George Gund Foundation
Contact information:
1845 Guildhall Building
45 Prospect Avenue West
Cleveland, OH 44115-1018
Phone: 216-241-3114
Fax: 216-241-6560
E-mail: info@gundfdn.org
Website: www.gundfoundation.org
Type of foundation: Independent
Types of grants: Capital, conferences/seminars, emergency funds, general/operating support, internship funds, matching/challenge support, program-related investments/loans, program, scholarships, seed money, technical assistance.
Description: The Foundation was created by businessman and philanthropist George Gund. Mr. Gund's early career included banking and real estate in Seattle, WA, serving in Army intelligence during World War I and developing the Kaffee-Hag Corporation in Cleveland, OH. His interest in banking culminated in his becoming President of The Cleveland Trust Company in 1941. At his death in 1966, he was Chairman of the Board.
The George Gund Foundation was established in 1952 as a private, nonprofit institution with the sole purpose of contributing to human well-being and the progress of society. The Foundation makes grants in the areas of:
- Arts: The Foundation supports the arts as a means of making Cleveland and its region a more desirable place to live, fostering the growth of a creative workforce, catalyzing development in its neighborhoods and serving as a bridge between various segments of the community. The Foundation supports projects that attract new audiences for the arts, expand artistic offerings and increase organizational capacity. The Foundation also tries to balance continuing support that insures the stability of Cleveland's arts institutions with funding for new initiatives, programs and organizations that foster creativity in the community. Arts education continues to be a priority, with a focus on curriculum-related partnerships between arts organizations and the Cleveland Municipal School District.
- Economic Development and Community Revitalization: Grants focus on efforts to sustain urban assets that promote economic growth, in particular by supporting collaborative efforts that leverage resources. Priority is given to initiatives that bolster the impact of Foundation-supported intermediary organizations working to improve the competitiveness of Cleveland's neighborhoods and its metropolitan region.
- Education: Grants focus on supporting the creation of new, innovative, excellent schools in Cleveland. Related to that strategy is the recognition that high quality teachers supported by excellent principals make an enormous difference in student success. Therefore, the Foundation seeks to support efforts to guarantee quality teacher and principals in every classroom and school and to support disadvantaged students through key transitions, especially to higher education. The Foundation also has an interest in the efforts of public and private universities in Greater Cleveland to forge innovative ventures that enhance the region.
- Environment: The Foundation focuses on Northeast Ohio environmental issues, including efforts to restore and preserve the Lake Erie ecosystem, promoting alternatives to urban sprawl, decreasing energy consumption and waste, conserving ecosystems and biodiversity, reducing environmental health hazards, increasing public awareness of environmental issues and building the skills of nonprofit environmental leaders.
- Human Services: Grants support early childhood care and education, abuse prevention and improved foster care and adoption systems. In addition, the Foundation provides some support for the local "safety net" of food, clothing, shelter and access to health care. A closely related set of interests is reflected in the Foundation's desire to help vulnerable populations achieve access to health insurance, the legal system, community support following release from prison and safe and affordable reproductive health services.
Sample grants:
- $500,000 to ideastream, Cleveland, OH for news and public affairs programming (2007).
- $150,000 to Scenarios USA, Brooklyn, NY for operating support and Cleveland film production (2006).
- $100,000 to National Public Radio, Washington, DC for Midwest news coverage (2007).
- $50,000 to University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI for training for radio environmental journalists (2006).
- $15,000 National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, Washington, DC for Earth Gauge project to inject environmental information into television weather broadcasts (2006).
Fit for public broadcasting: The Foundation's giving appears to focus on public media as it relates to regional and environmental news. The Foundation has made 28 grants for radio/television/film projects over the past five years, totaling more than $2.32 million.
Eligibility: Giving primarily in northeastern Ohio and the greater Cleveland area.
No support for political groups, services for the physically, mentally or developmentally disabled, or the elderly. Generally, no grants to individuals, or for building or endowment funds, political campaigns, debt reduction, equipment, renovation projects or to fund benefit events. No capital grants to projects that have not adopted green building principles.
Deadline(s): March 15th (for July meeting) and July 15th (for November meeting)
How to apply: Initial approach may be by either letter of inquiry or proposal. Application forms can be found here. The Foundation accepts organizations using the common grant application form that has been developed by the Ohio Grantmaker Forum and can be downloaded here. Proposals sent by fax will not be considered. Please do not submit proposals in notebooks, binders, or plastic folders. Proposals are due the next business day if a deadline falls on a weekend.
Additional information: The Foundation requires applicants to provide a brief statement about what their organizations are doing or considering to reduce or eliminate their impact on climate change. The statement should address the organization's operations as well as its programming. The Foundation has prepared suggested actions, sample statements, online climate change resources and a list of frequently asked questions.
Giving range: The average gift for radio/television projects is approximately $85,000. The Foundation has made gifts as high as $5 million.
Assets: $340,451,676 (2008)
Total giving: $20,218,731 (2008)
View 2009 Annual Report.
