Foundations
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from U.S. foundations.
Featured Stories
Horizon Foundation: County Executive Introduces Complete Streets Resolution
COLUMBIA, Maryland, Aug. 23 -- The Horizon Foundation issued the following news:
Today, County Executive Calvin Ball pre-filed a new resolution with the County Council to further support the implementation of complete streets in Howard County. "Complete streets" is a term describing roads that allow safe and accessible travel for everyone who uses them - whether walking, biking, riding a bus, using a wheelchair or pushing a stroller. These roads may include street crossings, accessible and connected sidewalks and bike lanes that make it easy for people to get where they need to go in the way that
... Show Full Article
COLUMBIA, Maryland, Aug. 23 -- The Horizon Foundation issued the following news:
Today, County Executive Calvin Ball pre-filed a new resolution with the County Council to further support the implementation of complete streets in Howard County. "Complete streets" is a term describing roads that allow safe and accessible travel for everyone who uses them - whether walking, biking, riding a bus, using a wheelchair or pushing a stroller. These roads may include street crossings, accessible and connected sidewalks and bike lanes that make it easy for people to get where they need to go in the way thatthey choose.
The Streets for All coalition's lead partners - the Horizon Foundation, American Heart Association and Bicycling Advocates of Howard County - issued the following statements in response:
"We appreciate the hard work of County Executive Calvin Ball to get us to this point, and we are pleased he shares our commitment to better, safer streets for all," said Nikki Highsmith Vernick, president and CEO of the Horizon Foundation. "This resolution is a great launching point toward making the county's streets safer and more accessible and for children to walk to school, for people to be more physically active and for people with disabilities and older adults to travel more easily and independently."
"Complete streets are good for health, the environment and the economy," said Deepak Suri, board chair of the American Heart Association. "In the coming months, we hope to see action and progress in effectively and equitably implementing complete streets across Howard County so we can achieve these benefits. We are excited to get started."
"We want Howard County to be a leader in biking and walking and join its neighboring communities in redesigning its streets with all people, of all ages and abilities, in mind," said Jack Guarneri, president of the Bicycling Advocates of Howard County. "By advancing changes like complete streets, we can help Howard County rise to the top in the state and the nation as the healthiest place to live."
The Streets for All coalition launched in summer 2019 and builds upon the success of 46 organizations and businesses and 2,000 people who advocated for increased bike funding in the county. In the FY 2020 budget proposed by County Executive Ball and passed by the County Council, $2.2 million was dedicated to bike routes - an amount nearly four times higher than recent years.
Community Committee Announced to Oversee Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund
DAYTON, Ohio, Aug. 23 -- The Dayton Foundation issued the following news release:
The Dayton Foundation has convened a diverse group of 16 volunteer community leaders who will serve as the Community Oversight Committee to oversee the disbursement of the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund. In addition, five nonvoting, ex officio members are providing pro bono legal, auditing and other assistance.
Co-chairing the Committee are Brother Raymond L. Fitz, S.M., Ph.D., former president of the University of Dayton, and Gary L. LeRoy, MD, FAAFP, associate dean for student affairs and admission at Wright
... Show Full Article
DAYTON, Ohio, Aug. 23 -- The Dayton Foundation issued the following news release:
The Dayton Foundation has convened a diverse group of 16 volunteer community leaders who will serve as the Community Oversight Committee to oversee the disbursement of the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund. In addition, five nonvoting, ex officio members are providing pro bono legal, auditing and other assistance.
Co-chairing the Committee are Brother Raymond L. Fitz, S.M., Ph.D., former president of the University of Dayton, and Gary L. LeRoy, MD, FAAFP, associate dean for student affairs and admission at WrightState University Boonshoft School of Medicine, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians and former chair of The Dayton Foundation Governing Board.
Said Brother Fitz, "Foremost, we want to express our deepest condolences, compassion and prayers to the families whose loved ones were taken in this terrible tragedy and to the individuals who were physically injured. As the volunteer Community Oversight Committee for this compensation fund, we absolutely want to do what is in the best interest of these individuals while upholding the intent of the thousands of donors who have generously contributed to the fund for the benefit of others."
Members of the Community Oversight Committee include:
Pastor Renard Allen, St. Luke Baptist Church;
Melodie Bennett, House of Bread;
Honorable Erik Blaine, community volunteer;
David Bowman, The Ohlmann Group;
Doug Compton, Fifth Third Bank, Dayton Business Committee;
Marva Cosby, Cosby Consulting and vice-chair of The Dayton Foundation Governing Board;
Sarah Hackenbracht, Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association;
Sandy Hunt, Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office;
Helen Jones-Kelley, Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services for Montgomery County;
Julio Mateo, 361 Interactive, LLC;
Phil Parker, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce;
Natalie Skilliter, Corner Kitchen;
Rev. Joshua Ward, Omega Baptist Church; and
Carolyn Wright, Parity Inc.
Nonvoting, ex officio members providing pro bono assistance include: Chuck Craft, Flagel Huber Flagel; Tyler Small, Montgomery County Administrator's Office; Joe Oehlers, Bieser, Greer & Landis; Cory Paul, American Red Cross of Dayton; and, Erin Ritter, City of Dayton, City Manager&rsquos Office.
"Our community is grieving, and we're doing our due diligence to be sure that these heartfelt contributions are distributed in an equitable, transparent and timely manner," Gary L. LeRoy, M.D. said. "We're consulting with national experts and community foundation leadership who have experienced similar mass tragedies to help provide guidance as we work through this process."
In the coming weeks, the Community Oversight Committee will draft the protocol for how the accumulated charitable funds will be distributed to the victims of the Oregon District tragedy. The public will be invited to review the draft and provide input at a date to be announced.
To date, nearly 4,300 individual gifts totaling just under $1.3 million in donations have been received to the fund. Additional pledges and contributions will be added as they arrive until the fund closes.
Said Dayton Foundation President Michael M. Parks, "While the fund will not heal the pain nor cover the costs or hardships of the individuals impacted, it is a small way that charitably-minded people can help. We sincerely thank these dedicated community leaders for serving on the Oversight Committee and for volunteering their time and expertise to ensure an open and fair process."
* * *
About the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund
Immediately following the Oregon District mass shooting that occurred on August 4, 2019, the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund was established by The Dayton Foundation to accept charitable donations with the intent that the money raised would assist the victims who were physically injured and the families of the victims whose lives were taken. Donations to the fund may be made online at http://www.daytonfoundation.org/oregontragedy, by texting DAYTON to 20222 for a one-time $10 donation, or by sending a check to The Dayton Foundation (please note the new address) 1401 S. Main Street, Suite 100, Dayton, OH 45409. "Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund" should be designated on the check or in the credit card form's fund name field. The Dayton Foundation is waiving all administrative fees and paying all credit card processing fees for donations to the fund.
About The Dayton Foundation
The Dayton Foundation is the regional community foundation for Greater Dayton. Since its establishment in 1921, the Foundation has helped people to help others, managing more than 3,700 charitable funds that have provided more than $920 million in grants to nonprofits locally and nationwide. Ranked among the top 5 percent of all community foundations in the nation for total assets, The Dayton Foundation is second among them in the number of charitable funds and third in the number of grants awarded. More information about The Dayton Foundation is available at http://www.daytonfoundation.org or follow the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
African Wildlife Foundation: Giraffes Win Big at CITES Wildlife Conference
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug. 23 -- The African Wildlife Foundation issued the following news:
Giraffes will for the first time enjoy protection after countries voted on August 22, 2019 to end unregulated international trade in giraffe parts.
The proposal to include giraffes in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (or CITES) received overwhelming support from Parties currently gathered in Geneva, Switzerland. The proposal was put forward by Central African Republic, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Niger, and Senegal. They argued that all nine subspecies
... Show Full Article
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug. 23 -- The African Wildlife Foundation issued the following news:
Giraffes will for the first time enjoy protection after countries voted on August 22, 2019 to end unregulated international trade in giraffe parts.
The proposal to include giraffes in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (or CITES) received overwhelming support from Parties currently gathered in Geneva, Switzerland. The proposal was put forward by Central African Republic, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Niger, and Senegal. They argued that all nine subspeciesof giraffes across the range States must be protected to counter their fast plummeting numbers. While the listing will not ban all international trade of the species, it will impose stringent conditions that will make it harder for countries to buy and sell giraffe parts.
"We note that, compared to other species, giraffe conservation and management is relatively poorly understood. We urge range States to enhance their efforts in conserving the species, learning from the experiences behind increasing populations of Angolan giraffe and South African giraffe," said Dr. Philip Muruthi, Vice President for Species Conservation and Science at African Wildlife Foundation (AWF). He is leading the organization's delegation to CITES.
Giraffe numbers across Africa have continued to plummet, leading to scientists calling the phenomena a "silent extinction" that is happening right under our noses. The continent has lost 40 percent of its giraffe herd in three decades and now remains with a population of less than 100,000.
Speaking to journalists before the decisive vote to save giraffes, the chief of scientific services at CITES Tom De Meulenaer said that while most people's attention has been focused on elephants, giraffes are facing a much more serious extinction threat.
"The giraffe is, in the wild, much rarer than African elephants. We are talking about a few tens of thousands of giraffes, and we talk about a few hundreds of thousands of African elephants. So we need to be careful," he said.
The United States of America and Europe have been the primary consumers of giraffe products, importing 98 percent of giraffe trophies from Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Elephants, meanwhile, retain their enhanced protection after parties voted against proposals to relax trade regulations to allow for more trade in ivory.
These proposals sought to downlist Zambia's elephant populations from Appendix I to Appendix II, and to alter the appendix to make it easier to trade elephant ivory. AWF recommended against both.
"AWF considers the re-opening of the international trade in elephant ivory during this period of escalated poaching and trafficking as being detrimental to elephant conservation across Africa. We urge all African elephant range States and the international community to take a firm position regarding protecting Africa's elephants and to put in place stringent measures that will extinguish the insatiable demand threatening the survival of the world's largest land mammal," said Dr. Muruthi in a statement.
Welsh Respond to Charity Appeals More Than the Rest of the UK
LONDON, England, Aug. 22 -- The Charities Aid Foundation issued the following news release:
The Welsh are more likely to respond to large charity appeals in the run up to Christmas than the UK as a whole, according to new research into charitable giving in Wales.
The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has released its inaugural Wales Giving report for 2019, offering insights into how people across Wales support charities.
The report, which adds to CAF's annual World Giving, UK Giving and Scotland Giving reports, found that people in Wales were also more likely than the UK as a whole to have participated
... Show Full Article
LONDON, England, Aug. 22 -- The Charities Aid Foundation issued the following news release:
The Welsh are more likely to respond to large charity appeals in the run up to Christmas than the UK as a whole, according to new research into charitable giving in Wales.
The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has released its inaugural Wales Giving report for 2019, offering insights into how people across Wales support charities.
The report, which adds to CAF's annual World Giving, UK Giving and Scotland Giving reports, found that people in Wales were also more likely than the UK as a whole to have participatedin a charitable or social activity in the last four weeks (67% versus 64% for the UK as a whole).
However, the number of people claiming the Gift Aid tax credit for charity in Wales - which can add an additional 25% to the value of their donation - is lower than the UK average (47% vs 51%) and the average amount of money donated in Wales was lower than the UK as a whole, likely a reflection of lower average wages in Wales.
Other key findings include:
* Three fifths of people in Wales donated money to charity within the last year, with November being a peak month due to a number of major national charity events.
* An estimated pound sterling454 million was donated to charity by those living in Wales in 2018 - accounting for 4.5% of the UK total of pound sterling10.1 billion.
* The top three causes that people chose to support in 2018 were medical research, animal welfare and children or young people.
* One in six people in Wales have volunteered in the last year, with the level of volunteering being higher amongst students.
* The UK remains one of the most generous countries in the world, consistently ranked in the top 10 in the Charities Aid Foundation's annual World Giving Index.
Susan Pinkney, CAF's Head of Research, said:
"This first dedicated Wales Giving report gives us some terrific insights into the generosity of people in Wales and helps us better understand how and when they give.
"This research tells us that the Welsh give big in response to the big charity appeals in November and December, but I'd say charities have to work to raise awareness of the incredible benefits of claiming Gift Aid on all of that generosity to make that money go even further."
Kim Yong-koo, Managing Editor of the Korea Times and a 1963 Nieman Fellow, Dies at 90
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Aug. 22 -- The Nieman Foundation issued the following news:
Kim Yong-koo, a 1963 Nieman Fellow--the first from South Korea--and former managing editor of The Korea Times and, died August 19 in Seoul. He was 90.
After working as an army chaplain and as an interpreter between Korean and U.S. forces during the Korean War, Kim began his journalism career as a reporter at The Korea Times--the country's oldest English-language daily newspaper--in 1954. He went on to serve as the paper's managing editor from 1959 to 1961. He then became director of the Press Center, an ethical
... Show Full Article
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Aug. 22 -- The Nieman Foundation issued the following news:
Kim Yong-koo, a 1963 Nieman Fellow--the first from South Korea--and former managing editor of The Korea Times and, died August 19 in Seoul. He was 90.
After working as an army chaplain and as an interpreter between Korean and U.S. forces during the Korean War, Kim began his journalism career as a reporter at The Korea Times--the country's oldest English-language daily newspaper--in 1954. He went on to serve as the paper's managing editor from 1959 to 1961. He then became director of the Press Center, an ethicaljournalism institute managed by The Korea Times. After his Nieman fellowship year, which was sponsored by the Asia Foundation, he wrote for the Hankook Ilbo--a sister paper of The Korean Times-- starting in 1963. In 1998, he became a distinguished professor of journalism at Korea University.
Kim was a founding member of the Kwanhun Club, a Korean journalists group, and he served as a chief of the international Congress for Cultural Freedom's Korean branch. A staunch advocate for press freedom, he often wrote and lectured about the subject, and worked with the International Press Institute to promote press freedom worldwide. Following his retirement, Kim published Bushitdol, a small literary and philosophical journal.
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky: Tobacco-Free for Students - Partnership to Donate Signage to Newly Tobacco-Free School Districts
FRANKFORT, Kentucky, Aug. 22 -- Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky issued the following news release:
Kentucky school districts that adopt tobacco-free campus policies under a new 2019 law are eligible for free tobacco-free campus and vehicle signage, thanks to a partnership among the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy), the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC). The groups say their "Tobacco Free for Students" program will cover the chief cost of implementing the new law and significantly help improve community compliance.
"Schools should
... Show Full Article
FRANKFORT, Kentucky, Aug. 22 -- Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky issued the following news release:
Kentucky school districts that adopt tobacco-free campus policies under a new 2019 law are eligible for free tobacco-free campus and vehicle signage, thanks to a partnership among the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy), the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC). The groups say their "Tobacco Free for Students" program will cover the chief cost of implementing the new law and significantly help improve community compliance.
"Schools shouldbe a safe haven for kids and teens from the sights and smells of smoking, vaping and dip," said Ben Chandler, FHKy president and CEO. "We advocated for this law because the research shows it will protect kids from secondhand smoke and reduce youth tobacco use. Placing readily recognizable tobacco-free schools signs on campuses across the state will remind students, staff, faculty and entire communities that tobacco use has no place in school at any time."
KMA President Bruce Scott, M.D., said, "Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the United States and it is estimated that today there are 119,000 kids under the age of 18 in Kentucky who will ultimately die prematurely from smoking. Given that nearly ninety percent of adult smokers began using before the age of 18, preventing our youth from ever picking up a cigarette or tobacco product of any kind is imperative to protecting these future generations from the harms of such an addiction."
"With Graves County schools just recently adopting the tobacco-free campus policy and with these new signs visible throughout the school, we hope our classmates begin to better understand the harms of tobacco and e-cig products to their health," said Kendall Tubbs and Abbi Stratton, high school seniors and Tobacco-Free Ambassadors at Graves County High School. "We also think this new rule will take the pressure off those of us who are asked to use these products but don't actually want to. As seniors, we hope by the end of our high school career to see all hallways, bathrooms, and sports games free from tobacco."
Through the Tobacco-Free for Students program, eligible school districts can order metal signs for school entrances and outdoor sports venue fencing, as well as window decals for exterior school building doors and buses. Initially, the signage will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to districts that adopt a new tobacco-free schools policy after April 2019, in compliance with the new law (House Bill 11, KRS 438.345). In January 2020, eligibility for the free signage will be expanded to include Kentucky school districts that previously had passed tobacco-free schools policies and would like to refresh their campus and vehicle signage. The program will continue until July 1, 2020, the deadline for schools to adopt the new policy, or until signage runs out.
"We expect to have enough signage to meet the needs of every school district that has recently made the decision to go tobacco-free," said Shawn Jones, M.D., president of KFMC. "Our hope is that offering the signage first to the 58 percent of school districts that hadn't previously gone tobacco-free will be an incentive to move quickly for budget-conscious school boards that want to protect student health but are struggling with how to pay for the mandated signage."
Schools Already Adopting Tobacco-Free Policy
The Tobacco Free for Students program was developed in consultation with the Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA). As of August 9, 55 school districts have already adopted the new policy, KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling said. That means that 74 percent of Kentucky school districts now have tobacco-free policies, an increase from 42 percent since the law passed.
"We are extremely grateful to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care and the Kentucky Medical Association for their investments of time and money to help offset the cost of tobacco-free school signage in our public schools. At a time when state funding for education is extremely limited, these types of partnerships are critical in easing the burden on local communities. KSBA is proud to work with these groups on the signage project as avid supporters of House Bill 11 and in the interest of student and staff health to combat the vaping epidemic," Schelling said.
"Passing the tobacco-free schools bill was an important first step in eliminating tobacco use on our school campuses," said Rep. Kim Moser, the primary sponsor of HB11. "I'm thrilled about the number of Kentucky public schools that already have adopted the new policy. And I'm grateful to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Kentucky Medical Association for stepping up to help schools implement the new law."
The model policy in the new law, to be adopted by districts by July 1, 2020, in time for implementation for the 2020/2021 school year, prohibits the use of all tobacco products at all times on school campuses and in school vehicles. The policy also prohibits tobacco use by school officials on field trips when students are present. The law does not prohibit adult use of nicotine replacement therapy products for tobacco cessation.
The Tobacco-Free for Students website - http://www.tobaccofreestudents.org - includes an order form and all other information districts need to order the new signage.
Press Conference Live Stream (https://youtu.be/tEwGpwIZnGM)
Before HB11 Map (https://www.healthy-ky.org/res/images/resources/Before-HB11-Kentucky-Tobacco-Free-Schools-Map.png)
After HB11 Map (https://www.healthy-ky.org/res/images/resources/HB11-Kentucky-Tobacco-Free-Schools-Map.png)
Sign Design (https://www.healthy-ky.org/res/images/resources/10x12-Tobacco-Free-Campus-Signs.pdf)
* * *
About the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
Funded by an endowment, the mission of the nonpartisan Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is to address the unmet health needs of Kentuckians by developing and influencing policy, improving access to care, reducing health risks and disparities, and promoting health equity. Since the Foundation opened its doors in 2001, it has invested nearly $28 million in health policy research, advocacy, and demonstration project grants across the Commonwealth. Follow the Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and visit our website at http://www.healthy-ky.org.
About the Kentucky Medical Association
Established in 1851, the Kentucky Medical Association is a professional organization for physicians throughout the Commonwealth. The KMA works on behalf of physicians and the patients they serve to ensure the delivery of quality, affordable healthcare.
Members of the KMA share a mission of commitment to the profession and service to the citizens of this Commonwealth that extends across rural and urban areas. From solo practitioners to academicians to large, multi-specialty groups, KMA is the ONLY state association representing every specialty and type of medical practice in Kentucky.
About the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care
Founded by the Kentucky Medical Association in 1971, the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to improving the health of all Kentuckians through medical education and public health initiatives.
Dr. Oyun Sanjaasuren and Secretary George Shultz Honored at SF Dinner for Environmental Leadership
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 22 -- The Asia Foundation issued the following news:
On September 10 in San Francisco, The Asia Foundation will present Dr. Oyun Sanjaasuren, former President of the United Nations Environment Assembly, with the Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Leadership Award in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and advocacy for civil and social rights, including water security. The Honorable George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State, will be honored with a Lifetime Leadership Award. KQED's Mina Kim will serve as the emcee for the evening's program, "Leaders on the
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 22 -- The Asia Foundation issued the following news:
On September 10 in San Francisco, The Asia Foundation will present Dr. Oyun Sanjaasuren, former President of the United Nations Environment Assembly, with the Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Leadership Award in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and advocacy for civil and social rights, including water security. The Honorable George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State, will be honored with a Lifetime Leadership Award. KQED's Mina Kim will serve as the emcee for the evening's program, "Leaders on theFrontlines: Mobilizing Changemakers for our Sustainable Future." Headquartered in San Francisco, The Asia Foundation is a leading international NGO committed to helping Asian leaders meet today's most pressing challenges.
Leaders from the philanthropic, business, and diplomatic sectors are expected to attend the award dinner featuring special remarks by the honorees on the importance of emerging leaders in transforming their communities and the world. The Asia Foundation has long been recognized for its ability to convene changemakers--individuals, organizations, and policymakers--who are shaping Asia's future.
A geochemist by training, Dr. Oyun was the first President of the UN Environment Assembly, as well as Mongolia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Environment and Green Development. She is the director of external affairs at the Green Climate Fund and founder of the Zorig Foundation, named in honor of her late brother.
An elder statesman, Secretary Shultz has had an illustrious career in government, academia, and business. He held four different federal cabinet posts in the Nixon and Reagan Administrations; taught at three leading universities in the U.S.; and for eight years, was president of a major engineering and construction company. In recent years, Secretary Shultz has advocated for major policies to address climate change.
The annual celebration of exceptional leadership - both legacy and rising - will also showcase Asia's next-generation leaders represented by the 2019 cohort of Asia Foundation Development Fellows. Twelve emerging leaders are selected each year to join a vibrant community of changemakers working on the frontlines to address the region's most pressing development challenges. The 2019 class, six women and six men, were selected from over 900 applicants and come from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
The Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes prominent Asian leaders for a lifetime of achievement in government, business, and academia. The Award is named in honor of the late Dr. Chang-Lin Tien, former grantee and chair of The Asia Foundation's Board of Trustees, and chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley, who is widely respected for his accomplishments in science, higher education, and U.S.-Asia relations.
The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, our work across the region addresses five overarching goals--strengthen governance, empower women, expand economic opportunity, increase environmental resilience, and promote regional cooperation.
