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At their June meeting, Burton D. Morgan Foundation Trustees approved more than $1.3 million in grants to organizations that promote entrepreneurship in Northeast Ohio, including a grant of $300,000 to John Carroll University to create a Creativity and Entrepreneurship Classroom.

John Carroll University will transition a 1,540 square foot classroom into the Burton D. Morgan Creativity & Entrepreneurship Classroom, a multipurpose space that will facilitate dynamic teaching and active learning through moveable furniture, display areas, and technology. The classroom will support courses within the entrepreneurship minor, as well as faculty workshops related to embedding exercises in creativity and entrepreneurship into courses.
Deborah Hoover, Foundation President and CEO stated, "John Carroll University boasts strong campus champions who have helped to advance entrepreneurial opportunities for students through both curricular and co-curricular programs. As a result, John Carroll students perform well in generating ideas, developing ventures, and participating in regional competitions. Morgan Foundation believes the addition of this technology-rich classroom will create a dynamic environment to inspire entrepreneurship-minded students to pursue creative thinking, collaborative projects, and shared learning.

Mark Hauserman, Director of John Carroll University's Muldoon Center for Entrepreneurship, commented, "A recent study of employers revealed that the number one trait they sought from their employees is creativity/innovation. A focus of our program, this new facility will assist us in helping our students to develop these skills."

Other grants that will benefit organizations supporting innovation and entrepreneurship at the youth, collegiate and adult levels include the following:

Bad Girl Ventures - $60,000 to support operations of the Cleveland office

BioEnterprise - $150,000 to support business development efforts and internship programming

Economic and Community Development Institute - $150,000 to support operations of the Akron satellite office

Hiram College - $80,000 to support the Center for Integrated Entrepreneurship (2 years)

JumpStart - $200,000 to support Phase III of the scaleup initiative

Team NEO Foundation - $150,000 to support the further development of Anchor Customer Engagement Academy and to create an Open Innovation Network

University School - $70,000 to support Lemonade Day and Selling Bee

University School - $61,500 to support Young Entrepreneur Institute programming

Youngstown Editor Incubator Corporation - $50,000 to support the 2016 AMPED Business Competition

Youth Opportunities Unlimited - $30,000 to support the E CITY program at eight Northeast Ohio high schools

Since February, the Foundation also approved a number of smaller grants to support youth, collegiate, and adult entrepreneurship programs and philanthropy. Among the recipients were: Akron Art Museum for a series of Community Conversations focused on strengthening the relationship between entrepreneurship, the arts, and economic development ($10,000); Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron for student scholarships and associated expenses for the 2016 BioInnovation Academy ($20,000); Cleveland Festival of Art and Technology for coordination of American Maker Cities North coalition and production of a maker space best practices resource guide ($20,000); Cleveland SCORE to establish branch offices in Ashtabula and Lorain Counties and to enhance services in the recently established Huron County branch office ($9,550); Cleveland State University Foundation for the Startup Vikes competition ($2,500); Effective Leadership Academy for Entrepreneurship Day of the LEAD Chamber program in Beachwood ($2,500); Great Trail Council Boy Scouts of America for the Entrepreneurship Merit Badge program ($7,000); Hathaway Brown School for salary support and student startup costs ($15,000); Kent State University Foundation for sponsorship of the Fashion School's fashion show ($3,800); LaunchTown for the business idea competition ($10,000); Lorain County Community College Foundation for the Roy and Bobbi Church Visionary Leadership Institute ($2,500); National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship for scholarships for four Northeast Ohio community college teams to attend the national conference ($10,000); Philanthropy Ohio for operating support ($19,964); StartupBus to sponsor a startup maker bus trip from Akron to the national competition in Boulder for 25 Akron-area entrepreneurs ($15,000); TechPint for events and activities that help promote informal connections among entrepreneurs ($5,000); The University of Akron Foundation for the BEST Medicine Engineering Fair and BEST Entrepreneurship Camp ($10,000); University of Massachusetts-Lowell for support of the Deshpande Symposium ($3,775); University School for the Veale Regional Business Plan Competition and the Veale Executive Coaching Day ($10,750); and Women's Network of Northeast Ohio for the EMPOWER! Women's Entrepreneurship Mastery Program ($10,000).

In addition to supporting entrepreneurship initiatives in the region, the Foundation also makes grants to institutions in Hudson. The following grants have been made since February to benefit the Hudson community: Hudson Bandstand for the 2016 Hudson Summer Music Festival ($2,500); Hudson City Schools to bring the Earth Balloon inflatable globe to Ellsworth Hill Elementary School ($1,500); Hudson Community First for the Intern for a Day/Career Panel ($10,000); Hudson Farmers Market to support marketing initiatives in conjunction with the 10th anniversary season ($7,500); Hudson Library and Historical Society for business books to honor Burton D. Morgan ($250); and Temple Beth Shalom to paint the exterior of the building ($9,375).