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News Release: W.K. Kellogg Foundation Names 2008 National Leadership in Action Award Recipients

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – August 2008: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has announced the 2008 recipients of its prestigious National Leadership in Action Award, recognizing excellent work by nonprofit organizations and philanthropic institutions in communities of color.

The 2008 National Leadership in Action Award winners include:

• Native Americans in Philanthropy, Minneapolis, Minn. – for its work to promote, facilitate, and celebrate philanthropic giving to Native communities, while providing professional development opportunities and support for Native Americans working in the field of philanthropy. 
  
• The Twenty-First Century Foundation, New York, N.Y. – for its efforts to facilitate strategic giving for black community change, working with donors to invest in institutions and leaders that address challenges within black communities across the country.
  
• Potlatch Fund, Seattle, Wash. – for its dedication to inspire the Native tradition of giving in Northwest Indian Country and promote economic development, civic participation, and the overall well-being of Native people and their communities. 
  
• ACCESS, Dearborn, Mich. – for its commitment to provide economic and social services to Arab immigrants, Arab Americans, and non-Arabs alike, while breaking down the barriers of linguistic and cultural differences.
  
• Rose Community Foundation, Denver, Colo. – for its leadership in advancing cross-cultural collaborations with Denver’s Latino community and its support of initiatives that strengthen philanthropic participation in communities of color.

The National Leadership in Action Award Program recognizes, celebrates, and promotes outstanding philanthropic institutions and nonprofit organizations. The award honors innovative approaches to connecting resources of time, money and know-how to the philanthropic work of communities of color. Award winners were peer-nominated and screened by a committee of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from across the United States.

“We are at an incredible moment in our society as the power of philanthropy continues to accelerate as a result of the innovations these committed organizations offer,” said Anne Mosle, vice president for programs, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “As the Foundation re-energizes our mission to support the success of vulnerable children, with a strong commitment to racial equity, we hope to see more opportunities to partner with strong organizations such as these to ensure philanthropy achieves its full potential.”

Each winner will be recognized at local award receptions taking place from September through November in 2008. Recipients will receive a $50,000 grant, as well as an original commissioned art piece created by emerging young artists from across the country.