Basic Needs and Education are Top Priority for PGE Foundation in 2009 Grant Funding
52 Nonprofits Awarded Grants Totaling $332,000 in Second and Third Quarters of 2009
The PGE Foundation continued to give top priority to basic needs — food, shelter and healthcare — while continuing its longstanding support of arts and education programs as it closed out its funding cycle for 2009. The PGE Foundation — Portland General Electric’s (NYSE:POR) corporate foundation — awarded 52 grants totaling $332,000 to nonprofits across the state in the second and third quarters. That brings its 2009 granting to more than $850,000.
“These tough times have created significant funding challenges for nonprofits,” said Gwyneth Gamble Booth, chair of PGE Foundation. “Many have had to reduce staffing and budgets. The foundation has struggled with an increase in funding requests, and we’ve tried to respond appropriately by focusing in on basic needs and education. We also believe it is just as important to continue supporting arts and culture organizations, especially those that provide educational opportunities and serve vulnerable populations.”
The Foundation made 26 grants totaling $116,000 to support the physical and emotional health of Oregon families and individuals. These 26 Healthy Family grants address domestic violence, homelessness, hunger, needs of seniors and the disabled, physical and mental healthcare, at-risk youth, foster children, job training, and drug and alcohol abuse. Twelve grants totaling $113,000 went to enhance education in mentoring, special school programs, early childhood education, literacy, community service, and environmental science across the state; and 14 grants totaling $103,000 were given to arts and culture programs.
For a complete list of nonprofit organizations who were awarded grants by PGE Foundation, please see attached news release. You may also contact Elaina Medina, PGE, 503-464-8790 or Carole Morse, PGE Foundation, 503-464-7620.
The PGE Foundation, the corporate foundation of Portland General Electric, was established in 1997 as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with a permanent endowment. The Foundation’s giving is separate from the corporate giving of PGE. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $13 million to help improve the quality of life for all Oregonians by supporting statewide programs and services that encourage healthy families, provide educational opportunities and encourage the arts and cultural diversity. Gwyneth Gamble Booth is chair and Carole Morse is president. To learn more about the PGE Foundation, visit http://www.pgefoundation.org.
