Philanthropy

On June 1, Mike Bloomberg, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action and co-chair of America’s Pledge, announced the $70 million American Cities Climate Challenge, a major new effort to expedite progress in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while growing local economies during a time of inaction from the federal government.

When rival automakers come together it’s usually to brag about their latest engineering accomplishment or to re-imagine the future of mobility, but sometimes they garden. Yes, garden. Through our membership with the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), FCA US is now tracking and promoting healthy biodiversity at 12 facilities across North America.

We had several illuminating conversations about the intersection of gender equity and shared value recently at the Shared Value Leadership Summit. The Summit brings together approximately 400 global leaders every year in New York to explore opportunities for shared value across industries and geographies.

A new article, The Water of Systems Change, published by FSG, provides an actionable model for funders and other social sector institutions interested in creating systems change. Many funders and grantees today find the concept of systems change and its implications difficult to grasp and apply, despite decades of academic research and activist leadership. The Water of Systems Change aims to clarify what it means to shift the conditions holding a social or environmental problem in place.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wells Fargo today announced that Mayors Robert Garcia of Long Beach, Calif.; Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio; and Jamael Tito Brown of Youngstown, Ohio, received top honors on behalf of nonprofits in their cities with the 2018 CommunityWINS® Grant Program funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Duke Energy is empowering students, educators and the workforce of the future by investing $2.5 million in 67 education and training initiatives across North Carolina. The 2018 grants, from the Duke Energy Foundation, will enhance educational programs focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), K-3 early childhood literacy and workforce development.

AEG, the the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company, and Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund today announced a new partnership to raise awareness to prevent and end homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. The partnership reaffirms AEG’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and its long-established practice to improve the lives of youth in the communities where the company does business.

KeyBank Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) has provided $17.4 million in total financing for the construction of Hammock Ridge II in Spring Hill, FL. Key provided a $13.7 million construction loan and a $3.7 million Freddie Mac Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Forward Commitment.

During the month of May, Smithfield Foods’ hunger relief initiative, Helping Hungry Homes®, visited nine communities from coast to coast and donated more than 330,000 pounds of protein—the equivalent of more than 1,320,000 servings—to those in need. This year, Smithfield celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Helping Hungry Homes®. Smithfield has provided more than 100 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts, and community outreach programs since the program’s inception.

GLAM4GOOD, the award-winning, empowerment platform and non-profit organization, headed to Puerto Rico last week to hold an emergency aid initiative in San Juan on Wednesday, May 23rd. This event was planned in response to a request from San Jorge Children’s Hospital to bring help, happiness, and hope to children who are not only dealing with critical illness, but also with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.