Mellon Foundation Commits $35 Million for Jazz Preservation Efforts

Here are notable new grant awards compiled by the Chronicle:

$35 million commitment to support the cultural preservation of jazz, scholarly research and storytelling about jazz artists, and partnerships with jazz archives, clubs, and other efforts to sustain the musical genre into the future.

As part of this total, the foundation has dedicated $15 million for the Jazz Legacies Fellowship, in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America.

$150 million over five years to correct health disparities throughout the United States by improving access to physical, behavioral, and social health care in marginalized communities.

$50 million to the College of William & Mary to back scholarships for students at its Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences.

The scholarship program will be named for R. Todd Stravitz, a 1982 alumnus of the college and retired medical doctor who spent his career as a liver clinician and researcher. His late grandfather Frank Brunckhorst started the Boar’s Head deli meat company.

$35.6 million to the North Carolina Community College System to back its N.C. Community Colleges Boost program, which will help students prepare for high-wage, high-demand careers.

$35 million commitment to the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School to advance research in neurodegenerative and genetic diseases, especially ALS, and recruit biomedical research faculty at all career stages.

$30 million in wildfire-recovery grants to 214 organizations in Southern California.

$25 million to Habitat for Humanity of Collier County to purchase land and homebuilding materials and back its efforts to develop additional affordable housing in Naples, Fla.

$21 million to the Scratch Foundation to expand its tech-education programs to more than 200 million young people by 2027.

$15 million commitment to Denison University toward its new Center for Data Reasoning and Visualization, which is expected to open next year.

$10.5 million through its Project Cure CRC program to support research on high-risk colorectal cancer.

$10 million to the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry to increase accessibility, modernize amenities, and build a cafe and terrace for visitors to the museum.

$10 million to 27 projects to better understand the safety of artificial intelligence and develop tools to measure and evaluate risks of A.I. systems.

$7 million to Manna FoodBank to purchase new equipment for its facility and continue its long-term recovery efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

Each community fund gave the food pantry $3.5 million.

$3 million to the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Sustainable Seafood Systems to create a multidisciplinary program that will help international students learn techniques in community-based seafood production and bring those skills home to their communities.

$2.5 million to ODI Global Washington to develop a new fellowship program that will help African governments expand access to electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

Another grant of $3.4 million went to Sustainable Energy for All to back electricity-access programs across the continent, monitor progress of the efforts, and develop new financing options payable in local currencies.

The Rockefeller Foundation is a financial supporter of the Chronicle.

$2.1 million to the Institute for Citizens and Scholars to create the Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness program, which will award grants worth up to $7,500 each to 100 teams of young community leaders ages 14 to 24 for civic projects across the United States.

$1 million to the American Red Cross to provide shelter, meals, and resources to people who were displaced by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles and flooding in western North Carolina.

The company will also provide $8 million worth of clothing, footwear, and sports equipment to those communities.

The Citi Foundation is accepting proposals for its Global Innovation Challenge for $25 million in grants to develop and promote solutions to enhance economic mobility for low-income youths. In this round, the foundation will award grants of $500,000 each to 50 organizations to support skills training, entrepreneurship programs, financial education, and other related efforts. Applicants must register by March 4.

The Cigna Group Foundation is accepting applications for grants to improve the mental health of youths ages 5 to 18 and help young people cope with post-pandemic stress and distress. The foundation plans to award a total of $9 million over three years. Grants will be awarded to nonprofit programs to promote social-emotional skills and well-being, develop professional skills, increase access to services, and offer support for caregivers, including parents, educators, and therapists. Applications are due March 13.

Chronicle of Philanthropy subscribers also have full access to GrantStation’s searchable database of grant opportunities. For more information, visit our grants page.