Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Working to Gather 20,000 Teen Opinions Across Western New York & Southeast Michigan

Foundation launches “Teen Opinions Count” project to help inform future investments in afterschool programs (more…)

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Expands its Opportunity to Impact Caregivers with
$4 million Investment and Partnerships with the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York

RCWJRF provides $2 million grant to each organization to endow new Program Officer positions focused on strategies and program to support caregivers of older adults, Kenneth M. Genewick joins the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, Tim Niyonsenga joins the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

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Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Announces STEM 2035

Beginning today, the Foundation is requesting applications to support afterschool and summer science, technology, engineering and math programs for youth in grades 6-12 (more…)

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MIT’s 2018 Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC) Launches in North America; Over $1 Million to be Awarded to Organizations Reinventing the Future of Work

CAMBRIDGE, MA, March 15, 2018 – Today, the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy (IDE) announced that it will expand the global reach of its Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC). Collaborating with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the IIC will seek to identify and promote entrepreneurial organizations in North America that are using technology to improve economic opportunity for low and moderate income earners. Entrepreneurs operating primarily in North America and/or those that are based in the region can register today through May 29, 2018 at MITInclusiveInnovation.com.

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The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Announces Vision for a Center for Nonprofit Support in Detroit

TechTown, Michigan Nonprofit Association and Community Wealth Partners to ‘build out’ the Center’s operations and early services

 

Detroit, MI (December 4, 2017) – Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation announced its plans today to develop and pilot a yet-to-be-named Center focused on nonprofit support, located at the corner of Woodward Avenue and East Grand Boulevard in the New Center/North End neighborhood of Detroit.

Driven by the Foundation’s grantmaking focus in nonprofit support and innovation, the Center will offer a physical space and hub for nonprofit leaders and practitioners to gather and have access to a connected and well-informed network of resources aimed at accelerating solutions around the mission-related and sector-based issues they face.

“It’s our vision that the Center will build greater capacity and enhance capabilities within the organizations that we work with,” said David Egner, president & CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Over time, we also plan to add innovative problem-solving practices in the Center to assist nonprofits and social innovators in developing new approaches and delivery systems to address challenges in our region.”

After more than a year of research and conversations with nonprofit leaders and support organizations, the Foundation learned that while many nonprofit resources exist in Southeast Michigan, there is often a lack of coordination and awareness around them. At the same time, nonprofit leaders expressed a desire to connect with more peers and experts across different fields, which this physical space will allow to happen. The Foundation also reviewed a number of national models and consulted with national experts to construct this place-based model.

 

The Partners

To lead the overall management and day-to-day operations of the Center, the Foundation recently approved a three-year grant for $4,750,000 to TechTown.  While TechTown is known as Detroit’s hub for entrepreneurs, its leadership and staff have more than 20 years of experience in building communities and networks of individuals to serve entrepreneurs and innovators in the private sector and social impact arenas.

“TechTown’s leadership and team have demonstrated adaptability and proven the value of activating a physical space devoted to fostering idea-sharing, education and network-building,” said Egner.

Drawing on this experience, TechTown will recruit and hire staff to manage the Center, which will include overseeing the operations, event planning, communications and marketing. It will also apply its proven practices within the nonprofit community and coordinate a networked delivery system of strategic services and resources for nonprofits, leveraging its close partnership with Wayne State University.

“Nonprofits, like entrepreneurs, need support to grow strategically and try new things,” said Ned Staebler, president & CEO of TechTown and vice president for economic development at Wayne State. “Our job will be to help connect them to the right people and the right resources so they can deepen their impact, building a stronger regional nonprofit network in the process.”

Through a grant of $315,000, the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) will work as a key partner focused on the Center’s capacity building services, including nonprofit assessments, resource referrals informed by their current network of expert providers, and case management. MNA has relationships with more than 4,000 nonprofits, and a suite of tools and practices to help nonprofits become more efficient and effective at delivering on their mission. MNA’s staff will also schedule planned “office hours” as part of this work and will serve as a strategic partner as the Center’s service concept continues to evolve and grow.

“Boosting the capabilities of a nonprofit can make a world of difference in helping to advance the work in their communities. We are excited to be a key partner in this innovative vision to meet the needs of Southeast Michigan,” said Donna Murray-Brown, president & CEO, Michigan Nonprofit Association.

In addition to these grantees, the Foundation has contracted with Community Wealth Partners, a national expert in capacity and network building, to help with further planning and development to bring the Center concept to life. Through facilitation with partner organizations and concept review, Community Wealth Partners will provide a third-party perspective, insight into best practices and suggestions for continuous improvement.

“Nonprofits in the Detroit region are trying to solve large, complex problems. To do so effectively, they need better access to each other and to cutting-edge tools and resources,” said Sara Brenner, president at Community Wealth Partners. “We are committed to help the Foundation and its partners co-create a model that enables nonprofits to learn from each other, strengthen their effectiveness in serving the community, and coordinate efforts to solve major challenges together. We are honored to partner with the Foundation on this.”

 

Early Operations & Services

The Foundation anticipates the Center will begin limited operations and services in mid- to late-2018. The 7,500-square-foot space, which is located on the ground floor of the Foundation’s headquarters and leased from Midtown Detroit Inc., is currently being prepared for build out.

In early 2018, the Foundation and Center partners will begin to strategize the best design and layout to facilitate collaboration, service delivery and special events. In addition, the Center will also be led through a naming and brand identity development process.

In its early operations, the Center will focus primarily on grantees and potential grantees of the Wilson Foundation as the ‘first clients,’ and will offer some services, activities and events to fellow foundations and nonprofits. With the Center’s primary partners recently established, there are still many questions and operational details to be determined in the coming months as the Center gets up and running. More details will be shared closer to the Center’s launch later in 2018.

With the Center based in Southeast Michigan, the Foundation is also in the early stages of talking with partners across Western New York, its other region of focus, to determine the best approach for providing nonprofit support, based on the existing assets and activities already happening there.

 

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About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit rcwjrf.org.

 

About TechTown Detroit:

TechTown is Detroit’s entrepreneurship hub, with a full suite of programs for both tech and neighborhood small businesses. TechTown works with businesses at all stages, helping startup, emerging and established companies develop, launch and grow. For more information, visit techtowndetroit.org.

 

About Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA):

Incorporated in 1990, MNA is a statewide membership organization dedicated to serving the diverse nonprofit sector through advocacy, training, and resources. MNA manages multiple programs and affiliates and is a sponsoring organization for AmeriCorps VISTA. Visit us at mnaonline.org.

 

About Community Wealth Partners:

Established in 1997 by the anti-hunger and anti-poverty nonprofit Share Our Strength, Community Wealth Partners is a social sector consulting firm offering strategy development and implementation, strategic capacity building, community collaboration and network building, and learning and evaluation services to foundations and nonprofits. At Community Wealth Partners, we dream of a world in which all people thrive. To realize this dream, we focus on long-term transformational change and helping our partners take the practical steps to solve social problems at the magnitude at which they exist. Visit us at communitywealth.com.

 

Media Contacts:

Kailey Kolozsvary

Martin Davison Public Relations

585-705-8618

kkolozsvary@martingroupmarketing.com

 

Carly Strachan

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

313-460-8100

carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

 

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The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Highlights 2017 Grants-to-Date

Foundation has committed nearly $24 million in grants across 40 organizations impacting its four areas of focus

 

Detroit, MI /Buffalo, NY (Oct. 19, 2017) – Just one year after the launch of its official grant application portal, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today highlighted nearly $24 million in grants awarded to 40 organizations throughout Western New York and Southeast Michigan since January 2017.

 

“Since opening the grant portal last year, our team has invested a significant amount of time learning about the many organizations that serve the Western New York and Southeast Michigan communities,” said David Egner, president and CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Many of the grants we made this year allow organizations to scale proven and successful programs, while some are helping to implement or pilot new programs in one of our regions.”

 

In addition to the learnings and findings that will come from these grants, the Foundation continues to conduct studies and scans to better inform its funding strategies within each of its core funding areas. Determined by its trustees, the four focus areas are consistent with many of Mr. Wilson’s philanthropic interests. They include:

 

·       Children and Youth – Focus is on strengthening young minds and bodies with early childhood initiatives, sports and recreation programs, and afterschool youth development programs.

 

·       Young Adults and Working Class Families – Focus is on skills training and education initiatives that lead to sustainable career pathways and good paying jobs.

 

·       Caregivers – Focus is on those caring for others – whether family members, friends or professionals – through efforts that provide needed skills, resources, education and respite. Early opportunities are primarily for those caring for older adults.

 

·       Livable Communities – Focus is on contributing to strong and sustainable communities by supporting: community access and design to public spaces that support healthy living; non-profit support and innovation; and economic development levers that spur regional growth, innovation and equity.

 

The following organizations, spread across all four focus areas, received grants between January and September 2017:

 

Children and Youth:

·       Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development (ACCORD): $100,000 to support ACCORD’s essential programming, while developing alternative sources of long-term funding for programs after its loss of 21st Century grant funding.

·       Aspen Institute: $1,050,000 over three years, for continued investment in the expansion of quality youth sports opportunities in Western New York, Greater Rochester and Southeast Michigan.

·       Bing Youth Institute: $200,000 to support the BINGO (Boys Inspired through Nuturing, Growth and Opportunities) Mentoring Program in Detroit.

·       Community Connections of New York, on behalf of the WNY Mentoring Collective: $2.15 million to support the WNY Mentoring Collective, a cohort of nine mentoring programs collaborating to strengthen the youth mentoring field in WNY.

·       Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: $675,000 over three years, to implement the PEDALS (Positive Emotional Development and Learning Skills) early childhood program in Southeast Michigan.

·       Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: $580,000 over three years, to support its work sharing and applying the framework from the State of Play report to local communities across Southeast Michigan, in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Aspen Institute.

·       Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo: $580,000 over three years, to support its work sharing and applying the framework from the State of Play report to local communities across Western New York, in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Aspen Institute.

·       Detroit PAL: $575,000 over three years, to provide capacity support to transition the organization into a new and expanded facility.

·       Detroit Food and Entrepreneurship Academy: $126,000 to expand the reach and depth of afterschool and summer programs and to support long-term strategic planning for Small Batch, its earned revenue business.

·       Diocese of Buffalo Department of Education: $87,000 one-year bridge grant to support its afterschool programs, which have been compromised by recent cuts in funding to its 21st Century grant.

·       Independent Health Foundation: $650,000 over three years, to support the expansion of the Soccer for Success program in Western New York.

·       Southeastern Michigan Health Association, on behalf of the Detroit Health Department: $2 million over three years, to establish and operate SisterFriends, an effort to reduce preterm birth and infant mortality in the city of Detroit.

·       Teach for America: $225,000 to support Teach for America’s effort to recruit and train early childhood educators who will lead some of Detroit and Buffalo’s highest need pre-kindergarten classrooms.

·       Women’s Sports Foundation: $1 million over four years, to bring the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sports 4 Life program to Western New York and Southeast Michigan to strengthen and grow eight local youth sports organizations in order to attract and retain more girl participants.

 

Young Adults and Working Class Families:

·       Ann Arbor SPARK: $100,000 to support plans for the American Center for Mobility at Willow Run.

·       Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT): $150,000 to support increased enrollment and job placement of adult participants in its medical coding and pharmacy technician training programs.

·       Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation: $1.5 million to support the transformation of the A. Philip Randolph Technical Education Center into a state-of-the-art construction and skilled trades training facility for youth and adults in metro Detroit.

·       Focus: HOPE: $725,000 to support organizational restructuring and compensation for key new hires.

·       Macomb Community College Foundation: $1,152,000 to support a workforce development training program in advanced manufacturing and information technology.

·       Operating Engineers Local 324: $450,000 to support the purchase and deployment of six equipment simulators for both classroom and career event environments.

·       Say Yes to Education: $800,000 over three years, to support Say Yes Buffalo and advance the city as a place of opportunity for boys and young men of color.

 

Caregivers:

·       Altarum Institute: $175,000 over two years, to support the evaluation of caregiver grants to help shape the Foundation’s grantmaking strategies.

·       Alzheimer’s Association Greater Michigan Chapter: $240,000 to support informal and professional caregivers by funding the development of the ‘train-the-trainer’ model.

·       Hearts and Hands: $31,000 to provide general programmatic support during a capacity building process and review.

·       Hunter’s Hope: $25,000 to support the 2017 Family and Medical Symposium.

·       Livingston County Catholic Charities: $90,000 to support the operations of four programs that provide resources and respite to caregivers.

·       Research Foundation at SUNY (UB): $135,000 over two years, to connect occupational therapist graduate students with caregivers to provide them with practical, customized solutions for their unique caregiving challenges.

·       Rochester Presbyterian Home: $151,000 to support the implementation of a new professional development curriculum designed to empower staff and improve quality of life for residents.

 

Livable Communities:

·       Causewave Community Partners: $150,000 to support strategic development and marketing for nonprofits with missions serving the Foundation’s four focus areas in Monroe, Genesee and Orleans counties.

·       Council of Great Lakes Governors: $50,000 to support the Council of Great Lakes Governors’ and Premiers’ 2017 Leadership Summit.

·       Council of Michigan Foundations: $60,000 to support and expand Learning to Give, a K-12 program that teaches philanthropy as part of daily curriculum in Wayne County.

·       Detroit Economic Growth Association: $2,003,745 to support comprehensive design and construction planning for the remaining unconstructed segments of the City of Detroit’s Inner Circle Greenway.

·       Detroit Economic Growth Association: $175,000 to support development of a Sustainability Action Agenda for the City of Detroit’s new Office of Sustainability.

·       Detroit RiverFront Conservancy: $345,000 over 18 months to support a design competition for West Riverfront Park.

·       Fair Food Network: $1,500,000 over three years, to expand Double Up Health Food Incentives through innovative technology and communications in Southeast Michigan and Western New York.

·       German Marshall Fund “BUILD” Conference: $30,000 grant for its BUILD conference, a unique transatlantic urban and regional policy and leadership conference, that will take place in the U.S. for the first time this November in Detroit.

·       Independent Sector: $100,000 to support the Independent Sector 2017 National Conference this October in Detroit.

·       Invest Detroit: $250,000 to support the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition  to create jobs and support high-growth company development in Southeast Michigan.

·       National Comedy Center, Inc: $3 million to support the development of the National Comedy Center to increase tourism and economic development in Western New York.

·       43North: $250,000 to support the prototyping and refinement of a strategic partnership project in connection with the Western New York-based startup competition.

·       NY Funders Alliance: $50,000 to support its bienneial NYS Funders Conference in Buffalo this November.

·       Research Foundation for the SUNY (UB): $70,000 to the University of Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning to support Turning the Corner, a national pilot research effort combining national expertise with local knowledge base, to assess neighborhood change and inform action in post-industrial city neighborhoods.

 

“Our staff continue to review incoming applications and will also be gearing up to advance another round of grants planned for the remainder of this year,” said Egner. “On the operations front, the Foundation will reach another significant milestone in our limited life, as we move into our new headquarters in Detroit by the end of this month.”

 

Grant applications are accepted through the Foundation’s website on an ongoing basis. The web-based application allows for an easy, transparent and efficient grantmaking process from start to finish. For more information on the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and its giving policies, visit RCWJRF.org

 

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About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.

 

Media Contacts:

 

Kailey Kolozsvary

Martin Davison Public Relations

585-705-8618

kkolozsvary@martingroupmarketing.com

 

Carly Strachan

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

313-460-8100

carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

 

Download Press Release

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Rochester Area Community Foundation Unveil ‘State of Play’ Report on Youth Sports in the Region
More than 1,000 local voices informed Aspen Institute analysis, which reveals the bright spots, gaps and opportunities to get more kids in the game

Rochester, NY (June 29, 2017) – Today, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Rochester Area Community Foundation released State of Play, an independent assessment conducted by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program that examines access, quality, and participation in youth sports in Livingston, Ontario, Monroe, Wayne, Seneca, and Yates counties.
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