The MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FOUNDATION, founded in Cleveland in 1958, has continually supported area EDUCATION, and in 1992 received the Cleveland Arts Prize for its efforts in the fine arts. MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS (d. 1962) created the fund with an initial bequest of $5.5 million from the estate of her late husband, Andrew R. Jennings (d. 1931), an Intl. Business Machines Corp. (IBM) executive. The Jennings Foundation provides grants to nonprofit institutions to improve the quality of teaching, fund secular primary and secondary education projects, teacher training, curriculum development, school evaluation studies, and educational TV programs, and provides Grants-to-Teachers and Grants-to-Administrators. The foundation generally limits its giving to Ohio and does not support capital, travel, operating or endowment funds, budgets, annual campaigns, research, publications, or equipment. The Jennings Foundation publishes the Bulletin and Pro Excellentia, which describe its projects. Beneficiaries have included most area colleges and universities, the CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION, UNIV. CIRCLE, INC., the CLEVELAND SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND, Chautauqua Institution, and the CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART. In 1988 the Jennings Foundation committed $500,000 as the sole supporter of the 3-yr. Ohio Lighthouse Project for at-risk students. Initiated at the request of the Ohio State Dept. of Education, the project succeeded so well in its 5 locations that a 3-yr., $1 million Lighthouse II Project followed in 1992. The latter effort represented a new area for the foundation, early childhood education, and its largest single contribution to date.
In 1993, with assets of $64 million, the foundation disbursed over $1.32 million for grants of $1,000-$50,00 each, with $616,200 for foundation-administered programs. Significant grants for 1992 included $125,500 for education programs in University Circle and at the ARTS ASSOCIATION for youth concerts, and $25,000 to the Beck Center in Lakewood for operating costs.
Finding aid for the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series I, WRHS.
Finding aid for the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series II, WRHS.
Finding aid for the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series III, WRHS.
Finding aid for the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series IV, WRHS.
Finding aid for the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Records, Series V, WRHS
See also PHILANTHROPY and FOUNDATIONS.