SWF in its strict sense, in part because of our complex constitution, but the newly-elected government in 2024 did establish a "National Wealth Fund" (NWF). While the NWF is likely to operate in the same way as an SWF, it is not funded in the same way: "Rather, the NWF is financed by taxation and borrowing, which means its investments are likely to attract public, political and media scrutiny."
Meanwhile, the United States is setting up its own SWF, spurred on by an executive order signed by President Trump in February. The US constitution plays its own complicating role here, as many States are empowered to have their own versions of SWFs, known as "Permanent Funds." Texas, for example, has a Permanent Education Fund (AUM $55.6 billion) and a Permanent University Fund (AUM $31.8 billion).
Regardless, the US SWF looks set to be exactly what Cohen and Lee describe as "instrumental capital," as instead of investing directly into assets, the US SWF, under President Trump at least, is likely to act as what the think tank OMFIF called "a powerful 'crowd in' catalyst for public-private investment partnership." In other words, where confidence in promising and emerging opportunities is low, the support of the US SWF will buttress investors' faith and keep them from pulling out. Case in point: Stargate, the AI venture, may be "struggling to get off the ground... because scepticism among investors remains high," but with the "addition of long-term US SWF investment," risk is considered to be reduced, "making it attractive to private capital for co-investments."
But is the West too late to the party? Some may say better late than never, and given the timeliness of the US fund's creation amidst the AI explosion, this could well prove to be true. Moreover, the role of SWFs seems to be shifting from acting independently of the specific government in placethey are, after all, sovereign wealth fundsand instead being used as tools of the geopolitical strategy of whichever government holds the reins.
Whatever the future of SWFs, they certainly are no longer passive presences in the global economy; they are actively shaping it.
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Dr. Jake Scott is a political theorist specialising in populism and its relationship to political constitutionality. He has taught at multiple British universities and produced research reports for several think tanks.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/sovereign-wealth-funds-and-the-west/
Vermont Farm's Pesticide Use Contaminates Lake Champlain Tributaries
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Dec. 17 -- The Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
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Vermont Farm's Pesticide Use Contaminates Lake Champlain Tributaries
CLF, VNRC sue Vorsteveld operation for ongoing clean water violations
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(Montpelier, VT) - Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) have filed a lawsuit against Vorsteveld, LLP, a large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) in Panton, Vermont, for ongoing violations of the Clean Water Act. Numerous pipes on the Vorsteveld operation pour pesticides directly into tributaries
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Dec. 17 -- The Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
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Vermont Farm's Pesticide Use Contaminates Lake Champlain Tributaries
CLF, VNRC sue Vorsteveld operation for ongoing clean water violations
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(Montpelier, VT) - Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) have filed a lawsuit against Vorsteveld, LLP, a large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) in Panton, Vermont, for ongoing violations of the Clean Water Act. Numerous pipes on the Vorsteveld operation pour pesticides directly into tributariesfeeding Lake Champlain without a permit. Some of these toxic chemicals are found to be at levels that far exceed state and federal safety standards, including by as much as fifty times higher.
"Vorsteveld, LLP's ongoing pollution is unlawful and puts our communities and waterways at risk," said Elena Mihaly, CLF's Vice President for Vermont. "Clean water is essential to our families, our farms, and our future. Vermont's farmers take pride in being good stewards of the land, and they know that dumping toxic pesticides into streams where we fish, boat, and draw drinking water is not the Vermont way. Vorsteveld must stop this harmful pollution now."
CLF and VNRC notified Vorsteveld in October of their intent to sue. Despite the warning, the unlawful discharges have continued, forcing the filing of the lawsuit.
Lauren Hierl, Executive Director of VNRC added, "All Vermonters deserve clean and safe water, and we all have a part to play in stewarding the health of our landscape and communities. No polluter should be allowed to discharge pesticides and other harmful pollution at these excessively high levels."
Under the federal Clean Water Act, Vorsteveld is barred from dumping any pollutants into Vermont's waterways without a permit. The suit seeks action requiring Vorsteveld to take responsibility for its toxic pesticide discharges by securing a legally required federal pollution control permit and taking steps to stop its pollution.
The notice details dangerous levels of multiple pollutants coming from the site, including atrazine, metolachlor, and clothianidin. Out of 92 water samples collected from the Vorsteveld pipes over two years, 99% contained clothianidin at concentrations exceeding the EPA's safety benchmark. Atrazine, a highly toxic herbicide that was banned in Europe in 2004, was documented at fifty times higher than what the EPA considers safe for drinking water. Atrazine is a hormone-disrupting pesticide that is linked to birth defects, cancers, and other health risks.
The full lawsuit can be read here (https://www.clf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025_12_16_CLFandVNRCvVorsteveld_Complaint_Unofficial_Final.pdf).
Experts are available for further comment.
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Original text here: https://www.clf.org/newsroom/vermont-farms-pesticide-use-contaminates-lake-champlain-tributaries/
TPPF: New 2nd Amendment Case Challenges Selective Granting of Constitutional Rights
AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following news release:
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TPPF: New 2nd Amendment Case Challenges Selective Granting of Constitutional Rights
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AUSTIN - Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation filed suit in federal court, on behalf of two Texas gun owners, challenging a federal law that criminalizes the carrying of a firearm onto postal service property (including the parking lot). This case could have broader implications for any American who simply wants to secure their rights under the Constitution.
This lawsuit follows a nearly identical case
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AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following news release:
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TPPF: New 2nd Amendment Case Challenges Selective Granting of Constitutional Rights
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AUSTIN - Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation filed suit in federal court, on behalf of two Texas gun owners, challenging a federal law that criminalizes the carrying of a firearm onto postal service property (including the parking lot). This case could have broader implications for any American who simply wants to secure their rights under the Constitution.
This lawsuit follows a nearly identical case( Firearms Policy Coalition v. Bondi ) that was decided earlier this year in the same court, where gun rights groups secured the right of only their members to carry on postal property. Everyone else, including the plaintiffs in this case, remains subject to the restrictions that the court agreed were unconstitutional.
In addition to securing the rights of the plaintiffs in this case to carry on postal property, this case will test whether the 1984 Supreme Court case of United States v. Mendoza still acts as a judge-created burden on individuals seeking to secure their rights under the Constitution. Under Mendoza, the government can force everybody who wants to secure the same rights as their neighbors to completely relitigate claims that a court has already decided.
"What many firearm carriers might not realize is the victory in Firearms Policy Coalition v. Bondi does not apply to individuals who are not members of those groupswhich is most firearm carriers," said TPPF Attorney Anelise Powers. " You shouldn't have to spend months and thousands of dollars litigating about a law that the court has already held unconstitutional."
This case was brought in the Northern District of Texas on behalf of two individuals: David McCann, of Tarrant County, and Kirk Launius, of Dallas County. The complaint can be found here.
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Original text here: https://www.texaspolicy.com/press/tppf-new-2nd-amendment-case-challenges-selective-granting-of-constitutional-rights
PAN Opens Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis Copay Fund
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- The PAN Foundation issued the following news on Dec. 16, 2025:
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PAN opens metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) copay fund
Today, the PAN Foundation announced the opening of its financial assistance copay program designed to help with out-of-pocket medication costs for eligible patients living with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
PAN's MASH copay assistance program provides a grant of $2,100 for out-of-pocket expenses for covered medications. If patients need more assistance within the same 12-month period and the fund is
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- The PAN Foundation issued the following news on Dec. 16, 2025:
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PAN opens metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) copay fund
Today, the PAN Foundation announced the opening of its financial assistance copay program designed to help with out-of-pocket medication costs for eligible patients living with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
PAN's MASH copay assistance program provides a grant of $2,100 for out-of-pocket expenses for covered medications. If patients need more assistance within the same 12-month period and the fund isopen, they can apply for additional funding, receiving up to $4,200 total per year.
MASH is a serious liver condition that develops when there is a buildup of fat in your liver that causes inflammation. MASH was previously known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. According to the American Liver Foundation, more than 9 in 15 adults in the U.S. have MASH, and MASH prevalence is projected to increase by 63 percent by 2030. MASH is currently the leading cause of liver transplants.
"MASH is a debilitating disease affecting millions of people every day. PAN's MASH fund brings real-time, measurable relief to patients facing soaring medication costs," said Kevin L. Hagan, PAN's President and CEO. "In 2020, we established this high-need disease area and we are grateful to our partners and donors whose generosity makes this kind of patient support possible. We are also proud to offer our patients additional support services through the American Liver Foundation, one of our valued and longstanding alliance partners."
The American Liver Foundation offers various resources, including education, support programs, transplant information, and research related to liver health, including MASH.
"This fund reflects our shared commitment to breaking down barriers to care across liver diseases," said Lorraine Stiehl, CEO of the American Liver Foundation. "We're proud to partner with the PAN Foundation to help offer patients support at each step of their treatment journey."
Eligibility requirements
To get copay assistance for MASH, patients must:
* Be receiving treatment for MASH
* Reside and receive treatment in the United States or U.S. territories (U.S. citizenship is not a requirement)
* Have government insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare) that covers the qualifying medication or product
* Take a medication or product listed on PAN's comprehensive list of covered medications
* Have a household income that falls at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty level
Check your eligibility
How to apply
You can apply online through the PAN portal or by phone. We encourage you to apply online through the PAN portal, but if you prefer to apply by phone, call us at 1-866-316-7263 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
Healthcare professionals can apply online through the PAN portal or by phone on behalf of their patients.
icon of caring hand
Other patient support services at PAN
Connect with our alliance partner, the American Liver Foundation
PAN partners with leading patient advocacy groups that help support the entire patient journey. Every patient who reaches out to PAN for financial assistance can request to connect with our alliance partner organizations, who will contact the patient directly to offer additional support and resources. Our MASH alliance partner, the American Liver Foundation, helps provide current news and information on a variety of liver-related topics helping patients, friends and families affected by liver disease. Learn more at liverfoundation.org.
Sign up for FundFinder
Developed by the PAN Foundation, FundFinder is a free website that helps you track more than 200 patient assistance funds from nine charitable organizations. You can sign up for free email or text alerts when a disease assistance fund you're interested in opens at PAN or another organization. Learn more and sign up today.
Get information about clinical trials
Whether you have questions about the clinical trial process or need help using our trial finder to explore nearby options, our warm and knowledgeable ComPANion Access Navigators are just a phone call away. They can answer your questions, equip you with conversation starters, assist you in finding trials, and help you sign up for trial alerts. Call us at 1-855-329-5969 Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
Apply for a transportation grant
PAN grant recipients may also qualify for transportation assistance to allow them to get to and from activities that improve their overall health outcomes, including healthcare services, social connections and support, and more. If the fund is closed, we encourage you to join the wait list to be notified when the fund re-opens.
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About the PAN Foundation
As a leading charitable foundation and healthcare advocacy organization, the PAN Foundation is dedicated to accelerating access to treatment for those who need it most and empowering patients on their healthcare journeys. We provide critical financial assistance for treatment costs, advocate for policy solutions that expand access to care, and deliver education on complex topics--all driven by our belief that everyone deserves access to affordable, equitable healthcare.
Since 2004, our financial assistance programs have helped more than 1.3 million people to start or stay on life-changing treatment. In addition, we've achieved major policy victories that increase access to care, mobilized patient advocates to call for change, and educated people nationwide on critical healthcare-related topics. We're committed to working towards a future where equitable health outcomes are a reality for all. Learn more at PANFoundation.org.
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Original text here: https://www.panfoundation.org/pan-opens-metabolic-dysfunction-associated-steatohepatitis-mash-copay-fund/
Getty Presents Beginnings: The Story of Creation in the Middle Ages
LOS ANGELES, California, Dec. 17 -- The J. Paul Getty Trust issued the following news release on Dec. 15, 2025:
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Getty Presents Beginnings: The Story of Creation in the Middle Ages
Exhibition spotlights humanity's enduring fascination with how the world began through a display of medieval and contemporary works
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The J. Paul Getty Museum presents Beginnings: The Story of Creation in the Middle Ages, an exhibition that explores how the Biblical story of Creation was visualized, represented, and interpreted in the Middle Ages and today.
On view at the Getty Center from January 27 through
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, Dec. 17 -- The J. Paul Getty Trust issued the following news release on Dec. 15, 2025:
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Getty Presents Beginnings: The Story of Creation in the Middle Ages
Exhibition spotlights humanity's enduring fascination with how the world began through a display of medieval and contemporary works
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The J. Paul Getty Museum presents Beginnings: The Story of Creation in the Middle Ages, an exhibition that explores how the Biblical story of Creation was visualized, represented, and interpreted in the Middle Ages and today.
On view at the Getty Center from January 27 throughApril 19, 2026, the exhibition features 15 manuscripts from the Getty Museum's collection alongside four contemporary paintings by LA-based artist Harmonia Rosales.
"The biblical story of Creation formed the basis of how medieval Christians viewed the world and continues to exert a strong influence on many artists today, seeing it both as an etiological origin story and as a metaphor for the human condition," says Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the Getty Museum. "Alongside contemporary works by Harmonia Rosales, the Museum objects in the exhibition explore traditional and divergent interpretations of Creation, challenging and reframing medieval works of art in the process."
The exhibition will address numerous themes, including Visualizing the Creation, Creation in the Abrahamic Faiths, The Introduction of Evil, and Beginnings and Ends, along with a special section devoted to Adam and Eve.
The works featured in the section on Adam and Eve will explore the creation story of the first humans and how its iconic imagery encoded complex ideas about gender roles and human behavior. Eve's role in the Creation story cemented the medieval concept of feminine weakness and generated some of the most recognizable medieval images that display sociocultural beliefs about gender. On view will be Creation of Eve from a recently acquired manuscript where the artist, Etienne Colaud, depicts God creating Eve from Adam's rib, intending for her to be Adam's "helper," contributing to the medieval understanding of women as fundamentally lesser than and secondary to men.
This section will also put medieval artworks in dialogue with contemporary works that comment on, reinterpret, and subvert expectations of the well-known narrative and its iconic visual history. Rosales's Portrait of Eve recasts the traditional Christian Eve as a figure from West African Yoruba mythology and depicts Eve in profile within a large circular ori, a decorated halo-like shape symbolizing one's destiny and spiritual transformation. The images in golden roundels that surround Eve describe the cycle of life and encompass her own experience, as well as the tribulations of her descendants in America. With her eyes closed, Eve bears the weight of the suffering of her people and becomes a symbol for interrupting cycles of trauma.
"I approach my paintings as a way to reclaim stories long erased, using Yoruba cosmology to restore strength and presence to figures often left out of history," says Harmonia Rosales. "In dialogue with Getty's medieval manuscripts, my work bridges past and present, exploring resilience, identity, and what it means to envision the world's beginnings through a lineage that has always existed."
The artworks in the Visualizing the Creation section provide a case study of how medieval artists made concrete the abstract concepts of the seven days of creation for their audiences. Featured is The Creation of the World, which depicts God presiding from above, holding a disc with circles containing the days of the Creation in clockwise fashion, with the creation of Eve highlighted in the center. Inscriptions from Genesis surround each roundel, describing the events of each day, with graphic shapes and brilliant colors capturing the drama of the events unfolding.
Creation in the Abrahamic Faiths showcases the Creation story in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic traditions in order to underscore the story's shared nature between the three religions that recognize the figure of Abraham as their first prophet. While all three rely on the same central narrative, each approached the account differently. Highlighted in this section will be pages from the Rothschild Pentateuch, a French Historical Bible, and The Wonders of Creation, a popular text throughout the medieval Islamic world focused on God's works in the celestial realm.
The Introduction of Evil section examines the narrative of how God gave humans and angels the capacity to choose between good and evil, and how this free will was the cause of the world's corruption. Medieval Christians believed that evil was not a creation of God but rather a consequence of human choice. Included in this section is the first confrontation between good and evil, known as The Fall of the Rebel Angels, where Lucifer and the other rebel angels are seen being expelled from heaven and thrown into the flaming mouth of a terrifying beast representing Hell.
Beginnings and Ends focuses on the events described in the first and last book of the Christian Bible, which narrates the world's creation and eventual demise, described as a period of destruction and anguish preceding the second coming of Christ. Medieval artists depicted the catastrophic events at the end of the world vividly in their work, exemplified in The Fourteenth Sign Before the Day of Judgment. Intense wind and flames express the chaos that will take place on heaven and on earth before God's ultimate judgment of humanity.
Beginnings: The Story of Creation in the Middle Ages is curated by Elizabeth Morrison, senior curator of manuscripts at the Getty Museum, and Larisa Grollemond, associate curator of manuscripts at the Getty Museum.
To complement the exhibition, curators Elizabeth Morrison and Larisa Grollemond will be in conversation with Harmonia Rosales at the Getty Center and online on Zoom on March 1, 2026.
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Editor's Note
This press release was updated on December 16, 2025 to include information about a related event to the exhibition.
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Original text here: https://www.getty.edu/news/getty-presents-beginnings-the-story-of-creation-in-the-middle-ages/
Central New York Community Foundation: $325,000 in Grants Awarded to Uplift and Serve Black Communities
SYRACUSE, New York, Dec. 17 -- The Central New York Community Foundation issued the following news release:
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$325,000 in Grants Awarded to Uplift and Serve Black Communities
The Central New York Community Foundation has awarded $325,000 in Black Equity & Excellence Fund grants to support community-led projects that uplift and strengthen Black communities across the region.
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The Central New York Community Foundation recently distributed 15 grants totaling $325,000 from its Black Equity & Excellence Fund. Grants from the fund support community-based projects that center, uplift and serve
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SYRACUSE, New York, Dec. 17 -- The Central New York Community Foundation issued the following news release:
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$325,000 in Grants Awarded to Uplift and Serve Black Communities
The Central New York Community Foundation has awarded $325,000 in Black Equity & Excellence Fund grants to support community-led projects that uplift and strengthen Black communities across the region.
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The Central New York Community Foundation recently distributed 15 grants totaling $325,000 from its Black Equity & Excellence Fund. Grants from the fund support community-based projects that center, uplift and serveBlack communities in Central New York by addressing economic and social disparities caused by historic marginalization. This round also marks the first time the fund has awarded a multi-year commitment, with Jubilee Homes receiving the inaugural three-year grant to support its workforce development efforts.
100 Black Men of Syracuse - $25,000
Support the Future 100 program, which empowers high school students with essential life skills to help them succeed in college, careers and community leadership
Advance Student Resource Systems - $10,000
Support the DriveSafe Robotics and E-Gaming & Careers initiative, which introduces students to technology and workforce pathways in emerging industries
AI Sustainable Development Group - $25,000
Support the Central New York Ethical AI Creators Lab, fostering equitable access to artificial intelligence education and innovation
Blueprint 15 - $35,000
Hire residents as expert advisors and engagement specialists for the Neighborhood Navigators program, deepening community input and trust in revitalization efforts
Dunbar Association - $30,000
Develop and present a youth-driven curriculum on racism and bias in the legal system, promoting awareness and dialogue among young people
Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now (FAHNN) - $10,000
Establish a wellness hub featuring a food pantry, specialty market, full-service kitchen, community garden and nutrition education programs to expand access to healthy food
Nourish Syracuse - $42,000
Launch a series of food education workshops and community initiatives in partnership with Cafe Sankofa to promote sustainable nutrition and food justice
Image Initiative - $5,500
Support the Sisters Empowering Sisters conference, a two-day event for young women that features panel discussions on health, leadership and relationships
Jubilee Homes - $25,000
Provide the first year of a three-year general operating support grant to strengthen its workforce development training center, which connects residents with job skills, coaching and pathways to employment
Life Achievers 308 - $12,500
Launch a workshop series centered on fatherhood and brotherhood to strengthen family engagement and mentorship among men of color
Me/We Creative Arts Lab & Community Studio - $10,000
Launch Black Seed Groundwork, an arts-based wellness initiative that supports Black artists, fosters healing and builds creative community connections
OptionZero - $10,000
Host adaptive fitness programs designed for senior citizens and people with disabilities, encouraging inclusion and active living
Syracuse City Ballet - $25,000
Support Dance for All: Building Community through Movement, an initiative that offers free dance classes, performances and workshops to increase access to the arts
Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility | Syracuse Community Connections - $25,000
Support the E-Sports Academy after-school program, helping youth strengthen critical thinking, teamwork and academic performance through gaming
Syracuse STEM NSBE - $35,000
Host the Syracuse STEM Design Challenge competition, inspiring youth to explore science, technology, engineering and math careers through hands-on learning
The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that turns community dollars into community change. Established in 1927, it receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to address the region's greatest needs. The Community Foundation has invested more than $320 million in community projects that benefit Central New York. It also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives that foster a thriving and equitable region and address the most critical issues of our time. Learn more at cnycf.org
The Community Foundation's Black Equity & Excellence Fund, launched in 2020, is designed to fund community-based projects that center, uplift and serve Black communities in Central New York by addressing economic and social disparities caused by historic marginalization. The fund is dedicated to fostering self-sufficiency, economic development, and community empowerment. Learn more at cnycf.org/equity.
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Original text here: https://cnycf.org/325000-in-grants-awarded-to-uplift-and-serve-black-communities/
2026 Economic Outlook: Economic Expansion Expected to Continue, But Balance of Risk Tilts Modestly Downward
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation posted the following news release:
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2026 Economic Outlook: Economic Expansion Expected to Continue, But Balance of Risk Tilts Modestly Downward
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Equipment & Software Investment Projected to Expand 6.2% in 2026; GDP to Expand 1.8%
Washington, DC, December 17, 2025 - The U.S. economy is expected to remain resilient in 2026 despite a moderation in growth, according to the 2026 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook released today by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. Real equipment and software investment
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation posted the following news release:
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2026 Economic Outlook: Economic Expansion Expected to Continue, But Balance of Risk Tilts Modestly Downward
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Equipment & Software Investment Projected to Expand 6.2% in 2026; GDP to Expand 1.8%
Washington, DC, December 17, 2025 - The U.S. economy is expected to remain resilient in 2026 despite a moderation in growth, according to the 2026 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook released today by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. Real equipment and software investmentis projected to rise 6.2% in 2026, easing from 2025's standout pace but still strong by historical standards. The report also forecasts real GDP growth of 1.8%, supported by healthy equipment demand, AI-driven capital expenditures, and equity market strength.
"Despite ongoing economic uncertainty and trade volatility, the economy carries some momentum into 2026, due in large part to business investment growth, the lifeblood of the equipment finance industry," said Leigh Lytle, President of the Foundation, and President & CEO of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association. "2025 was a strong year for the industry, and while economic growth may slow somewhat in the months ahead, the Federal Reserve's recent rate cuts should help to bolster labor markets and encourage investment activity."
Highlights from the 2026 Outlook include:
* U.S. Economy : The outlook for 2026 reflects an economy that is expanding (albeit more slowly), but also increasingly exposed to policy uncertainty, market volatility, and widening consumer disparities. These dynamics point to an economy that can still generate moderate growth, with equipment demand and AI-driven capex remaining important sources of growth. That said, the expansion is increasingly vulnerable to policy missteps and market shocks, leaving the balance of risk tilted modestly to the downside.
* Trade Policy : Trade policy will continue to drive the macroeconomic narrative during the first half of 2026. Tariffs, which have been a central component of the administration's economic strategy, have increased roughly eightfold over the last 12 months, yet due to a variety of factors, including pass-through delays and limited retaliation from foreign governments, the overall impact on the economy has been less severe than many economists expected. The Supreme Court's upcoming decision on the administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act will determine whether the current tariff regime continues or is replaced by a more procedurally constrained framework. Either outcome carries significant economic implications, but if the tariffs are struck down, a messy transition period may ensue.
* AI-Driven Investment and Equity Market Performance : The AI investment boom remains the primary engine of economic and industry growth. AI-related firms continue to drive a disproportionate share of S&P 500 gains and corporate earnings, and 2025 saw a record $350 billion in AI infrastructure spending. This surge has fueled exceptional strength in technology equipment and software investment. Yet the rapid run-up has brought clearer signs of strain: valuations look increasingly stretched, financing structures have become more complex and debt-dependent, and investors are increasingly wary that an AI-driven correction could disrupt both markets and capital spending.
* Equipment and Software Investment : Real equipment and software investment posted its strongest two-quarter performance in at least 20 years during the first half of 2025 (excluding the pandemic rebound). These gains have been highly concentrated, with technology equipment and software accounting for most of the expansion. Investment growth has been more muted outside these verticals.
* Equipment Finance Industry : The AI-related investment boom was a major bright spot in an otherwise cooling economy in 2025, and this level of investment has provided a major tailwind for the equipment finance industry. The AI buildout will continue to provide a significant boost to the economy and the industry in 2026. The Foundation's Monthly Confidence Index and ELFA's CapEx Finance Index agree, indicating resilient new business volume, healthy financial conditions, and industry confidence above the historical average. Three Fed rate cuts across the fourth quarter of 2025 should also provide a boost to the industry as borrowing costs fall and credit conditions potentially ease.
The Foundation-Keybridge U.S. Equipment & Software Investment Momentum Monitor, which is released in conjunction with the Economic Outlook, tracks seven equipment and software investment verticals. In addition, the Momentum Monitor Sector Matrix provides a customized data visualization of current values of each of the seven verticals based on recent momentum and historical strength. This month, three verticals are strong and accelerating, one is weak but accelerating, and three are weak and decelerating. However, because of the recent U.S. government shutdown, several key federal data sources used in this product are temporarily unavailable. The Momentum Monitors will be updated every month as new data becomes available and will revise current forecasts if necessary. Based on currently available indicators, over the next six months the Foundation expects the following trends to materialize on a year-over-year basis:
* Agriculture machinery investment growth should strengthen.
* Construction machinery investment growth should continue to improve.
* Energy and electrical equipment investment growth should strengthen.
* Industrial equipment investment growth is likely to weaken.
* Medical equipment investment growth will likely moderate.
* Technology equipment and software investment growth is likely to soften from peak levels.
* Transportation equipment investment growth should improve.
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ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization with a mission to advance the $1.3 trillion equipment finance sector by producing data-forward research and market outlooks, as well as cultivating the next-generation workforce through Campus to Career programs, including curriculum development and collegiate scholarships. Founded in 1989 and 100% funded through charitable donations, the Foundation drives innovation and career development for the future of the industry. www.leasefoundation.org
Media Contact: Jane Esworthy, jesworthy@elfaonline.org.
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Original text here: https://www.leasefoundation.org/news_item/2026-economic-outlook-economic-expansion-expected-to-continue-but-balance-of-risk-tilts-modestly-downward/
