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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 12, 2010
Contact: Ray Delgado, Communications Manager
415.777.2244 (office)
415.290.1143 (mobile)
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The James Irvine Foundation Announces $9 Million in New Grants
Grants Expand Linked Learning, Support Outreach on State Budget and Fiscal Issues, Assist Arts Organization to Attract New Audiences
San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 13 grants totaling more than $9 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 $9 million, $4.5 million will fund the expansion of the California Linked Learning District Initiative as part of Irvine’s Youth program. $750,000 from the California Democracy program grant will fund Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education to conduct outreach related to state budget and fiscal issues. Additionally, a grant in the Arts program provides $300,000 to the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts to expand programming and audiences following the renovation of its facility.
Expanding the Linked Learning Approach
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 a $4.5 million grant to ConnectEd to develop, expand and support the California Linked Learning District Initiative, which supports nine high school districts to implement systems of Linked Learning pathways, which bring together strong academics, demanding technical education and real world experience in a range of fields such as engineering, arts and media, and biomedicine and health.
Supporting Education and Outreach Related to State Budget and Fiscal Issues
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 a $750,000 grant to Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE) to support public education and outreach regarding state budget and fiscal issues. The organization will collaborate with California Forward to integrate their shared outreach and policy development efforts and will facilitate joint discussions on how best to increase public engagement in fiscal decision making.
Strengthening Sustainability in Alignment with a Renovated Facility
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 $300,000 to the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts to support program expansion and audience and donor-development efforts to align with the organization’s renovated facility. This grant enables the center to increase its program offerings and target new audiences as part of its planned expansion into a renovated facility next year.
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About The James Irvine Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on three program areas: Arts, California Democracy and Youth. Since 1937 the Foundation has provided over $1 billion in grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations throughout California. With $1.4 billion in assets, the Foundation made grants of $67 million in 2009 for the people of California.
For more information about the Irvine Foundation, please visit our Web site at www.irvine.org or call 415.777.2244.
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