Hewlett Foundation Announces $67.63 Million in New Grants
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has authorized $67,639,587 in new grants to a total of 175 organizations. Some highlighted new grants include:
Education – Providing Free Educational Resources Online
The Foundation’s Education Program announced $16,272,000 in grants, including several to expand the availability of free, high-quality educational content on the Internet. With a $4,450,000 grant, the Open University of the United Kingdom, an international online distance learning university serving 250,000 students, will establish a Web-based repository of courses accessible by anyone, anywhere in the world. The Open University will make educational resources available at various levels, from remedial to postgraduate, covering a range of subjects including, the arts and humanities, business and management, health, languages, mathematics, science, and technology. The new Web site will launch in October 2006.
Environment – Promoting Clean Energy Use in the U.S. and China
The Hewlett Foundation is a strong supporter of the Energy Foundation, a San Francisco-based organization that works to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The Foundation’s Environment Program recently awarded a total of $18,386,000 in new grants, $7,000,000 of which will support several of the Energy Foundation’s current projects in the United States and China. In the U.S., Hewlett Foundation support will help the Energy Foundation and its grantee organizations move forward with the implementation of plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in several Northeast states and on new federal standards to improve the energy efficiency of large appliances. Hewlett grants will also help promote clean energy in the Western U.S., including tightening emissions standards and proposing alternatives to coal-fired power plants. Finally, the Energy Foundation will continue to support groups in China advocating for stricter vehicle emissions standards and cleaner-burning fuels.
Global Development – Examining the Effects of U.S. Farm Policy
The Global Development Program awarded $7,444,000 in grants, including support for research on global trade and for organizations helping to increase Americans’ knowledge of international development issues. A $201,000 grant to the Cato Institute, a Washington, DC think tank, will fund a research project on how U.S. farm policy for important commodities – sugar, rice, dairy, and cotton – affect the world’s poorest producers and consumers. The Global Development Program also made grants to several media organizations devoted to bringing information about development issues to a wide audience, including a $2,000,000 grant to the Independent Television Service. The grant will support the International Media Development Fund, an initiative of the Independent Television Service, which helps independent producers from other countries create documentaries on compelling international stories for American audiences.
Performing Arts – Encouraging Community Participation in the Arts
In order to serve the diverse artistic interests of Bay Area residents, the Performing Arts Program recently announced $5,773,500 in grants to local organizations, some of which are dedicated to encouraging residents to become involved in the arts, not only as audience members, but also as participants. The program awarded a $285,000 grant to the Community Music Center in San Francisco, which offers extensive financial aid and training in a variety of musical traditions including western classical, jazz, Latin American, Middle-Eastern, and Chinese. A $255,000 grant to the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View, one of the largest arts education providers in the Bay Area, will help the organization continue to provide music training and education programs to individuals of all ages and skill levels. The Performing Arts Program also awarded grants to Ragazzi, the Peninsula Boys’ Chorus ($90,000) and Piedmont Choirs ($90,000), two choral training and performance organizations for Bay Area children, and Schola Cantorum ($51,000), one of the largest adult community choruses in the region.
Philanthropy – Evaluating Success at Foundations and Nonprofits
The Foundation’s Philanthropy Program awarded $1,442,587 in new grants, including grants to organizations that help foundations and nonprofit organizations better evaluate their performance and reach their goals. A $500,000 grant to the Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability will help support its Keystone project, which works with nonprofit organizations to identify objectives, assess financial and staff needs, seek feedback from the people they serve, and report on progress to donors. The Philanthropy and Regional Programs collaborated on a $300,000 grant to The United Way Silicon Valley, which will enable the organization to develop strategies and evaluation systems to help it become more effective in serving 400,000 disadvantaged residents in Santa Clara County.
Population – Taking On Teen Pregnancy in the United States
More than 800,000 American teenagers become pregnant every year, and the vast majority of these pregnancies are unintended. The Foundation’s Population Program awarded $13,044,000 in new grants, including grants to two organizations working to reduce the rate of teen pregnancy. Advocates for Youth, the recipient of a $1,050,000 grant, is dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. A $1,000,000 grant to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy will help the organization raise awareness about teen pregnancy with the goal of reducing the pregnancy rate among teenagers by one-third over the next ten years. The Campaign works with young people, parents, the media, and leaders in the political, religious, and entertainment communities to spread the message of teen pregnancy prevention to Americans.
Regional Program – Improving Education in East Palo Alto, CA
The Regional Program focuses on grantmaking to improve the quality of life in disadvantaged communities in the Bay Area, and has announced $2,110,500 in new grants. The Foundation’s Regional and Education Programs are collaborating on a $2,460,000 grant to support improvements in classroom instruction in the Ravenswood School District in East Palo Alto. This grant to the New Teacher Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz will enable the center to continue its highly successful work to increase the quality of teaching and student achievement in the Ravenswood District’s seven schools. The mentoring provided by the New Teacher Center has led to a stunning turnaround in the schools that participated in the program: 84 percent of new teachers returned to the classroom in 2004-05 compared with only 27 percent the previous year. In 2005-06, 87 percent of new teachers returned. In addition, students’ scores on state standardized tests have improved. With this grant, the New Teacher Center will be able to work with more schools, better align after school programs with classroom teaching, and increase parental involvement in the Ravenswood District.