Grant Details

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's guidelines reflect their long-standing interests in the arts, economic development and community revitalization, education, environment and human services because these areas embrace most of the major issues that any community must address. The foundation especially seeks to support innovative ideas being pursued by creative and entrepreneurial organizations.

The George Gund Foundation's program areas are:

• Climate and environmental justice: The Foundation supports the use of Cleveland's unique environmental history and leadership, especially regarding water, to advance a healthy and sustainable future. In particular, they focus on projects and policies that contribute to the fight against climate change. Linked to every aspect of life, climate change increasingly threatens human lives. They support organizations led by and serving communities of color and others who historically have been underrepresented and are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. They support organizations that develop and advocate for public policy on climate change and to advance clean energy, transportation, water and air. They invest in organizations that work to mitigate climate change by promoting sustainable land use, creation of accessible green spaces in Cleveland, and environmental justice—the ability of all to live in a safe and healthy environment.
• Creative culture and arts: The Foundation promotes a vibrant, diverse and thriving arts community in Cleveland that enhances learning, strengthens pride of place, creates an emotional connection to our environment and deepens the impact of opportunities for those who might otherwise be denied them. They seek to balance support among Cleveland's legacy institutions and smaller emerging organizations that reflect the full breadth of our culture and neighborhoods. They promote equity by helping to fortify organizations led by and serving people of color who have been historically underrepresented. They support the Cleveland Metropolitan School District's plan to help students realize their full creative and intellectual potential through rich artistic experiences. And they encourage integrating the creative thought, energy and inspiration that art can spark into the civic dialogue and sense of community that are needed to make progress on the complex issues that confront us.
• Public education: The Foundation supports public education because it is fundamental to American democracy. It promotes the common good, brings together children and families across different cultures, and serves all students, regardless of means, ability or circumstances. They believe in the premise and power of public education and we work to ensure every child in Cleveland attends a high-quality school and every neighborhood has a multitude of great schools from which families can choose. They work primarily with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and its partners to support schools that inspire joy and creativity, build resilience and character, impart and elicit knowledge, and produce just, kind and engaged citizens ready for college, career and civic life. They are committed to the values of racial and economic justice and to overcoming the continuing issue of segregated schools and communities. They support advocacy for sound and consistent statewide policy that furthers our work and mitigates the effects of poverty on learning.
• Thriving families and social justice: Historic barriers to opportunity for both individuals and families must be removed to fully realize human potential. The Foundation strives toward a more just community and society that eliminate the conditions that create human need or limit fundamental rights. They invest in growth and development opportunities for historically marginalized people at critical life junctures, such as pre-natal and early childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and when entering the workforce or forming a family. They support public policies that reduce poverty, that strengthen family economic stability and that secure equitable access to basic human needs such as food, shelter, and health care—particularly primary, behavioral, and reproductive. They pursue equitable treatment for both juveniles and adults in the civil and criminal justice systems plagued by racial disparities. They promote fair tax and fiscal policies which establish the framework for all public investment and the equitable use of data to accurately reflect the lived experience of society's most marginalized populations. 
• Economic Justice and Community Power: City neighborhoods are essential to our regional economy as the largest concentrations of employers and employees, as talent magnets and as places where the exchange of ideas and insights can flourish. City neighborhood density, walkability, bike-ability and access to transit help to fight climate change. The people who live in the neighborhoods are essential participants in the strong regional team needed to compete in the global economy. ?