Education

Cornell lands $15 million grant
July 18, 2011

Cornell University on Thursday announced one of the largest current-use gifts to undergraduate scholarships in the university's history — $15 million.

Cornell said The Atlantic Philanthropies gave the university a $15 million grant to support financial aid for students in the Cornell Tradition program. The gift will be paid in three annual installments of $5 million each, beginning this month, according to a statement from the university.

Prudential awards $3.4 million in grants
June 30, 2011

The Prudential Foundation board of trustees approved $3.4 million in grants to four Newark, N.J.-based organizations focused on education and youth development, and a national organization dedicated to bridging the gap between the skills workers have and the skills employers need them to have.

To help develop education leadership in Newark, the board approved $250,000 for The Newark Education Trust (NET), an independent local education fund that mobilizes money, people and organizations to support quality public schools for Newark children.

Tufts completes record fundraising campaign
June 29, 2011

Tufts University has completed its largest fundraising effort in the school's 159-year history.

The school reported on Wednesday that it raised $1.2 billion for its "Beyond Boundaries" campaign.

Officials at the Massachusetts school said nearly 140,000 donors contributed $434 million for scholarships and other support to enhance the student experience, creating more than 630 new endowed and term scholarships. Officials said donors also gave $386 million for faculty recruitment and research and $137 million for new facilities.

$50 Million for Scholarships: New Weatherhead Pledge
June 28, 2011

The Weatherhead Foundation has pledged another $50 million to Tulane University to fund scholarships for students with a passion for community service. The new Weatherhead Scholars Program will be the first program of its kind in the country sponsored by a single donor. Its vision is to advance the overall reputation and community engagement impact of the entire Tulane University community.

Journalism Education Reform Growing With $3.9 Million Gift
June 21, 2011

A pioneering initiative that helped leading journalism schools reinvent themselves for the digital age will be extended to all journalism and mass communications programs in the United States, thanks to $3.9 million in new support from Carnegie Corporation of New York and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The expansion comes after an independent evaluation found the initiative has already helped transform curriculums and get more students hired at a critical juncture in the industry’s history.

Princeton University Receives $10 Million to Support 'Tinkerers'
June 20, 2011

Princeton University has announced a $10 million gift from longtime supporter Lynn Shostack to endow its Project X fund, which supports innovative projects in engineering.

Launched as a two-year pilot program, the fund provides small grants to engineers who wish to pursue projects outside their formal area of expertise or are too speculative to attract conventional funding. To date, the fund has supported research ranging from an exploration of techniques to sterilize hospital rooms to the development of an idea for playing highly realistic three-dimensional sound from conventional speakers.

Verizon Foundation Offers Literacy Grants to New Jersey Nonprofit Organizations
June 13, 2011

Verizon has extended the deadline by a week for New Jersey nonprofit organizations to submit proposals for grants ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 from the Verizon Foundation to support literacy programs across underserved communities in the Garden State. The new deadline is June 17.

The foundation will award grants to agencies that develop programs that are focused on building reading skills for children, teens and adults and incorporate technology through computer and Web-based literacy programs for minority and disabled residents in low-income communities across the state.

George Washington University fundraising bucks national trends
June 13, 2011

Annual giving to George Washington University increased 9 percent in 2011, with annual donations to the university topping $5.3 million as of June 6.

Annual giving — all directly solicited gifts of up to $25,000 — represents 5.7 percent of the $92 million raised by GW so far this year. Complete fundraising totals will not be calculated until after the end of the fiscal year, June 30.

Last year, giving reached $4.8 million, up 14 percent from 2008.

Although annual giving rose, overall fundraising remains comparable to last fiscal year, when GW took in $93.82 million.