From October to December, faculty and staff are asked
to donate money to the university's
campaign for United Way of Central Maryland; the Johns
Hopkins Neighborhood Fund, a part of that
effort, provides a way for the university to give some back
to nonprofits with which it has a close
connection.
Between now and Friday, Dec. 12, local community
organizations in which Johns Hopkins faculty,
staff, students and retirees are involved can apply for
funding. Consideration is given to projects that
focus on community revitalization, education, employment,
health and public safety. Grants given out in
2007, the inaugural year, ranged from $1,125 to $10,000.
Neighborhood Fund-eligible nonprofits must provide
programs or services to communities within
the Live Near Your Work program boundaries or a
three-quarter-mile radius of a Johns Hopkins
campus that is participating in the United Way of Central
Maryland campaign.
To date, more than $164,000 has been pledged to the
Neighborhood Fund, making it the second
most popular designation in the 2008 campaign, behind only
United Way of Central Maryland.
The President's Office contributed $20,000 to the
Neighborhood Fund last year and has
agreed to repeat the effort with an initial $10,000
contribution and $10,000 in matching funds in
support of pledges made to the fund during the final weeks
of the campaign.
Last year, the fund was able to award 11 grants
addressing specific requests such as after-
school programs, community beautification projects, a
homeless shelter and a homeownership and
foreclosure prevention fair.
Children of the World Co-op, an international play
group for children ages 1 to 4 and their
parents or caregivers, received one of the inaugural
grants. As David Sahnow, of the Center for
Astrophysical Sciences, points out, "Thanks to support from
the fund, COTW, located right in the
backyard of the Homewood campus, can continue to meet the
needs of so many in the Hopkins
community and neighborhood by offering free and reduced
tuition for those of limited income."
Members of the Johns Hopkins community who are
involved with local nonprofits are
encouraged to apply for funding before the Dec. 12
deadline. Those who still have not contributed to
this year's United Way campaign have until Dec. 12 to make
a pledge online at:
www.jhu.edu/unitedway. To date, the campaign is at 60
percent of its goal.
For more information about the Neighborhood Fund,
including eligibility criteria, a grant
application form and a listing of 2007 awardees, go to:
web.jhu.edu/uw and
click on the Neighborhood Fund button, or contact Jeff
Pratt in the Office of
Faculty, Staff and Retiree Programs at
410-516-6060.
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