Infrastructure

10 Foundations Give Flint Over $120 Million

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: May 13, 2016 9:51 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 8:06 am

What federal, state and local governments will not do, private sources of money will do. Several foundations have pledged over $120 million to Flint, Mich., home of the well-known foul water scandal.

As officials of the Michigan government point fingers, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has made a grant of up to $50 million. It announced:

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, FlintNOW Foundation, Ford Foundation, The Hagerman Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ruth Mott Foundation, Skillman Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation are initial supporters

Also:

• Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, committing up to $50 million over the first year and up to $100 million total over five years, with grants across all six priority areas, as well as investments in K – 12 education;
• FlintNOW Foundation, committing continued support from a $10 million pledge to aid in a broad range of relief and revitalization efforts in Flint. To date, FlintNOW has helped generate millions of dollars in aid for a variety of short- and long-term programs focused on immediate relief, children’s health and education, and long-term economic development;
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation, committing up to $5 million over the next year to support children’s education, health and well-being, backed by significant investments in community engagement;
• The Kresge Foundation, committing up to $2.5 million for operations and recovery programs of select nonprofit partners, grants that build on the Foundation’s expertise in community development, health, and human services, and exploration of future support to enhance civic capacity and community engagement;
• Carnegie Corporation of New York, committing $1 million to support the educational needs of children in Flint;
• Ford Foundation, committing $1 million over three years to the health needs of the Flint community;
• The Hagerman Foundation, committing $1 million over the first year to support the non-profit sector and efforts to revitalize Flint’s economy, with plans to support education, health and wellness for children and their families for years to come;
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, committing a total of $1 million to support children’s health needs through the Flint Child Health & Development Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, and to an evaluation of how the community is recovering in the immediate and long term;
• Ruth Mott Foundation, committing $1 million for the short- and long-term needs of Flint children and adults, in addition to investments already made in priorities identified by residents;
• Skillman Foundation, committing $500,000 immediately, with the potential for an additional $1.5 million over the next three years, to support civic capacity, childhood health and nutrition, and childhood literacy.

As for the use of the funds:

Ensuring That all Flint Residents Have Safe Drinking Water.
Meeting the Health Needs of Flint Families.
Supporting Early Education
Building a More Robust Non-Profit Sector
Promoting Community Engagement
Revitalizing Flint’s Economy

In the meantime, at least some portion of government help is tied up in debate about which part of the government is at fault.