Staff report
The Blanche & Julian Robertson Family Foundation announced Wednesday approval of more than $1.5 million in funding in its spring 2009 grant cycle.
The foundation received 94 grant applications and approved 49. It also approved another year of funding for the six agencies in its Continuing Support Grant Program.
As with the rest of the economy, the foundation’s invested assets were reduced in value and earning capacity over the past year.
Executive Director David Setzer said the board felt this was not the time to cut back drastically, but to continue funding projects and agencies that had special needs and, in some cases, were especially stressed during these times.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools again were the largest recipients of foundation funding, receiving eight awards totaling $426,300.
The United Way received $100,000 for its layoff assistance fund, and Catawba College was given $100,000 to assist with roof repairs on Goodman Gymnasium.
The Continuing Support Grant Program has six agencies that are gifted on a rolling cycle of three years, followed by a board review and action of renewal or modification.
Current members of the program are Community Care Clinic, $25,000; Communities In Schools, $50,000; Habitat for Humanity, $20,000; Meals on Wheels, $35,000; Rowan County United Way Day of Caring program, $40,000; and Rowan Helping Ministries, $50,000.
The foundation was chartered in the fall of 1997 with an initial gift of $15 million by Salisbury native Julian H. Robertson Jr., now of New York City. He named the charitable foundation in memory of his parents, Blanche S. and Julian H. Robertson Sr., longtime residents and civic leaders of Salisbury.
Over the past dozen years, Robertson has increased his gifts to the foundation with an additional $21 million. The foundation has a current operating investment base of $17.1 million.
The foundation has approved $21.1 million in grants during its 12 years of operation.
The foundation board is chaired by James F. Hurley, with James G. Whitton serving as vice chairman and assistant secretary, and Margaret H. Kluttz, secretary.
Other board members include Catrelia S. Hunter, Clay Lindsay, Jr., Scott Maddox, Lillian Morgan and Fred Stanback Jr., all of Salisbury; Alex Robertson and Spencer Robertson of New York City; and Wyndham Robertson of Chapel Hill.
The grants include:
– Adolescent and Family Enrichment Council ó $60,000 for developing life skills for at-risk children;
– Hanford-Dole Chapter of the American Red Cross ó $28,000 for the disaster assistance fund;
– Arc/Rowan ó $15,000 for community outreach to low income families with developmentally challenged children;
– Catawba College ó $100,000 for roof repairs to Goodman Gymnasium;
– Center for the Environment at Catawba College ó $25,000 for the Piedmont Regional Clean Air Initiative;
– Central North Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of America ó $10,000 for the Rowan Friends of Scouting capital campaign;
– Children’s Home Society of North Carolina ó $10,000 for post-adoptive services in Rowan County;
– Downtown Salisbury Inc.ó $6,000 for updating the Downtown Salisbury master plan;
– Family Crisis Council ó $33,000 for support of the battered women’s shelter;
– Habitat for Humanity ó $30,000 to assist with purchase of land for future home construction;
– Healthy Children of Rowan-Empowering Youth (boys program) ó $20,000 for each of two years;
– Healthy Children of Rowan-Girl Pride (girls program)ó$20,000 for each of two years;
– LandTrust for Central North Carolina ó $2,000 for a database software package;
– Lutheran Home at Trinity Oaks ó $10,000 to assist with purchase of electric high/low beds for the nursing home;
– Nazareth Children’s Home ó $25,000 to purchase a van;
– N.C. Center for Nonprofit Organizations ó $15,000 to provide professional assistance to Rowan nonprofit organizations;
– N.C. Transportation Museum Foundation ó $15,000 to upgrade children’s aviation exhibit;
– Park Avenue Redevelopment Corporation ó $1,800 in operating support;
– Partners in Learning Child Development Center ó $5,000 to assist with staff training and education;
– Piedmont Players Theatre ó $10,000 for the Youth Drama Program;
– Pregnancy Support Center ó $15,000 in operating support;
– Prevent Child Abuse Rowan ó $30,000 in operating support for the child advocacy center;
– Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Foundation ó $25,000 for protective gear for firefighter instructors;
– Rowan County Health Department ó $25,000 for Health Link program;
– Rowan County Literacy Council ó $15,000 in operating support;
– Rowan County Rescue Squad ó $20,000 for upgrade to the paramedic heart monitor;
– Rowan County United Way ó $100,000 for the layoff assistance fund;
– Rowan Helping Ministries ó $45,000 for Crisis Assistance Ministry;
– Rowan Museum ó $10,000 for summer history camp and educational programming;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools ó $75,000 to support expansion of the IMPACT training program;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools ó $125,000 to support the 21st Century Model Classroom project;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools ó $8,500 to support the 2010 Elementary Honors Choral Festival;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools-Horizons Unlimited ó $25,000 for biotechnology and molecular biology laboratory equipment and programming;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools-Overton Elementary School ó $25,000 for a fifth- grade special technology program;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools-Salisbury High School ó $125,000 to construct restroom facilities at the school’s athletic complex;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools-Salisbury High School ó $15,700 for 9-UP orientation program for rising ninth- graders;
– Rowan-Salisbury Schools-Salisbury High School ó $27,100 for installation of ActivBoards;
– Rowan Vocational Opportunities ó $35,000 for purchasing a van client transportation;
– Rufty-Holmes Senior Center ó $10,000 for scholarships for needy clients;
– Salisbury-Rowan Symphony Society ó $12,100 to support cost of N.C. Symphony Orchestra concerts for Rowan fifth-grade students;
– Salvation Army ó $10,000 for financial crisis assistance;
– Saving Grace Farm ó $10,000 for operating support;
– Special Olympics North Carolina ó $10,000 for Rowan sports training and competition;
– Students in Training ó $25,000 for operating support;
– Waterworks Visual Arts Center ó $25,000 for operating support;
– Westside Community Foundation ó 19,000 for Stepping Up Youth Education program;
– Yadkin Riverkeeper, Inc. ó $10,000 Yadkin Riverkeeper Protection program;
– YMCA of Rowan County ó $8,000 for Kid’s Club afterschool program assistance;
– YoungLife Salisbury ó $20,000 to support week and weekend camping program for at-risk teens.