NWP Grants $350,000 to Communities in Schools of Southern Nevada; $30,000 NWP Founder’s Gift Awarded to Touro University of Nevada

Las Vegas, NV, October 25, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Nevada Women’s Philanthropy (NWP) elected to award its $350,000 gift to Communities In Schools of Southern Nevada (CIS) for the purchase of 240 computers to use at six Las Vegas area high schools. Touro University will receive a $30,000 NWP Founder’s Gift, an unrestricted gift each year’s runner-up receives.

“We are thrilled to partner with Communities In Schools who will see that this year’s $350,000 investment will provide thousands of students with the tools they need to graduate from high school,” said NWP president Kelly Petersen said after the final votes were counted. “I am confident that NWP’s grant to CIS will have a direct impact on the lives of thousands of students who will have access to these new computers.”

CIS intends to use the grant funds to purchase about 240 computers to help thousands of at-risk teenagers who are enrolled in its CIS Academy courses in six Clark County School District high schools. The CIS Academy students will also be able to use these computers to create college applications and resumes, fill out scholarship forms and job applications.

“The money NWP has invested with Communities In Schools will be used to purchase desperately needed computers that will help the 16,000 students at the six high schools CIS serves in the Clark County School District,” Diane Fearon, CIS’s chief executive officer said.

Touro University of Nevada will receive the $30,000 unrestricted NWP Founder's Gift. CIS and Touro University of Nevada now join 15 other Southern Nevada nonprofit agencies that NWP has invested in since it was created in 2005. The total granted to date is $3.26 million.

While the 2014 grant cycle has come to a close, NWP is currently accepting Letters of Intent up until Nov. 17, 2014 for the 2015 grant. Each year NWP receives roughly 50 grant applications from Southern Nevada area nonprofits. It takes the members of the organization about a year to scrutinize the group of LOIs before they are narrowed down to the two finalists. The NWP grant recipient is awarded as a result of a popular vote. This year NWP had 81 members. It averages 75 women per year and caps membership at 110.

Last year Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth received the 2013 grant to expand its drop in center. New Vista received the $30,000 Founder’s Gift. In 2013, Goodwill of Southern Nevada received $350,000 for its Veterans Integration Program with the $30,000 Founder’s Grant being awarded to Helping Hands of the Vegas Valley. In 2011, Salvation Army of Southern Nevada received a grant for $325,000 which it used to rehabilitate its emergency homeless shelter and medical clinic. Community Counseling Center of Southern Nevada was last year’s $30,000 NWP Founder’s Gift recipient. Past grant recipients include the Rape Crisis Center, NWP Signs of Hope Counseling Center ($350,000); 2009 Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, NWP Children’s Attorneys Project ($325,000); 2008 Public Education Foundation, Empowerment Schools Program ($450,000); 2007 Greater Las Vegas After-School All-Stars, Roundy Elementary School ($320,000); Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow, NWP Employment Project ($180,000). NWP has gifted $3.26 million since it was created in 2005.

NWP Mission Statement
Nevada Women's Philanthropy (NWP) is a member driven, pooled fund, large impact grant making organization established in 2005 to address the needs of the greater Las Vegas community. NWP’s membership consists of philanthropically motivated women, united by a powerful desire to address emerging issues facing our community in the areas of arts, education, environment, social services, and health. It has granted $3.26 million to 17 organizations since it was created in 2005.