Money Moves is a semi-regular column tracking grants made by local funders, including foundations, giving circles, trusts and corporate entities. Send notices to sabrina@generocity.org.

1. Pew awards 3-year grants totaling $8.12 million to 43 organizations serving low-income children and families.

The Pew Charitable Trusts announced in April that it will provide $8.12 million over the next three years to 43 Philadelphia-area organizations that work to improve the lives of the region’s low-income children, youth, and their families. The funding will help agencies that focus on five core areas::

1. To increase the number of early child care and educational programs that are advancing toward Pennsylvania’s standards for quality, or that reflect best practices in instruction and curriculum to improve children’s language, math, and/or social and emotional skills:

• Parent-Child Home Program—$185,000
• Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA—$205,000

2. To increase the availability of effective prevention and early intervention efforts that support the development of cognitive, social, emotional, or literacy skills in at-risk children and youth, thereby reducing the likelihood of long-term behavioral and academic problems:

• AARP Foundation—$200,000
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation—$150,000
• Children’s Literacy Initiative—$225,000
• Children’s Village—$140,000
• Drexel University—$150,000
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania—$175,000
• Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia—$180,000
• KenCrest Centers—$108,000
• Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County—$225,000
• Widener University—$175,000

3. To expand effective approaches that enable especially vulnerable children and families to secure much-needed behavioral health services:

• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation—$183,000
• Drexel University—$195,000
• Esperanza Health Center—$185,000
• Family Services—$180,000
• Philadelphia Children’s Alliance—$250,000
• Support Center for Child Advocates—$250,000
• TheVillage Services—$185,000

4. To expand high-quality, effective out-of-school-time programs that strengthen academic achievement, successful engagement in school, and postsecondary success for disadvantaged youth:

• After School Activities Partnerships (ASAP)—$200,000
• BellXcel (formerly Building Educated Leaders for Life)—$180,000
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region—$215,000
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia—$180,000
• Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia—$135,000
• Chester County Futures—$160,000
• Chester Education Foundation—$170,000
• Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation—$190,000
• The Garage Community & Youth Center—$135,000
• Horizons National—$200,000
• Mighty Writers—$165,000
• North Penn Valley Boys & Girls Club—$180,000
• Philadelphia Futures—$300,000
• Mural Arts Philadelphia—$225,000
• Philadelphia Youth Basketball—$200,000
• Project HOME—$186,000
• Springboard Collaborative—$200,000
• SquashSmarts—$115,000
• Temple University—$201,000
• Women Against Abuse—$212,000

5. To increase effective approaches that improve the access of vulnerable children, youth, and families to public benefits and other critical services:

• Community Legal Services of Philadelphia—$233,000
• Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania—$180,000
• Public Citizens for Children and Youth—$270,000
• Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC)—$142,000

2. 10 Philly elementary schools will share half a million for literacy programs.

John H. Taggart School was one of the grant recipients. (Generocity file photo)

The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia awarded grants to 10 district elementary schools to enhance literacy instruction for students in kindergarten through third grades. These “Good to Great” grants, ranging in size from $20,000 to nearly $75,000, are funded by the William Penn Foundation. The grants, announced April 24,  totaled $535,826.

• Alexander K. McClure School: Enhance classroom libraries with additional reading collections
• F. Amedee Bregy School: Books and resources to build The Nest, a dedicated family library
• General George G. Meade School: On-site Professional development, materials, and resources to support the launch of writing workshops for teachers and students
• Henry C. Lea School: Enhance classroom libraries with additional reading collections
• James Logan School: Books and technology to implement the already-successful 5th grade journalism program in its K-3 curriculum to support writing instruction
• John H. Taggart School: Professional development for teachers, and technology and reading resources for English for Speakers of Other Languages classrooms
• Lewis Elkin School: Resources and professional development to expand phonics instruction
• Olney School: Smartboards for all 11 K-2 classrooms to enhance literacy instruction
• Watson Comly School: Work with Columbia Teachers’ College for professional development and resources to support teachers in writing instruction
• William H. Ziegler School: Support for “100 Book Challenge” program and a library self-checkout kiosk to build a culture of reading.

3. Phillies Managing Partner John Middleton pitches in $100K to support Eagles Autism Challenge…

The Phillies managing partner, John Middleton and his wife, Leigh, donated $100K to match funds raised for the Eagles Autism Challenge. The Middleton Gift Challenge matches new and existing donations (up to $1,000 each) pledged online from April 24 until the matching gift funds are exhausted.

This is day that you can help great cause. #Phillies owner John Middleton and his wife Leigh have given #eagles a large donation to match donations you can make to Eagles Autism Challenge. Asking all to help for a terrific cause. Here is link to donate. https://t.co/YStw6QuN6B

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) April 24, 2019

The Eagles Autism Challenge is a one-day bike ride and family-friendly 5K run/walk that takes places May 18 to fund innovative research and care, all with the goal of transforming lives of those affected by autism. Middleton’s donation is the sixth Eagles Autism Challenge matching gift of the year.

4. … And the Eagles Autism Challenge commits $2.5 million to autism research projects.

The founding beneficiaries of the Eagles Autism Challenge — Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Drexel University, and Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health — submitted research proposals that were evaluated and approved by an independent team of scientists; the organizations will share a total of $2.5 million for their research. This money comes directly from the fund raised during the inaugural Eagles Autism Challenge in 2018.

Three research projects at CHOP and Drexel were funded, and two at Jefferson. Among the research topics included are: Biobehavioral markers of anxiety and ADHD in autism; maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy in association with autism and autism-related traits; and sex chromosome mediators of autism.

5. Public chooses Special Olympics Montgomery County to get $100K from NRG Gives.

Special Olympics Montgomery County gets $100K from NRG. (Courtesy photo by Hugh Dillon)

NRG presented Special Olympics Montgomery County with a $100,000 check May 1 as part of the company’s NRG Gives campaign. The Montco chapter of the international organization conducts training and Olympic-style competitions in 18 sports for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

For NRG Gives, the company’s employees nominate three local nonprofits as finalists, and these participate in a public vote which ultimately determines which organization will receive $100K. The two other finalist organizations this year were Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and The Family Strong 4 ALS Foundation.

6. The Community Fund for Immigrant Wellness receives $100K from DBHIDS.

The City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) on April 18 joined the Scattergood Foundation, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, and Patricia Kind Family Foundation in supporting the Community Fund for Immigrant Wellness. The $100,000 contribution from DBHIDS increases the pooled fund to $300,000.

The Community Fund for Immigrant Wellness — whose advisory board includes representatives from ACANA, AFAHO, HIAS PA, La Puerta Abierta, Nationalities Service Center, Puentes de Salud, Southeast by Southeast (a Mural Arts program), SEAMAAC, and Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians — will award grants focused specifically on addressing behavioral health needs of immigrants and refugees in the City of Philadelphia and favoring non-traditional, community-driven approaches. Submissions for those grants will be accepted until May 24; the fund itself will continue to accept funding from additional partners through the end of the planning period in late September 2019.

Thanks for including us in this amazing timeline! The Community Fund for Immigrant Wellness planning grant deadline is on May 24th. Learn more about the requirements and apply TODAY! https://t.co/Et5fIg6cTz https://t.co/hisby009pj

— ScatterGOOD Foundation (@ScattergoodFdn) May 1, 2019