News & Activity

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Council on Foundations (COF) today announced that the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles was among the winners of the 2017 HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships.

“We created the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles to develop innovative collaborations that help make Angelenos’ lives better,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “That work, honored with this award, has made it possible for our public programs to have a broader reach with a real impact on safer, healthier neighborhoods throughout L.A.”

The Fund was recognized for the critical support it facilitates for Summer Night Lights, which extends organized programming at public parks in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles, resulting in demonstrably lower crime rates than in parks without the program. By creating a bridge for private funding, the Fund has broadened the reach of Summer Night Lights to hundreds of thousands of families.

“The 10 initiatives being honored are an inspiring reminder that when philanthropy and government work together and lead together in cross-sector partnerships, their collaborations can achieve incredible results for the communities we collectively serve,” said Council President and CEO Vikki Spruill. “On behalf of the Council, I congratulate each of the outstanding foundations being awarded today.”

“It’s an honor to have the work of the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles recognized by HUD and the Council on Foundations, along with our peers and partners in philanthropy,” said Deidre Lind, President of the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. “The reach of the public sector combined with the flexibility and innovation of the philanthropic world has incredible potential, and today models for that kind of collaboration are emerging across the United States.”

The awards, presented at the Council on Foundations Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, honor 10 innovative and impactful cross-sector initiatives that have increased the quality of life for low- and moderate-income Americans in communities across the United States.

Awards were given to place-based funders for completed or ongoing projects that are executed in partnership with a local, regional, or federal government agency. The additional winners are The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Capital One Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, The JP Morgan Chase Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Nusenda Foundation, and The Skillman Foundation.

HUD’s Office for International and Philanthropic Innovation and the COF have co-hosted the Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships since 2012. The winners were selected by a panel of 12 judges — six from HUD and six from the Council on Foundations — based on materials submitted following an open call for nominations issued this past February.

Further information on each of today’s winners can be found at HUD’s website.

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About HUD

HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.

You can also connect with HUD on social media and follow Secretary Carson on Twitter and Facebook or sign up for news alerts on HUD’s Email List.

About the Council on Foundations

An active philanthropic network, the Council on Foundations (www.cof.org), founded in 1949, is a nonprofit leadership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations. It provides the opportunity, leadership, and tools needed by philanthropic organizations to expand, enhance and sustain their ability to advance the common good. With members from all foundation types and sizes, the Council empowers professionals in philanthropy to meet today’s toughest challenges and advances a culture of charitable giving in the U.S. and globally.

You can also connect with COF on Twitter and Facebook

About the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles

The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to improving life for all Angelenos. Bringing together institutions and experts from across the City, the Fund supports programs that will create transformative change across Los Angeles, making it a world leader in economic prosperity, government efficiency, community resiliency, and quality of life for all of its residents. Uniquely positioned at the crossroads of local government, business, philanthropy, and non-profits, the Fund enables communication and collaboration that will tackle some of Los Angeles’ most complex challenges. The Fund is supported by private donations and is overseen by an independent Board of Directors. 

More information can be found at www.mayorsfundla.org, on Facebook and on Twitter.