Hilton Foundation Awards $25.5M in Grants in Q2 '17, Approves New Foster Youth Strategy
The board of directors of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced today that it approved 31 grants totaling $25.5 million during the second quarter of 2017. The board also approved a new five-year strategy for the Foster Youth Strategic Initiative, beginning with grant approvals for Graham-Windham ($720,000) and the Children’s Data Network at the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work ($825,000).
During the first phase of the Hilton Foundation’s Foster Youth Strategic Initiative (2012-2017), the Foundation invested $53.5 million. With these investments, the Initiative has partnered with grantees, community partners, other funders and policy makers to move public child welfare systems and policies away from a one-size-fits-all approach narrowly focused on the safety and basic needs of transition age foster youth to one that recognizes and reflects the unique potential of older youth to succeed in education, career and life.
The vision for the next phase is for all transition age foster youth in Los Angeles and New York City to become self-sufficient and thriving adults. We plan to achieve this vision in three ways:
- Strengthen systems and policy for transition age foster youth;
- Expand and share knowledge with the field; and
- Advance innovative transition age foster youth programs.
“We are delighted to announce more than $25.5 million to a diverse group of organizations, and to approve the next phase of our Foster Youth Strategic Initiative” said Peter Laugharn, president and CEO of the Hilton Foundation. “We are confident that, through the great work of our partners, at the end of this five-year strategy, transition age foster youth will have better access to the education, skills and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives.”
Other notable grants include a $8.2 million grant to PATH
offsite link to scale up early childhood development services as part of health systems in Mozambique, Kenya and Zambia—the largest grant of the Foundations’ new Young Children Affected by HIV and AIDS Strategic Initiative approved in November 2016, and a series of 17 grants totaling $3.78 million to recipients of the Marilyn Hilton Award for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research.
Following is an overview of all grants awarded in the second quarter of 2017:
Young Children Affected by HIV and AIDS – In addition to the abovementioned $8.2 million grant to PATH , Kidogo Early Years will receive $600,000 to replicate a social franchise daycare model in urban informal settlements in Kenya.
Safe Water – Aquaya Institute will receive $2.5 million to explore and build sustainable water quality testing systems in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Uganda. World Vision was granted $800,000 to support a strategic partnership with IRC to plan and implement comprehensive water projects in the planned district-based programs in Ghana, Mali and Niger. Jibu, L3C will also receive $1 million to make a program related investment into Jibu, a social franchise providing safe water in Uganda and Mali.
Foster Youth – Graham-Windham was granted $720,000 to support the Graham Support Lead and Achieve Model program to improve college and career pathways for foster youth in New York City. In addition, University of Southern California will receive $825,000 to support the Children’s Data Network at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work that will link key indicators on child welfare and health, specifically among older foster youth in Los Angeles.
Homelessness – LA Voice was awarded $400,000 to align and engage faith leaders across Los Angeles County to end homelessness and decrease displacement and housing insecurity.
Substance Use Prevention – Abt Associates will receive $1 million to continue Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning activities for the Substance Use Prevention Strategic Initiative. Friends Research Institute was granted $1.8 million to partner with National Council for Behavioral Health to incorporate a research study into its project on the effectiveness of youth Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in Federally Qualified Health Centers. The Partnership for Drug Free America was awarded $750,000 to equip parents with resources to address youth substance use. The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College Foundation will receive $1.8 million to develop a college-based adaptation of SBIRT as part of a student wellness community.
Catholic Sisters – Sisters of Mercy of the Americas was granted $840,000 to support programs and build organizational capacity of the inter-congregational Leadership Collaborative to prepare young sisters for leadership positions.
Multiple Sclerosis – Seventeen researchers were selected to receive the prestigious Marilyn Hilton Award for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Research. The award, which is given in two categories – Bridging Award for Physician-Scientists and the Pilot Innovator Award – totals $3.78 million in grants over a five-year period. The purpose of the award is to stimulate innovative and potentially paradigm-shifting research on progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Recipients will study topics ranging from mechanisms behind myelination and demyelination, to the use of advanced imaging techniques, and processes behind the causes of inflammation.
Finally, The New York Opportunity Network was awarded $500,000 for general operating support to facilitate the organization’s strategic growth plan.
For more detailed information on our grantmaking, please visit .