TEGNA Foundation, the charitable foundation sponsored by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), in partnership with local stations, today announced it awarded 234 Community Grants to address critical community needs and initiatives. A summary of the TEGNA Foundations’ 2021 Community Grants is available here.
In 2021, TEGNA stations continued to serve the greater good of their communities by supporting a variety of local causes, including providing shelter and support for those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, education programs for at-risk youth, and programs supporting and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The majority of 2021’s Community Grants support the following UN Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) goals: Good Health and Well-Being (42%); Quality Education (22%); and Zero Hunger (20%).
“Our stations’ continued commitment to empowering their local communities through fundraising and grantmaking is invaluable and inspiring,” said Dave Lougee, president and CEO, TEGNA. “We are honored to support all of our local partners who share our values and commitment to serving those in need.”
Several grants stand out as areas particularly significant to the local communities served, including:
- KING (Seattle): Grantees include 14 Seattle-based organizations tackling racial, ethnic and social injustice; ensuring access to education, health and wellness; and combating food, job and financial insecurity, including BlackPast.org, Gathering Roots Wellness, Green Plate Special, Holocaust Center for Humanity, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, Refugee Women’s Alliance, The Hub – Youth Central and more.
- KUSA (Denver): Addressing health, well-being, poverty and hunger, grantees include eight Denver-based organizations providing services to veterans, families, and children/teens, including La Clinica Tepeyac, La Raza Services Inc., Project Angel Heart and Third Way Center.
- KXTV (Sacramento): Grants to six Sacramento area food shelters – Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, Placer Food Bank, Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, Second Harvest of the Greater Valley, Yolo Food Bank and Yuba-Sutter Food Bank – for ongoing relief related to increased needs of those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- WUSA (Washington, D.C.): Eleven grants to support a broad range of community and social service needs, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, D.C.’s after-school programming at Drew-Freeman Middle School; Arc of Prince George’s County’s Dental Service Project; Capital Caring Health’s Community Counseling Services; Latin American Youth Center’s STRIPES, an after-school LGBTQ+ alliance; One World Education’s G8 Academy; Washington Area’s Women’s Foundation, Inc.’s Rock Star Fund; Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers’ Washington AIDS Partnership; and more.
TEGNA Foundation also approved four special grants to support diversity, equity, and inclusion and local journalism, including:
- George Floyd Memorial Foundation Scholarship Fund: In partnership with KARE, TEGNA’s NBC affiliate in Minneapolis, a grant was made to provide scholarships to deserving high school students accepted to 2- or 4-year colleges and/or universities.
- Hispanic Heritage Foundation: Supporting programs to identify, inspire, prepare, and connect Latino leaders in the community, classroom, and workforce.
- NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF): Providing general support for LDF, which seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve equality.
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Supporting the Local Legal Initiative, specifically supporting local journalists in defending their rights to gather and report the news.
TEGNA Foundation Community Grants are vetted by a committee of employees at each station, including the station general manager, and approved by the TEGNA Foundation Board of Directors. To learn more and/or apply for a TEGNA Foundation Community Grants, visit https://www.tegnafoundation.org/.