San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 21 grants totaling more than $21 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 $21 million, $3.3 million will support four California arts organizations that are developing innovative ways to deepen their engagement with audiences. A $750,000 grant through the California Democracy program will fund the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment to promote the systematic inclusion of low-income residents in Tulare, Kern and Kings counties in land-use decision making. Additionally, a grant in the Youth program will provide $11.3 million to implement comprehensive multiple pathways programs at various school districts within California.

Developing New Approaches to Attract Audiences for the Arts

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 $3.3 million to support four California arts organizations through Irvine’s Arts Innovation Fund (AIF). The American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco, the Armand Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) and the Oakland Museum of California will each receive grants to support creative audience-development approaches and/or innovative programming plans. The grants fund new innovations at ACT and MCASD and help the Hammer and Oakland museums to institutionalize and sustain innovative practices that were funded by Irvine in 2006 as part of AIF.

Involving Low-Income Residents in Local Decision-Making Processes

Irvine’s California Democracy program seeks to advance effective public policy decision making that is reflective of and responsive to all Californians. Grants approved to advance this goal include $750,000 to the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment (CRPE) to conduct trainings for residents in 18 San Joaquin Valley communities on ways to engage constructively with public officials on land-use decisions. CRPE will also facilitate residents’ communications with public officials through presentations at meetings of city councils, county supervisors and local commissions.

Creating New Pathways to Student Success

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 $11.3 million to ConnectEd to support and implement the California Multiple Pathways District Initiative. The initiative will fund six public school districts to develop and implement systems of multiple pathways to reduce high school dropout rates, raise student achievement, increase high school completion and postsecondary transition, and boost students’ earning power after high school. Multiple pathways are comprehensive programs of study that engage and challenge students with academically rigorous teaching combined with technical and work-based learning.

Contact: Ray Delgado, Communications Manager
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