San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 11 grants totaling more than $11 million in support of the Foundation's mission of expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. (For a list of approved grants, click here.)

Of the $11 million, Irvine will make its largest ever grant with $7.5 million to ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career. A $400,000 Arts program grant will fund Dance/USA for an audience-engagement initiative. Additionally, two grants in the California Perspectives program provide a total of $850,000 to the Common Cause Education Fund and Working Partnerships USA to support electoral and budgetary reforms.

Advancing Multiple Pathways Programs

Irvine's Youth program seeks to increase the number of low-income youth in California who complete high school on time and attain a postsecondary credential by the age of 25. Grants approved as part of Irvine's Youth program include its largest ever grant of $7.5 million to ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career, to increase the availability of high-quality multiple pathways programs. ConnectEd was established in 2006 with a $6 million grant from Irvine. ConnectEd is a hub for innovative practice, policy and research to expand the number of education pathways that prepare students for college and career.

Supporting New Audience-Engagement Practices

The goal of Irvine's Arts program is to promote a vibrant and inclusive artistic and cultural environment in California. Grants approved as part of the Arts program include $400,000 to Dance/USA and its California component of Engaging Dance Audiences, a national funding program and related study of audience-engagement practices. This initiative seeks to advance the dance field's effectiveness in engaging audiences and to build awareness of effective engagement practices.

Advancing Electoral and Budgetary Reforms

Irvine's California Perspectives program seeks to improve decision making on significant state issues by informing public understanding, promoting broader civic participation and encouraging more effective state governance. Grants approved to advance this goal include a $400,000 grant to the Common Cause Education Fund and a $450,000 grant to Working Partnerships USA to support electoral and budgetary reforms. Common Cause Education Fund will undertake projects to help implement the state’s new redistricting process and advance additional electoral reforms. Working Partnerships USA will expand participation in community-based budget groups that are working with public officials to advance improved budgetary decision making and fiscal reforms.