Trustees of The Burton D. Morgan Foundation awarded grants of more than $425,000 in June to promote entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education in Northeast Ohio.
Several of the grants will support youth entrepreneurship programs in the region, including an expanded Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio initiative in 2012, three Camp Invention sites in Akron and Wooster, and four summer BizCamps for Akron-area high school students. Awards to two organizations – the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and University School – will support outreach to entrepreneurship educators in Northeast Ohio and nationally.
“Through the Foundation’s support of youth entrepreneurship programs and educators, we are investing in the entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” Foundation President Deborah Hoover said. “These programs are helping our youth to acquire new skills, develop an entrepreneurial mindset, and experience the thrill of starting their own businesses.”
A proactive grant of $20,000 will enable the Entrepreneur Institute at University School to expand the Lemonade Day initiative locally next spring. The national program 'provides an opportunity...to train the next generation of entrepreneurs through a free, fun, engaging, experiential activity' using the simple and time-honored tradition of running a lemonade stand. Based on the success of a small pilot program this past spring, the Foundation hopes Lemonade Day will grow into an entrepreneurship experience that reaches thousands of Northeast Ohio youth annually.
In addition to grants supporting youth entrepreneurship programs and educators, the Trustees awarded a grant of $200,000 to BioEnterprise, a venture support organization that provides resources and expertise to bioscience start-ups across the region.
Grants approved by Foundation Trustees in June include:
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Invent Now, Inc. – $75,500 for three Camp Invention sites in summer 2012 – two in Akron Public Schools and one in Wooster City Schools.
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Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship – $50,000 toward the development and marketing of the Digital Teacher Network.
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University School – $46,500 for the school’s Entrepreneur Institute programs and for entrepreneurship outreach programs to Northeast Ohio students and educators.
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University School – $20,000 for the Entrepreneur Institute to lead and coordinate the 2012 Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio initiative.
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Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) – To help support four BizCamps in Akron in summer 2011 and for capacity-building needs associated with the E CITY-Y.O.U. merger.
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BioEnterprise – $200,000 for the Business Development and Entrepreneurial Assistance program and the Business Associates internship program.
Since last January, the Foundation also approved several small grants to benefit youth and community programs in Hudson, among them: Hudson Community First’s career panels and intern-for-a-day program ($10,000); Hudson Community Service Association’s efforts to help Hudson families in need ($8,000); an Akron Symphony Orchestra Concert for Kids performance ($5,000); Hudson Community Foundation’s July 2011 fireworks in Hudson ($5,000); and production of “A Good Day in Hudson” on Hudson Cable TV ($1,200).
Additionally, the Foundation approved grants to the American Red Cross of Summit and Portage Counties for earthquake and tsunami disaster relief efforts in Japan ($10,000) and tornado disaster relief efforts in Joplin, Missouri ($5,000).