MENLO PARK, Calif. -The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has announced that it has authorized 139 new grants totaling $45.33 million in the third quarter of 2004.
The Hewlett Foundation makes grants to solve some of the most difficult social and environmental problems facing society. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking on seven program areas, including education, environment, performing arts and population. Some highlighted new grants awarded in the third quarter of 2003 include:
Education Program – Improving Access to Education Through Technology
The Foundation announced a total of $9,303,000 in education grants to organizations across the country, including a $1.25 million grant to Rice University for Connexions, its online learning project; a $1.25 million grant to Harvard University, to make its library collection available on the web; and $1.5 million to the Monterey Institute for Technology and Education, which is building a national repository of online courses. These grants reflect the Foundation’s interest in making high quality educational content available online, for free, to students everywhere.
Environment Program – New Constituencies for the Environment
The Foundation announced $11,005,000 in grants from its Environment Program, including a $3,000,000 grant to the Coalition for Clean Air as part of the Foundation’s newly-created New Constituencies for the Environment grantmaking area. This new aspect of grantmaking at the Hewlett Foundation aims to strengthen and broaden support for California’s environment.
Performing Arts Program – Supporting Theater and Opera
The Foundation has awarded $4,275,000 to twenty seven performing arts organizations. Each quarter, the Foundation makes grants in different areas of the performing arts, and this round of support focuses on theater, musical theater and opera, and includes a $180,000 grant to Theatre Bay Area for the CA$H project, a $405,000 grant to Palo Alto-based Theatreworks, and a $750,000 grant to the San Francisco Opera Association.
Regional Grants – Providing Vital Services for the Bay Area
As part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to improving communities close to home, the Hewlett Foundation has formed a new partnership with the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation that will help Bay Area youth. The Foundation has pledged $750,000 to support a program that addresses the housing and support service needs of foster youth who “age out” of the foster care system on their 18th birthdays, but who are at high risk for homelessness, unemployment, incarceration and other challenges. The Foundation also has awarded $1,000,000 to the YMCA of the Mid-Peninsula to help construct a badly-needed new facility in East Palo Alto.
About The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has been making grants since 1966 to help solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. The Foundation concentrates its resources on activities in conflict resolution, education, environment, performing arts, population, and U.S.-Latin American relations. In addition, the Foundation has initiatives supporting neighborhood improvement, philanthropy, and global affairs.