Cleveland, OH – December 3, 2024 – The Board of Trustees of the Saint Luke’s Foundation has approved grants totaling $1,769,760 for twenty organizations during its fourth-quarter board meeting. These investments advance the Foundation’s mission to achieve health equity by addressing social determinants of health, including:
- Educational attainment
- Financial stability
- Healthy eating and active living
- Safe and affordable housing
- Social connections
- Strengthening neighborhoods surrounding the former Saint Luke’s Hospital
“At the Saint Luke’s Foundation, we strive to invest in work that directly reflects the needs and aspirations of our community,” said Tim Tramble, President and CEO. “This quarter’s strategy partners represent a powerful cross-section of organizations addressing critical needs. They collectively serve as a testament that the talent and power needed to forge change reside within the community. The initiatives supporting this funding cycle embody resilience, creativity, and determination within our neighborhoods. We are proud to support these efforts as they tackle the social determinants of health and create a brighter tomorrow.”
Fourth Quarter Board Grants including the following:
Beat the Streets Cleveland – $30,000 for 1 year
The grant will provide program support to provide free youth development, mentoring, and wrestling programs for 200 underserved K-12 students in Cleveland’s Mount Pleasant, Buckeye, and Woodland Hills neighborhoods, aiming to boost school attendance, academic performance, confidence, and leadership skills. The program leverages sports to engage youth while fostering social capital through mentorship, with measurable outcomes tracked via attendance records, report cards, and pre- and post-program surveys.
Birthing Beautiful Communities – $100,000 for 1 year
The grant will support BBC’s comprehensive, culturally grounded services to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, including perinatal support, doula training, parenting education, and mental health resources. The intended impact includes increasing full-term births and breastfeeding rates, expanding the doula collective, and equipping families to combat systemic stressors, ultimately promoting health equity and reducing racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality.
Buckeye Christian Collaborative – $50,000 for 1 year
The grant will provide program support to pilot a Workforce Training Program providing construction pre-apprenticeship certification, life skills training, and case management to young adults in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood. The 12-week program will equip participants with classroom learning, coaching, and on-the-job training to secure employment in the construction industry, enhancing both financial stability and potential community revitalization.
Buckeye H.E.A.L (fiscal sponsor Fairhill Partners) – $54,910 for 1 year
The grant will provide general operating support for Buckeye HEAL to increase access to healthy food, cooking demonstrations, and exercise programs, including partnering with City Fresh to deliver weekly fresh produce to 75 residents and connecting 200 residents to fitness resources. Additionally, funds will support staffing expansion, enhanced community outreach, and contracting residents to lead exercise programs and participate in Community Health Worker training.
Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc. – $133,850 for 1 year
The grant will support BBC’s efforts to implement the Purpose Built Communities neighborhood plan, focusing on housing, economic opportunities, wellness, and strengthening community connections through a resident engagement strategy. The intended impact includes fostering collaboration across neighborhoods, reducing service gaps through an asset map, and building partnerships to execute the long-term vision for the Buckeye/Woodhill and Buckeye/Shaker areas.
Case Western Reserve University – $96,000 for 1 year
The grant will support the Social Justice Law Center’s continued coordination of the Youth Justice Collaborative (YJC), fostering collaboration among community partners, policymakers, and youth to advance systemic reform in youth justice. The intended impact includes driving actionable steps, sharing best practices, and building partnerships to address key issues, ultimately promoting equitable outcomes for at-risk youth.
City Club of Cleveland – $60,000 for 1 year
The grant will support the City Club’s forum series on health equity and its connections to social determinants of health, with plans to convene up to six forums, livestream them, and reach over 1,000 participants through in-person and virtual access.
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority – $200,000 for 1 year
The grant will support CMHA in aiding Woodhill Homes residents during and after relocation by addressing barriers to housing stability, such as transportation, childcare, utilities, and security deposits, and by establishing a peer-to-peer support network to maintain community connections. Additionally, the grant will fund initiatives to bridge the digital divide through resident Digital Navigators and support the Police-Assisted Referral program, connecting residents to services that mitigate the impacts of violence and trauma.
Enterprise Community Partners – $140,000 for 1 year
The grant will support Enterprise Community Partners in advancing equitable housing policies, preventing childhood lead poisoning, expanding affordable housing, and increasing financial stability for low-income families through programs like VITA and advocacy for renter protections.
Greater Cleveland Congregations– $100,000 for 1 year
The grant will support GCC’s work to address critical community issues in Cuyahoga County, including advancing health equity for aging residents, promoting criminal justice reforms to reduce racial disparities, and empowering local leaders to address voter suppression and depression. Additionally, GCC will continue to foster economic democracy by leveraging collective purchasing power to achieve significant cost savings for vulnerable nonprofit organizations in the region.
Local Initiatives Support Corp (LISC) – $100,000 for 1 year
The grant will support LISC Cleveland’s Heirs’ Property Resolution Program in the Buckeye/Woodhill neighborhood, helping households resolve title issues to preserve homeownership, build generational wealth, and address the racial wealth gap. This program aligns with the foundation’s strategy to advance Household Financial Stability by providing essential tools for low-income homeowners.
Neighborhood Leadership Institute- $110,000 for 1 year
The grant will support Neighborhood Leadership Institute’s leadership development programs, including its 16-week flagship training for grassroots leaders, community engagement efforts in the Saint Luke’s Foundation footprint, and its Community Book Club that address systemic disparities. With a new leader, the organization aims to deepen community organizing efforts, enhance resident engagement through the L.E.V. 216 platform, and continue fostering civic participation and social connections.
East 66th Street Services, Inc. (dba Neighborhood Connections) – $100,000 for 1 year ($75,000 for general operating support and $25,000 for capacity building)
The grant will support Neighborhood Connections’ efforts to build a resident-led, interdependent network in Greater Buckeye through Neighbor Nights, door-to-door organizing, and civic initiatives that foster mutual support and collective action. Funding will support a neighborhood summit, supporting 20-25 civic associations, and enhancing communication efforts to strengthen community engagement and advocacy.
New City Cleveland – $35,000 for 1 year ($30,000 for general operating support and $5,000 for capacity building)
The grant will provide operating support to New City Cleveland, enabling them to expand their programs and hire a part-time development specialist. This will strengthen their core initiatives, including Winter Workday, SummerStrong, and the Mama Strong program, while also increasing revenue through improved fundraising efforts.
New Era Cleveland (fiscal sponsor East End Neighborhood House) – $150,000 for 1 year
The grant will support New Era Cleveland’s programs focused on trauma recovery, community violence intervention, and civic engagement, including recruiting and training an 11-member Trauma Response Team and hosting safety-focused community events. Funds will also support the expanding Safe Zone Partnerships in local business corridors and enhancing their new building to better serve participants’ needs.
Ohio Transformation Fund (Greater Cleveland Neighborhood Centers Association as fiscal sponsor) – $60,000 for 1 year
The grant will provide general operating support to transform Ohio’s criminal legal system by advancing legislative reforms, such as the Ohio GROW Act, and reducing the impact of collateral sanctions on justice-impacted individuals.
Philanthropy Ohio – $50,000 for 2 years
The grant will be used for general operating support to continue advancing equitable, community-centered philanthropy through 80 programs, events, and resources, while fostering collaboration with policymakers, stakeholders, and members on key issues like health, education, and housing policy. A $2,000 grant add- on will be used for capacity building.
Providence House – $75,000 for 1 year
The grant will support the launch of Providence House East Campus Family Preservation services, including hiring key staff, opening 10 beds by late 2024, and providing crisis nursery care to approximately 80 children from 25 families within the first eight months of operation. By FY2026, with full staffing and operations, the East Campus aims to serve 250 children and 125 parents annually, alongside expanded community engagement and resource events.
Pregnant with Possibilities Resource Center – $50,000 for 1 year ($40,000 for general operating support and $10,000 for capacity building)
The grant will provide operating support to Pregnant with Possibilities to strengthen their M.O.M. prenatal program, aimed at improving maternal and infant health outcomes for mothers. This funding will enhance services, increase program participation, and address disparities in access to care and resources.
Towards Employment – $65,000 for 1 year
The grant will provide operating support to help individuals complete career readiness training, with them placed in above-minimum-wage jobs, while advancing career progression through education, technical training, and leadership development programs for alumni. They also aim to expand economic mobility and social capital, by expanding outreach in underserved neighborhoods, integrating financial and wellness services, and fostering community-driven recruitment efforts like the “On The Ground Network” and Young Adult Ambassador peer programs.
This quarter’s grants exemplify the Foundation’s commitment to fostering positive change and improving community health and well-being.
About Saint Luke’s Foundation:
The Saint Luke’s Foundation is dedicated to achieving health equity by addressing social determinants of health for people in neighborhoods surrounding Saint Luke’s and throughout Cuyahoga County. Saint Luke’s is committed to demonstrating grantmaking that is responsive to the community and believes that people thrive as a result of living free of racism and poverty and experiencing equitable economic opportunities and conditions that enable them to lead healthier lives. Since it was established with the charitable assets of the Saint Luke’s Medical Center in 1997, the Foundation has awarded over $170 million in grants. For more information on the work of Saint Luke’s Foundation, please visit saintlukesfoundation.org
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Media Contact:
Devonta Dickey
Communications and Marketing Officer
Saint Luke’s Foundation
216.431.8010
ddickey@stlukesfdn.org