Knight Foundation grants awarded to Cook County Higher Education and WTIP

The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation (DSACF) recently announced the distribution of more than a quarter million dollars in grants.  Among the recipients are two local non-profits, WTIP North Shore Community Radio and Cook County Higher Education (CCHE).

WTIP North Shore Community Radio was awarded $10,000 to launch its new Engaging Youth Program.  The program is in collaboration with Cook County High School and will bring students into the realm of radio.

Katie Gellatly is the director of Community Philanthropy with the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation (DSACF).  She says WTIP’s Engaging Youth Program was funded through the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation because the program fits the Knight Foundation’s focus.

“We thought it was a terrific fit for the Knight Foundation Fund,” says Gellatly, “primarily because the fund is all about informed and engaged communities and creating opportunities for people to participate within their communities.  The Knight Foundation, the Knight brothers, were journalists in the newspaper business, so it all kind of flows back to the idea about communication and informing communities and giving youth that opportunity to participate, so it was a really good fit overall.”

Cook County Higher Education (CCHE) will also receive a Knight Foundation grant.  This grant, in the amount of $2,841, will help fund Internet Victory, a series of workshops intended to take the mystery out of what broadband internet access has to offer.  Katie Gellatly:

“The series of workshops are also a really great fit for informing citizens about the importance of broadband and how to use broadband in the community, so that’s really what the workshops are all about,” says Gellatly. “Again, it really fits with informed, engaged communities and creating opportunities for people to come together and interact and kind of have that discussion about broadband, and then take it one step further and have the opportunity to learn a little bit more about it to hopefully have it be a positive influence in their life.”

The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation (DSACF) was established in 1983, serving seven counties in Northeastern Minnesota and two in Wisconsin.  Its stated mission is to promote private giving for the public good.  The Foundation has a portfolio of more than 290 charitable funds and has distributed more than $33 million in grants and scholarships since 1983.  For more information, go to their website at dsacommunityfoundation.com.