News

> May 17, 2008 - The Colectivo provided grants to ten different projects in 2008. Congratulations to our 2008 fundees!

• A Piece of Cleveland, a local start up business that “upcycles” salvaged lumber into home and office furnishings, was awarded $5,000 as a capital investment to help purchase equipment that would make their manufacturing process more efficient and enhance their profitability. For more information, visit www.apieceofcleveland.com.

• Padres Unidos, an independent parent advocacy group, was awarded $2,500 for their programming to increase parental involvement in the educational system and reduce dropouts in the Cleveland Municipal School District. This program is a project of the Hispanic Roundtable. For more information, please visit www.convencionhispana.org.

• Summer in the City, a grassroots public art collaborative, was awarded $500 to help purchase art supplies for a summer beautification project. Program leaders will paint city property such as garbage can lids and benches in the Ohio City and Detroit Shoreway neighborhoods.

• Mom & Baby Happy Hour: New Mom Support Group, a project of Neighborhood Family Practice , was awarded $675 to help support pre-natal programming, specifically breastfeeding support for new mothers. Funding will be used for bus tickets and other supplies, which will attract participants and enhance the program.

• Landscape Apprentice Project, a job training program providing skills in landscape architecture to urban youth , was awarded $4,500 to fund program supplies and a small stipend for 10 teenage participants, ages 13-17 in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood.

• Ohio City Bike Co-op was awarded $2,000 for improvements to bicycle valet services at public events. Funds will be used to make the free bicycle valet service more attractive, professional, and efficient, encouraging participants to choose cycling over automobile transportation. For more information on the Ohio City Bike Co-op, visit www.ohiocitycycles.org.

• Little Frogs in Bigger Ponds, a project of the Joyful Noise Neighborhood Music School, was awarded $1,800 to cover the cost of sending 6 youth to summer music and drama camps at major art institutions in the Cleveland area.

• Centering Pregnancy: Empowering Mothers at High Social Risk was awarded $1,725 to provide pre-natal care and training for women at high-social risk living in the city of Cleveland. Funding will be used to provide additional educational materials for participants.

• Big Deal: The Giant Supply Depot, a new concept for an innovative tutoring and literacy center on Euclid Avenue, was awarded $300 to cover the costs of the applicant to attend a national conference in order to learn how to establish this unique educational venue. The concept is based on successful literary centers established in cities across the U.S. by writer Dave Eggers.

• Basics, a grassroots effort to distribute clean undergarments to formerly incarcerated women who are in the process of re-entry, was awarded $1,000. Funds will be used to help purchase the needed undergarments as well as for storage containers and distribution of the items.

Click here to download the press release about the grantees (pdf).

> Cleveland Colectivo members spread the word of our organization to other rustbelt cities. (more)

> The Cleveland Colectivo was recently featured in the January 2008 issue of Kiplinger magazine. (more)

The Cleveland Colectivo
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