- In its 27th year, the Nissan Foundation maintains its focus on recognizing nonprofits that promote respect among racial and cultural groups
- The Nissan Foundation annually awards grants to nonprofits in California, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Tennessee and Texas
- Nissan will accept Letters of Intent for the 2020 grant cycle in October 2019
NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Nissan Foundation will award $740,000 in grants to 30 nonprofit organizations for its 2019 grant cycle. The nonprofit recipients are located in Southern California, North Central Texas, Middle Tennessee, Central Mississippi, Eastern Michigan and the New York and Atlanta metro areas.
Over its 27-year history, the Nissan Foundation has awarded more than $11.5 million to approximately 150 organizations promoting respect and understanding among cultural and ethnic groups.
“The Nissan Foundation is proud to support local nonprofit partners developing innovative and culturally diverse programs in communities where Nissan operates,” said Nissan Foundation President Scott Becker, who is also senior vice president, Administration, Nissan North America, Inc. “We are excited to recognize our 2019 grantees for promoting the importance of racial equality and cultural diversity.”
The mission of the Nissan Foundation – to build community by valuing culture diversity - is as relevant today as it was in 1992, when it was founded. Formed in response to the civil unrest that occurred near Nissan North America’s then-U.S. sales operations in Southern California following the Rodney King trial verdict, the Nissan Foundation has annually awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofit organizations that support the Foundation’s mission.
”The projects funded by Nissan Foundation grants are important and relevant because they help strengthen relationships among people and enrich communities across our country,” said Nissan Foundation Executive Director Vicki Smith.
Examples of grants awarded include:
- $30,000 to the Tanenbaum Center for Religious Understanding in New York City to fund a campaign that generates public education materials that address fear, misinformation and prejudice to counter divisive rhetoric within communities, and to promote critical thinking;
- $20,000 to the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, to develop curricular materials and teaching strategies that will help English Language Arts educators explain the Holocaust with historical context and factual accuracy; and
- $50,000 to the Nashville Public Library Foundation to support the delivery of a cultural awareness and engagement curriculum rooted in lessons learned from the Civil Rights Movement that can inform culturally responsive interactions today.
For the 2019 grant cycle, the Nissan Foundation initially reviewed 187 letters of intent and 41 proposals from nonprofits in seven U.S. states where Nissan has an operational presence.
2019 Grant Recipients
California
- Autry Museum of the American West, “Voices of Native America” - $15,000
- Connecting Cultures Mobile Museum, “CCMM in Schools” - $15,000
- Japanese American National Museum, “School Visits Program” - $30,000
- San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, “Root Series” - $10,000
- San Diego Museum of Man, “Making San Diego Safe for Human Differences” - $10,000
- Western Justice Center Foundation, “Compassion Plays” - $15,000
Georgia
- Atlanta Historical Society, “Juneteenth 2020 Public Program” - $15,000
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, “Refugee Education and Engagement Project” - $10,000
- Fernbank Inc., “Winter Wonderland: Celebrations and Traditions Around the World” - $25,000
Michigan
- Arab American National Museum, “Arab American Arts Festival and Community Development/Placemaking” - $10,000
- Detroit Educational Television Foundation, “Building Equity Through Information” - $30,000
- Holocaust Memorial Center, Zekelman Family Campus, “ELA Holocaust Curriculum for Public School Educators” - $20,000
- Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit, “Journeys in Religious Diversity” - $15,000
- The Community House, “Race Relations and Diversity Task Force” - $15,000
Mississippi
- Cleveland Music Foundation/GRAMMY Museum, “Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom: Using the Songs of the Civil Rights Movement to Explore Issues in Diversity, Inclusiveness and Equity” - $15,000
- Jobs for Mississippi Graduates, “We Are One” - $50,000
New York
- Brooklyn Historical Society, “Muslims in Brooklyn Public Program Series” - $10,000
- Jewish Children’s Museum, “Public Schools Initiative” - $20,000
- Jewish Museum, “Movies That Matter” - $25,000
- One to World Inc., “Cultural Understanding Programs” - $15,000
- Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, “Combating Extremism and Promoting Respect through Community Conversations” - $30,000
Tennessee
- Children’s Museum Corporation of Rutherford County, “Kids First” - $55,000
- Global Education Center, “Passport to Understanding Cultural Outreach” - $25,000
- Nashville Public Library Foundation, “Civil Rights and a Civil Society: Critical Dialogues in Equity, Race and Identity” - $50,000
- Nashville Public Television, “Next Door Neighbors: 2019-2020” - $75,000
- Native American Indian Association of Tennessee, “38th Annual Indian Education Pow-Wow and Arts Exhibition” - $10,000
- Oasis Center, “Building Bridges” - $50,000
- STARS Nashville, “Understanding Bullying Prevention Through the Lens of Cultural Competence” - $20,000
- Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, “Welcoming Tennessee Initiative” - $30,000
Texas
- National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum, “Cultural Heritage Youth Workshops and School Assembly Project” - $25,000
Call for 2020 grant applicants
The Nissan Foundation will begin accepting letters of intent for the 2020 grant cycle in October with a submission deadline of Nov. 15, 2019. Nissan Foundation grants are awarded annually; the next grants will be awarded in June 2020.
For more information about the Nissan Foundation and its application process, visit the Nissan Foundation page.
About the Nissan Foundation
Established in 1992, the mission of the Nissan Foundation is to build community through valuing cultural diversity. The Nissan Foundation is part of Nissan North America's commitment to enrich people's lives by helping to meet the needs of communities throughout the U.S. through philanthropic investments, corporate outreach sponsorships and other charitable contributions.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.infinitiusa.com, or visit the U.S. media sites NissanNews.com and infinitinews.com.
Contact
Vicki Smith
Nissan Foundation
Vicki.Smith@nissan-usa.com
Darla Turner (Media inquiries only)
Nissan Corporate Communications
Darla.Turner@nissan-usa.com