In response to the economic crisis, our trustees approved one-time operating support grants in 2009 and 2010 to recent grant recipients for safety-net services such as food, shelter, and other emergency assistance. This support helped direct-service organizations on the front line cover funding gaps caused by the economic crisis.

The organization identifies, develops, and promotes education and work force strategies that expand opportunities for youth and adults in more than 200 communities across 43 states. This four-year grant funds “Accelerating Opportunity,” a collaborative initiative with 40 community colleges in five states to create and expand improved pathways to postsecondary credentials for lower-skilled adults enrolled in adult basic education.

The association preserves, interprets, and enhances Bartram’s garden and house, declared a National Historic Landmark, and builds awareness of the Bartram legacy of botany, art, and natural science through community-engagement activities. This technical-assistance grant targets the development of a systems-replacement plan for maintenance of its facilities.

The church-affiliated center takes a five-pronged approach toward reducing the incidence of domestic violence and sexual assault, supporting survivors, and helping to break the intergenerational cycle of abuse. Rising demand and reduced funding have created challenges for the organization, which is using this program-related investment – a low-interest loan over 36 months from the Community Relief Fund, which offered program-related investments to high-performance human-service organizations that were providing food, shelter, and other emergency services during the economic crisis – to maintain current service levels.