Grants part of $2,313,090 awarded during 4th quarter competitive grantmaking cycle
Milwaukee, WI – Feb. 4, 2014 – The Greater Milwaukee Foundation awarded $418,000 during the fourth quarter to seven area nonprofits that are working to strengthen Milwaukee area neighborhoods.
Agape Community Center, Havenwoods Economic Development Corporation, Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, Sherman Park Community Association, Urban Anthropology and University of Wisconsin-Extension Waukesha County received grants to continue their work in the Thurston Woods, Old North Milwaukee, Havenwoods, Silver City, Burnham Park, Layton Park, Sherman Park, Lincoln Village and Baran Park neighborhoods and Waukesha’s Tower Hill area. They participate in the Foundation’s Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative, a collaborative approach among middle market neighborhoods that promotes neighborhood confidence by engaging residents in neighborhood pride projects and strengthening local real estate markets.
Since the Foundation launched the initiative in 2006, it has invested about $3 million in neighborhoods in Milwaukee and Waukesha. Money has supported projects such as pocket parks, community events, home improvement projects and a leadership building program for neighborhood residents.
“The Greater Milwaukee Foundation recognized early on that strong neighborhoods are the foundation of a healthy community,” said Darlene Russell, senior program officer. “We’ve embraced an approach to strengthen middle market neighborhoods – areas in which we can build from an area of strength but if we don’t pay attention to them, the confidence level of the residents could decline. As a result of our funding, these lead organizations have been able to attract additional dollars, engage more residents and improve more homes and public spaces, all of which have resulted in stronger neighborhoods. Their good work is contagious.”
The Foundation also provided a $75,000 grant to LISC Milwaukee to further its work toward increasing capacity building among nonprofits, leadership development among residents and nonprofit staff in Milwaukee neighborhoods and to support collaboration across neighborhoods.
For a full listing of grants, visit www.greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/grants/recent-grants. A progress report on the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative can be found at
www.greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/files/7713/8125/8562/GMFHealthyNeighborhoods2012Highlights.pdf
