WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Council on Foundations (COF) today announced the winners of the 2017 HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships.
The awards were presented at the Council on Foundations Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, earlier this morning. They honor 10 innovative and impactful cross-sector initiatives that have increased the quality of life for low- and moderate-income Americans living in urban, suburban, and rural communities across the nation. These initiatives focus on solving a broad range of issues, from expanding affordable housing to promoting employment opportunities for students, reducing substance abuse among young people, and improving local infrastructure.
“I want to congratulate each of our winners for their extraordinary efforts to bridge the gap between philanthropy, government, and nonprofits,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “Today’s awards celebrate the power of partnership, and honor exceptional organizations that are laying a strong foundation for more Americans to succeed and thrive.”
“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.”
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 winners are:
| Foundation | Location | Project Name |
| The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation | Tulsa, OK | Alleviating and Preventing Homelessness/Building Tulsa, Building Lives |
| Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation | King and Pierce Counties, WA | Public Housing Authority-School District Partnerships Initiative |
| Capital One Foundation | New York, NY | Y-PLAN (Youth – Plan, Learn, Act, Now) |
| Community Foundation of the Lowcountry | Hilton Head Island, SC | Project SAFE (Sewer Access for Everyone) |
| The JP Morgan Chase Foundation | Ohio, Florida, Colorado, California | PRO Neighborhoods: ReFresh Initiative |
| The Kresge Foundation | Detroit, MI | Detroit Home Mortgage |
| Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Summer Night Lights (SNL) |
| The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation | New Hampshire | Collective Action, Collective Impact |
| Nusenda Foundation | Albuquerque, NM | Albuquerque Living Cities Integration Initiative |
| The Skillman Foundation | Detroit, MI | Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) |
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.