News about grants, gifts
College Spark Washington is providing $1.3 million in Community Grants for projects focusing on building the effectiveness of grantees working with low-income students in middle school, high school and college by funding new and promising practices that help students become college-ready and transition successfully to college. 
Grace Place for Children and Families in Golden Gate City, FL received a $20,000 gift from Publix Super Markets.
Wells Fargo & Company invested $67 billion in lending capital and grants during 2016 toward achieving its 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility goals to help create solutions to address global challenges and strengthen communities.
UnitedHealthcare invested $12 million in PATH Metro Villas in California to help provide permanent homes to individuals and families who have been suffering from homelessness or struggling to find affordable housing.
PPG and the PPG Foundation provided nearly $10 million in financial support for global charitable activities through their 2016 community engagement initiatives.
News about people, groups
The veteran 
empowerment organization Got Your 6 welcomed Cathleen Pearl as its Director of Development. In her role, Pearl will support the group’s fundraising, cause marketing, and overall development efforts.
Kohl’s released its 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility report, outlining the strides the company has made to impact the community.
Robin L. Washington, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Gilead Sciences, Inc., has been named the 2017 “Financial Woman of the Year” by the Financial Women of San Francisco.
Academy Award winner Viola Davis read Rent Jazz Party, written by William Miller and illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb, in the newest Storyline Online video released by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
AXA, a financial protection and retirement industry leader, announced Aneesh Agarwal, Anurudh Ganesan, Sarah Moelis, Surabhi Mundada, Shalin Shah, Antonio Ferris, Julie Averbach, Britain Bennett, Janay Jumping Eagle, and James Mathew of the AXA AchievementSM Scholarship.
The GRAMMY Museum® and GRAMMY Foundation® are both merging together to become the leading educational institution dedicated to broadening the historical and cultural significance of music. The merger’s aim is to offer the best of each organization’s initiatives in preservation, education, exhibitions, and public programming.
Miracle Flights carried out 659 coordinated flights so far in the spring season for sick children and their families. Their work includes 9 international flights from locations such as Germany and Serbia, as well as 94 flights from the state of Texas.
The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools’s Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High School was named a 2017 California Gold Ribbon School and Title I Academic Achieving School by the California Department of Education.
Northern Trust’s Foundation and Institutional Advisors Group has been selected to provide investment and strategic advisory services for the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association.
A group of MBA students from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business won the Accenture MBA Innovation Challenge. The students will team with Accenture to provide pro-bono management consulting for USA for UNHCR, the U.S. based nonprofit dedicated to raising funds and awareness for refugees and for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Heather Anichini, CEO of The Chicago Public Education Fund, will be honored with the Young Alumna of the Year Award from Marquette University’s J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication and the Marquette University Alumni Association in a ceremony on Saturday, April 29.
News about opportunities, initiatives
photo by Chris Marksbury
The Community Chest of Englewood will host The Young People’s Chorus to perform a program of inspirational songs at the 2017 Annual Spring Gathering on Wednesday, May 3rd.
Megan’s House, a long-term residential treatment home for young women recovering from addiction, launched a raffle for a new home in Dracut, Massachusetts to raise funds and awareness with the goal of reaching $500,000 by June 14th.
The Entertainment Software Association is accepting letters of inquiry up until May 15th for its 2018 round of grant funding, which supports nonprofit organizations that foster youth development and education through engagement with video games and technology
The 2017 Social Media Strategies Summit Chicago to speak to the social media marketing issues that affect competing brands right now will be held in Chicago on April 26th.
Walmart launched its “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign, a nationwide initiative from April 17th to May 15th calling on the public to take action in the fight against hunger.
Rutgers Institute for
Ethical Leadership is partnering with the Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. to offer the spring 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Certificate Program from May 16th-17th in Newark, New jersey. The course is designed for professionals who are preparing for careers in the corporate field.
Nominations are now open until May 12th for AARP’s Purpose Prize™ award for people age 50 and over whose work is focused on advancing social good.
Miracle Foundation as part of its Mother’s Day campaign is raising funds by May 14th to provide clean water, nutritious food, healthcare and a quality education for mother-less children.
Oliver Scholars is holding its 4th annual Gala on May 3rd at the IAC Building in New York City. The organization will honor Ryan Speedo Green, a renowned Bass-Baritone, and the Oliver Scholars graduating class of 2017.
The Islamic Scholarship Fund is accepting applications for this year’s film grants for both narrative films and documentary films.
The HealthWell Foundation®, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, launched a new fund to provide assistance to patients living with homocystinuria to obtain prescription medications for the treatment and management of their condition.
If you are interested in having your organization’s news announced in the next News Bits, please send announcements or press releases to news@philanthropyjournal.com.
