NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth/KXAS, Telemundo 39/KXTX and the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation announced May 21 that eight local nonprofit organizations will receive a total of $225,000 in grants.
This year’s winners are local nonprofit organizations who applied and were selected based on innovation within at least one of four grant categories: storytelling, community engagement, culture of inclusion and youth education.
“We are proud to see so many unique organizations creating innovative solutions to make a difference in the Dallas-Fort Worth community,” said Tom Ehlmann, NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 president and general manager.
“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to increase the impact in the work they are already doing through existing and expanding programs.”
A total of $2.475 million will be presented to 68 nonprofit organizations located in 11 markets, the organizations said in a news release.
The North Texas 2019 Project Innovation grant winners feature local nonprofits that are working to reducing recidivism among the juvenile justice system, increasing services to underserved populations in the community, create an equal playing field for individuals and future generations of leaders to excel in the areas of STEAM and encouraging diversity in volunteerism that is more representative of the communities served.
Local grant recipients include:
Big Thought, Dallas – awarded $50,000. Big Thought’s Creative Solutions arts-based intervention program for youth on probation in the juvenile justice system helps improve job skills and increase social and emotional development through creative and therapeutic expression, to close the gap to success.
29 Acres Inc., Dallas – awarded $50,000. 29 Acres Transition Academy exemplifies a program dedicated to a culture of inclusion by serving a highly-underserved population of adults with autism in North Texas.
Café Momentum, Dallas – awarded $25,000. Café Momentum was created to increase employment and decrease recidivism among adjudicated teens through a “whole-person” approach, providing participants with a 12-month paid internship that includes intensive culinary training, life skills training and case management support to help address critical needs (food, housing, medical, counseling, treating substance problems, etc).
After-School All-Stars North Texas, Dallas – awarded $25,000. After-School All-Stars’ (ASAS) STEM academic enrichment initiative strives to eliminate disparities in access and exposure to STEM that exist between advantaged students and disadvantaged students, with a goal of long-term engagement in the communities they serve.
ASAS offers innovative STEM based learning opportunities that require outside funding to continue, including DJ Music production, #femSTEM, coding, photography, robotics, podcasting.
Trinity River Mission Inc., Dallas – awarded $25,000. Trinity River Mission’s STEAM Zone (K-5th grade) and Infinity 2 (6th-9th grade) programs provide daily, afterschool STEAM lessons and concepts to underrepresented students in Dallas, as well as offers activities through organizational partnerships connecting students to real-life experiences.
Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra – awarded $22,500. Greater Dallas’ Youth Orchestra Community Engagement and Music Education Initiative (GDYO) recently addressed a growing need within Dallas Independent School District (DISD) by providing fully subsidized services for DISD’s elementary through high school classical and jazz music programs.
Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation Inc. – awarded $17,500. In line with its overall mission to provide performing arts presentations and arts education programs in Dallas’ Arts District, the foundation offers local youth many opportunities, including STEAM education through Backstage Spotlight and Open Stages.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Denton County Inc. – awarded $10,000. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a renowned foster children’s advocate program that provides trained community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children.
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth/KXAS is the local NBCUniversal-owned television station. Telemundo 39/KXTX is Telemundo’s local television station serving the Spanish-speaking community throughout North Texas. Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation works to advance initiatives at the cross-section of societal needs and NBCUniversal’s priorities.