News

As we approach 2025, we’re continuing our board series! Today, we’re celebrating our next outgoing board member: John Rusher. John joined the JRE board in 2017. As a pediatrician and child advocate, he’s brought an extremely important perspective and leadership to the JRE board. Read some of his thoughts below! 

We’re excited to invite you to our John Rex Endowment Open House from 4 to 6 p.m.! This will be an excellent opportunity to meet our newest staff members, Ashley Ahlers and Rebekah Appleton, and to celebrate Linh Pham’s promotion to Community & Capacity Development Manager.

We want to inform you that there will be no additional competitive funding opportunities for the rest of 2024. Stay tuned for an exciting announcement regarding our 2025 Equity Cohort Opportunity in January 2025! If you have any questions, please reach out to Linh.

As we reflect on Hurricane Helene's impact, I am deeply moved by the spirit of care and resilience shown by the people of Western NC. In the face of overwhelming challenges, individuals and communities have come together with remarkable acts of care—whether through organizing volunteer days, forming mutual aid groups, or spending countless hours cleaning up and rebuilding their neighborhoods. These are not just responses to a crisis; they are acts of heroism and leadership, reminding us how powerful our capacity for care truly is.

As we mentioned previously, several board members are completing their board terms with JRE. Today, we're celebrating LaTasha Winstead. LaTasha joined JRE's board in 2018, and has served as chair of the Health Improvement Committee. At the core of everything, Winstead emphasizes the importance of ensuring that children not only thrive in the present, but also set the foundation to thrive in the future.

Read her reflections of her board service below!

The John Rex Endowment is happy to offer our meeting rooms to the community during weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Whether you’re hosting a small team meeting or planning a strategy session, our space is available to support your needs. To reserve a space or get more information, contact our Operations Facilitator, Rebekah (rebekah@johnrexendowment.org). We look forward to supporting your important work!

In the coming months, look out for the launch of our refreshed website, an invitation to our fall open house, and our continued series highlighting our departing board members. In the meantime, please remember we are deeply grateful for your continued partnership as we embark on this next chapter together. 

As we approach 2025, several board members are completing their board terms with JRE. We're highlighting these board members through our outgoing board reflections series! Today, we're celebrating Matt Leatherman. His smarts, passion for child advocacy and leadership have helped us make a real, positive impact for Wake County children. Read some of his thoughts here!

In 2015, we started providing grant funding for Project LAUNCH. This program strengthens local families and promotes children’s social emotional well-being. The National Institute of Health recently awarded the LAUNCH Program a new grant to research how family stress – stress often related to a lack of resources – impacts infants’ health, well-being and growing bodies. This is an incredible example of the type of systems change we seek to fund and support! The nationally recognized Project LAUNCH team has already reached hundreds of families – and this work will expand that positive impact. 

In April 2024, the DOL shared a new set of rules that are now part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA determines everything from overtime pay to recordkeeping. Incorporating the law into our budgets, hiring processes and operations plans is critical. That’s why we’re sharing more about the new FLSA overtime rules – and what they mean for nonprofits – here. 

These board members helped build JRE into the organization it is today: one that centers racial equity and justice to improve the social emotional health of children living in Wake County. Stay tuned as we highlight each of these board members, their work and their achievements in the coming newsletters – and then introduce you to our new board members, too! 

Registration for our third Gathering to BREATHE cohort is open! We’re including more details here – and hope you join us. 

We’re thrilled to announce that Ashley Ahlers has joined the JRE team as the new director of partnerships and communications! Ashley brings a wealth of advocacy expertise to JRE. She’s served as a director at United Way of the Greater Triangle, Compass Center for Women and Families, and Dress for Success Triangle NC. 

This spring, we invited Wake County nonprofits and grassroots organizations to apply for a new, three-year funding opportunity. We’re hoping to help these new partners build a community of practice, elevate capacity and gain new skills through this grant. We recently kicked off our work with the four exceptional organizations that were selected to participate in our 2024 capacity building cohort! We’re sharing more about each organization here. 

Last month, we shared that Linh Pham was promoted to serve as JRE’s new community and capacity development manager. This month, we’re sharing more about Linh so you can get to know her background and her hopes for this role! 

When Governor Cooper talked about helping more families access life-saving healthcare, we knew we wanted to be part of making that happen. 

That’s why we joined together with other funders to support three organizations that help North Carolinians with Medicaid enrollment. Together, we were able to raise almost $3 million to help fill the gaps in our state’s funding. 

Registration is open for the next Gathering to BREATHE cohort. We're inviting those who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other People of Color to join this virtual gathering. Cohort facilitators Nick Allen and Whitney Tucker are leading these sessions. We're sharing more details here. 

Imagine this scenario. A grantmaker comes in, tells a community or nonprofit exactly what they need, provides funding for programs and services only based on what they feel is best and then leaves, never to be heard from again. 

What is wrong here? A lot. It is impersonal, it does not honor the wisdom or expertise of those closest to the issue, and it does not address what the community actually needs. At John Rex Endowment, we know there’s a better way to approach philanthropy. 

That’s exactly why we work closely with The Kaleidoscope Project. In partnership, we’re reimagining philanthropy and shifting power back to the community (where it belongs).  

John Rex Endowment are proud to offer “Gathering to BREATHE” for the second year– a 3-session peer program for Black leaders looking to “amplify wisdom, increase agency, and lessen burdens” of their racial equity work.  

Facilitators Becky Eschenburg and Debby Warren invite white nonprofit leaders who are working to center racial equity and justice in their organization to join a 4-session peer program/ affinity group.

Register today to join our upcoming racial equity workshop: Courageous Conversations: A Racial Equity Journey, on Tuesday, February 20.

John Rex Endowment welcomes Alma Barnett, Loretta Harper-Arnold, and Brenda Williams-Brown to our Board of Directors.

Meet Bryan Lewis, our new board chair, and check out a preview of what's ahead for the Endowment in 2024.

John Rex Endowment is partnering with Emerging Equity on its 2024 grant opportunity.

As we wrap up 2023, we want to look back – and celebrate – two long-time board members who are rotating off of the John Endowment Board of Directors at the end of this year.

John Rex Endomwnet updates its Strategic Roadmap and shares what it means for grant-funded partners and fellow advocates.

Sabrina Slade transitions into her new role as the Vice President of John Rex Endowment. 

Kellan Moore, President and CEO of John Rex Endowment, has been selected as one of Triangle Business Journal's Leaders in Diversity award winners for 2023!

We are proud to introduce a new learning opportunity, "Unity in Diversity: Fostering Authentic Collaboration Between BILPOC-led & White-led Organizations." This free interactive session aims to bridge the gap and promote genuine collaboration between Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other People of Color-led and white-led organizations.

John Rex Endowment is now a Family Forward NC Certified Employer that supports working parents and caregivers and contributes to the health and wellbeing of North Carolina’s children– our future workforce.

The John Rex Endowment has partnered as a signatory of the Philanthropic Joint Statement in Response to the Supreme Court's Decision in 'Students for Fair Admissions' Cases (rwjf.org).

John Rex Endowment's Board of Directors approved a total of $450,000 over three (3) years, to two organizations, Education Justice Alliance and The Resiliency Collaborative, for their “Partners for Healing Justice and Transformational Wellbeing” collaborative.

John Rex Endowment are proud to introduce a new learning opportunity, “Gathering to BREATHE” – a 3-session peer program for Black leaders looking to “amplify wisdom, increase agency, and lessen burdens” of their racial equity work.  

John Rex Endowment is proud to offer a 4-session peer program for white leaders who are working to center racial equity and justice in their organizations – at any stage of this journey. Facilitated by consultants Becky Eschenburg and Debby Warren, this affinity group is open to white, nonprofit leaders who are working to improve the social emotional health of children living in Wake County

In this President's Message, Kellan Moore reflects on the Endowment's work to advance racial equity and upcoming learning opportunties. 

John Rex Endowment's Strategic Collaboration Impact Award RFP is now available! We will host two community webinars on January 26 and 31, for those interested in learning more about our RFP. 

Join Sterling Freeman as he sits down with John Rex Endowment's Kellan Moore and Sabrina Slade to discuss racial equity work, and how Kellan and Sabrina communicate, listen to one another and build trust in their working relationship. 

John Rex Endowment's team reflects on the past year.

The Endowment will be releasing our Strategic Collaboration Impact Award RFP in our newsletter on Thursday, January 19, 2023! We will host several community webinars in January 2023 (registration links now open), for those interested in learning more about our Strategic Collaboration Impact Award RFP. Keep reading and register to join us!

We are proud to share that Kellan Moore, President and CEO of John Rex Endowment, has been named a SHERO by the SEI Women’s Network!

John Rex Endowment’s staff created an organizational dating profile together, and the experience was not only fun but helpful in refreshing our brand. 

John Rex Endowment's Strategic Collaboration Impact Award RFP will be released in January 2023.

We are pleased to announce that the John Rex Endowment's Board of Directors approved a total of up to $600,000 per year for three years in capacity building grants to a cohort of small grassroots organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the John Rex Endowment's Board of Directors approved a total of $900,000 in Racial Equity Capacity Building grants to Artspace, Big Brothers Big Sisters, CORRAL Riding Academy, and The Hope Center at Pullen. 

The Endowment's second Strategic Collaboration Initiative webinar series of our offerings will be a two-part workshop on collaboration and what gets in the way along with tactical approaches for strategic planning facilitated by Niiobli Armah IV and Suri Clark of We-Collab. 

The Endowment's first Strategic Collaboration Initiative webinar series of our offerings will be a two-part "Preparing for Meaningful Collaboration" webinar series facilitated by Rev. Dr. Sterling E. Freeman, Co-Founder of CounterPart Consulting.

We are pleased to announce that the John Rex Endowment Board of Directors approved a total of $900,000 in Racial Equity Capacity Building grants to Arts Access, Inc., El Pueblo, Haven House Services, and Learning Together.

The Endowment expresses its sincere condolences to the victims and their families impacted by the horrific acts of violence that occurred in Uvalde, Texas.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Linh Pham as Operations Facilitator, effective May 2, 2022.

Sabrina Slade, John Rex Endowment's Director of Racial Equity and Advocacy, was featured in the Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) Perspectives blog series. As a senior leader in philanthropy, Sabrina is a Fellow in GEO's Change Leaders in Philanthropy Fellowship (CLIPF) 2020 cohort. In this conversation, she shares her perspective on what it takes to shift organizational structures, strategy, culture, and practice—and what those changes require from her as a leader.

Kellan Moore, President and CEO of the John Rex Endowment, was featured in the Triangle Business Journal's Executive Voice series, in which she shared how the Endowment's refreshed mission is making changes to our grantmaking and operations.

The John Rex Endowment shares Sabrina Slade, Director of Racial Equity and Advocacy, article, "Dismantling the Working-While-Wounded Culture through Accountability and Naming Harmful Practices." 

The John Rex Endowment is excited to announce our new funding for racial equity work.

After more than 20 years of advancing positive change for children, and two years of strategic racial equity work, the John Rex Endowment team is excited to introduce our “North Star”—a new mission statement that brings clarity to who we are, what we do, and who we aspire to be.

This month, the Endowment’s Board of Directors approved a total of $240,000 in Nonprofit Capacity Building grants to the Community Music School, East Wake Education Foundation, and Passage Home. The grant awards—$80,000 each for a two-year period—will begin January 2022. Additionally, an award of $1,927,433 over five years was approved for Wake County Smart Start to support “The Kaleidoscope Project.” 

In this President's Message, Kellan Moore reflects on lessons learned as the Endowment works to advance racial equity. 

The John Rex Endowment thanks Pablo Escobar for his six years of dedication, leadership, and service as a member of its Board of Directors. 

In October, the John Rex Endowment Board of Directors approved a total of $80,000 in mini-grants—grants of smaller awards than our traditional grants to serve specific project needs. Additionally, Haven House Services was awarded a $295,830 Project Expansion Grant to implement the “Juvenile Justice and Behavioral Health Transformation” project. 

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Krystin Jorgenson, CPA as Chief Financial Operations Officer, effective October 18, 2021.

The John Rex Endowment Board of Directors approved $600,000 in grants to two grassroots collaboratives that support the Endowment’s desired impact that all children and their families are safe, healthy and living to their full potential. Grants were awarded to the collaborative of The RWA Center, ACLA and Young Men 4 Christ and to the collaborative of Village of Wisdom, Education Justice Alliance and ISLA NC. 

The John Rex Endowment works alongside local nonprofits who share our desired impact that all Wake County children and their families are safe, healthy, and living to their full potential.  Our commitment is to strengthen the infrastructure of nonprofit organizations who are supporting children’s social, emotional, behavioral health and well-being.  Throughout our work we are taking steps to be more strategic in the ways we support our nonprofit community. This approach brought us to the decision that for the remainder of 2021 we will not announce any new funding opportunities through the request for proposals process.

The board of directors and staff of the John Rex Endowment are here for the children and families in Wake County.  We are accountable to them: The John Rex Endowment supports an environment where all children and families in greater Wake County live healthy lives. Only by challenging ourselves on matters of race and by intentionally – and constantly – striving for equity in our work can we fulfill our mission.

In May, the Triangle Capacity-Building Network (TCBN), awarded $312,000 to 24 organizations for capacity building. Gladys Hairston, John Rex Endowment’s Director of Research, Learning and Evaluation, said, “I’m proud the Endowment is a funding partner to TCBN.  Through this funding, nonprofits will be able to strengthen their infrastructure which is key in the ability to successfully meet their mission.  The focus on leaders of color brings attention to an overlooked historical responsibility of philanthropy.  We’re on the forefront of change.”

The John Rex Endowment provides grant funding to Wake County nonprofits who share our desired impact that all Wake County children and their families are safe, healthy, and living to their full potential. In March we will publish our competitive Nonprofit Capacity Building Request for Proposals (RFP) specifically related to organizations exploring enhancing their Strategic Relationships.  This funding opportunity aligns with our two funding areas: Nonprofit Capacity Building and Children’s positive social, emotional, and behavioral health and well-being.

The John Rex Endowment announces the 2021 retirement of McAllister Ross Myhra and Susan Vickers Smith. McAllister, Director of Operations, is a founding member of the Endowment and will step down effective July 31.  Susan, CFO, has been associated with the Endowment in multiple audit and financial capacities for over 15 years and will retire December 15.

As I write to you today, I’m reminded that this time last year, I was eagerly looking forward to viewing the inspiring movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” featuring actor Tom Hanks as the beloved Mr. Rogers. It was an inspiring, comforting and magical movie – full of optimism and advice for the future.  

The future, however, became something else entirely during 2020. We have coped with COVID-19, racial unrest, political division and unimaginable losses. Despite all of it, we have together found newly discovered strengths and opportunities – all this so children and families can experience less fear and anxiety.

In August, the Endowment announced that it had taken the next step of joining with the United Way of the Greater Triangle to provide matching funds for support of a new Anti-Racism Community (ARC) Fund. Now the ARC Fund has joined forces with the Justice Love Foundation to continue progress on addressing issues of systemic racism in the community.

The John Rex Endowment announces that two new members have joined the Board of Directors, effective October 6, 2020, to serve three-year terms.

In response to the national unrest and cry for humanity, in June, the John Rex Endowment pledged to work alongside a variety of different agencies so that systemic racism becomes a problem of the past. Today, the Endowment announces it has joined forces with the United Way of the Greater Triangle to provide matching funds for support of a new Anti-Racism Community Fund. The Fund will support both local leaders of color who can lead community-level change and nonprofits that are able to dismantle racist structures in housing, food, health, workforce, or education.

For 20 years, the Endowment has focused on the children and families of greater Wake County by engaging in thoughtful and strategic grantmaking and advocacy. Our commitment to supporting our neighbors and the capacity of nonprofits who work tirelessly on behalf of others has never wavered.  We invite you to visit our 20^th commemoration page where you'll find a video story to learn about our past and hear about our future plus see the list of the 96 unique organizations named as our grant-funded partners over the years. Without their leadership and commitment to children, our mission could never be realized.

John Rex Endowment Board of Directors approved over $1 million in grants to organizations that support children and their families to be safe, healthy and living to their full potential.

Racism is systemic in this community and this country, and it steals lives – whether from violence or silence – as well as livelihoods. At the John Rex Endowment, we acknowledge this fact, lament it, and express our deepest apology for ways in which we may inadvertently perpetuate it. Our commitment is to challenge ourselves daily to understand and to grow in ways that resist all forms of racism while we help lay the groundwork for a new and equitable society.

The John Rex Endowment is continuing to build the infrastructure of the nonprofit community by engaging Executive Service Corps (ESC) of the Triangle to consult with the Endowment’s grant-funded partners as they assess their business resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, and beyond. This opportunity with ESC is an expansion of the Endowment’s current partnership with Armstrong/McGuire which is providing no-cost, confidential consulting opportunities to more than 35 of the Endowment’s grant-funded partners to help them focus on needs specific to their organizations.

As we come together in response to the spread of COVID-19 and anticipate steps toward recovery, it becomes even more important to have a complete count in the 2020 Census. While Wake County’s response rate continues to increase, we know that some neighborhoods are undercounted. What this means is that communities where people who may most need services will receive less than their fair share of political representation and funding for the next ten years.

Triangle Capacity-Building Network announces a new funding opportunity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The network of local funders is making available $290,000 for general operating support grants of up to $10,000 per organization. Eligible organizations must be Triangle-based and serving Chatham, Durham, Orange and/or Wake Counties and have a budget of $100,000 to $5 million. Prioritization will be given to organizations led by and serving people of color.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the vital role and yet precarious position that nonprofits hold in our communities. People every day require the services that nonprofits provide. This is especially true during times of crisis, when nonprofits find themselves struggling to meet increased client needs while dealing with tighter budgets, reduction in volunteer help and vulnerable staff members.   

As we begin the week with what health officials predict will be a “very difficult time” in the course of this pandemic, we want you to know we are here for you – to be a thought partner or to be a friend – a safe space to share the struggles. I’m proud to say that the Endowment is firm in our belief in and commitment to you, the Wake County nonprofit community, as you serve on the front lines to help our children and families.

In my previous message I spoke about the immediate steps we are taking to support our grantees as they deal with the crisis. In many of our conversations you've told us to use our voice on your behalf. We take this role seriously. That is why we took these steps: 

The John Rex Endowment was founded 20 years ago, in April 2000.

The John Rex Endowment announces Libby George has joined its board of directors effective March 10, 2020.

John Rex Endowment awarded a grant in early March to SAFEchild to lead 40 Wake County agencies as they continue working on effective child abuse and neglect prevention strategies. The two-year, $225,000 grant builds upon an Endowment grant awarded in 2018 to SAFEchild and Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, resulting in the formation of the Wake County Child Abuse Prevention Committee and subsequent recommendations for helping children and families.

As we come to terms with the impact of COVID-19 upon our community, we like you are coping with almost hourly news updates, concerned about our friends and neighbors’ safety and discerning what we can do to make a difference. At John Rex Endowment, we have been speaking with grantmakers around the state; our grant recipients; and our board of directors and other community leaders to hear the needs of those who are serving Wake County’s most vulnerable children and families.

I recently went to see the new movie, “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” in which my favorite actor, Tom Hanks, plays the great TV personality, musician, writer, producer, puppeteer and minister, Fred Rogers. Please go see it! Its themes of practicing kindness, caring for children and giving your “honest self” to others reminds me so much of our mission to support an environment where children and families in greater Wake County live healthy lives.

The John Rex Endowment is moving to our new office the week of Dec. 9. Our new address is: 832 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh NC 27604

The phone system will be down Tuesday, Dec. 10 - Monday, Dec. 16. Our apologies for any delays in responding to you. More news to come!

We are pleased to announce the John Rex Endowment’s 2020 competitive funding opportunity calendar. In May we will release the Nonprofit Capacity Building Request for Proposals (RFP). This funding area is to support nonprofits' ability to assess and strengthen their infrastructure in order to deliver quality programming more effectively and efficiently. Grant awards will be made in October. This is the only RFP scheduled for release in 2020. We are in conversation with our active grantees whose projects are candidates for additional funding through expansion opportunities.

The John Rex Endowment awarded over $950,000 in October for grants that support an environment where children and families in greater Wake County live healthy lives. Grants were awarded to Community Music School, East Wake Education Foundation, Learning Together, Passage Home, The Hope Center at Pullen, WakeMed Pediatrics and NC Child.

The John Rex Endowment Board of Directors has elected officers for the 2019 – 2020 term, effective October 1: Jimmy Talton, chair; LaTasha Bennett, vice-chair; Matt Leatherman, treasurer; and Heather Denny, secretary.

One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. hangs in my office and reads, “Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.” This quote has multiple meanings for me.  First, it reminds me that the need for philanthropy grew out of larger, systemic issues that are still present today.  The quote also reminds me that the philanthropic sector alone cannot solve issues of inequities that are centuries in the making. Economic injustices are community issues and directly and indirectly impact us all. 

The John Rex Endowment is pleased to announce grant awards totaling more than $1.75 million to five organizations to improve the environment in which Wake County children and their families are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age. The five grant recipients are: EVOLVE Mentoring: $480,260; Families Together: $600,000; Haven House Services: $97,172; Methodist Home for Children: $119,915; and Southeast Raleigh Promise: $453,490.

The John Rex Endowment is proud to announce that more than $1 million in grant funding has been awarded to Arts Access and Youth Thrive. Each of the grant awards expands on projects previously funded to the organizations by the Endowment.

It’s true, time flies. I know this because I will be celebrating my two-year anniversary with the Endowment in a few months. In this time, I continue to be awed by our government agencies and nonprofits who relentlessly provide for their clients while striving to support themselves. Their fortitude and creativity in addressing the needs of our neighbors is remarkable. At the same time, I have increasing respect for what is required to be an effective funder.

The John Rex Endowment announces a new funding opportunity as part of our Strategic Roadmap. The aim of this Nonprofit Capacity Building Request for Proposals (RFP) is to build the strength and sustainability of nonprofit organizations that support vulnerable Wake County children in living healthy lives. For a full description of this opportunity, including eligibility, see the RFP. Letters of Intent for this current funding opportunity are due Tuesday, June 11.

The Triangle Capacity-Building Network is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for nonprofits located in Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham, and/or Johnston County that are led by a person of color and/or are working within communities of color (an organization whose board of directors reflects the communities of color it serves is also eligible).

One of Wake County’s leading collaborations has dissolved, effective March 15, 2019. For more than 10 years, Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) sought to improve the health and well-being of Wake County residents.  The John Rex Endowment was honored to have provided leadership and financial support for AHA and to have collaborated with the staff, board and community partners. We express our appreciation for the many ways in which AHA contributed to the well-being of our community.

A busy winter at John Rex Endowment is giving way to the promise of spring – and with it, the advent of new grant awards and opportunities. Our Strategic Roadmap – announced in October 2018 – is based upon 19 years of experience in building the capacity of the nonprofit sector and shaping community policies and environments, and/or supporting system-level improvements. It is also based upon our appreciation that children and their families’ lives are complex, and issues are intertwined. None of us live or work in silos.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Sabrina Slade as Social Innovation Director, effective April 1, 2019. Slade who has more than 20 years of experience with nonprofits and foundations in North Carolina, comes to the Endowment from the Winston-Salem Foundation, where she was initially Director of the Women’s Fund, then most recently the Director of Strategic Initiatives. 

The John Rex Endowment announces that Susan Smith has joined the team as part-time Chief Financial Officer, effective January 1, 2019. Smith, a magna cum laude graduate of Meredith College with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, has been serving the Endowment as a financial consultant since 2013.

The John Rex Endowment’s current funding opportunity is described in the Request for Proposals (RFP) "The Connection of Social Determinants to Children’s Health and Well-being." On January 17 we hosted an informational webinar which is now available. You can download the webinar file: https://app.box.com/s/k469x3yb5j7raw0tnj10rf6hnd5euzra The audio begins approximately 39 seconds in.

The John Rex Endowment announces new funding availability as part of our Strategic Roadmap. For a full description, including eligibility, see the RFP. Letters of Intent are due Tuesday, February 12.

The John Rex Endowment announces its purchase of 832 Wake Forest Road to serve as the organization’s new office. The Endowment is slated to move in the summer of 2019 following renovations of the new property.

The annual Wake County Smart “State of the Child” breakfast focused on creating a system of prevention and responsive support for those in need that ultimately reduces traumatic experiences for children. This year’s event featured keynote speaker Dr. Wendy Ellis.

The John Rex Endowment announces four grants totaling $259,996 to support nonprofit capacity building. Recipients include Families Together, Family Promise of Wake County, Marbles Kids Museum and the WELL (Wade Edwards Foundation and Learning Lab).

The John Rex Endowment announces two new members of the board of directors. The new directors are LaTasha Bennett, Manager of Community Engagement, UnitedHealthcare, and Tyran Hill, Local/Regional Policy Officer, North Carolina Housing Coalition.

Wake County luckily did not bear the brunt of the recent hurricanes. The message that our partners consistently reported to the John Rex Endowment, however, is that all were lending their support to other nonprofits, be it with supplies for families or words of advice for their peers.

The John Rex Endowment has created a Strategic Roadmap to reflect what we have learned and how we will meet the current challenges facing Wake County children and their families. The board and staff of the Endowment have worked closely with our grantees, other partners and community representatives to set the general direction for future work. Our desired impact is to ensure children and their families are safe, healthy and living to their full potential. We will focus particularly on those children who are most vulnerable.

I’m glad to have heard from many of you and know that you came through the storm safely. I know we are all still a bit stunned by the impact that such an event can have upon our lives and those of people we serve. In light of the storm cleanup, the John Rex Endowment is focusing upon doing whatever we can to be there for our grantees and our community. We will therefore delay our Strategic Roadmap announcement until October 2, when recovery efforts will be bearing fruit and some of the post-storm stress will be alleviated.

The John Rex Endowment announces a $287,012 grant award to the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education (Poe Center) to develop a new multi-faceted approach to teen driver safety in Wake County. The project focuses on developing and testing new interactive educational components for teens and their parents/caregivers as part of the Jordan Driving School program.

Regularly, the John Rex Endowment takes time to step back and assess our funding focus and role in the community. Right now we are formally doing that work as it will inform our decisions about priorities, grant investments and our external actions.  This planning process balances community needs, local and national trends and lessons learned over the last five years of our current plan.

On the afternoon of May 10, Kate Shirah, John Rex Endowment program director, joined 54 current and emerging leaders to become graduates of the esteemed program Leadership North Carolina (LNC), Class XXV. “The opportunity to participate in this 8-month program was incredible," said Kate. "Engaging with 54 people whose personal and professional experiences vary from mine has broadened my way of looking at the important work of supporting children and families in the context of top issues in our state.

This year the John Rex Endowment welcomes letters of intent that are in response to two of the goals as described in our five-year plan, Our Plan for Impact, 2013-2018. Letters of intent for our Fall Grant Award Cycle are due Tuesday, June 12, end of day (11:59 PM ET).

The John Rex Endowment announces grant awards totaling more than $266,000 for the prevention of childhood injury in Wake County to Youth Thrive and a joint effort of Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina and SAFEchild.

The North Carolina Institute for Public Health (NCIPH) recently completed an assessment and online Story Map commissioned by the John Rex Endowment to describe how conditions in Wake County such as the number of high-quality child care centers, existence of food deserts and high housing costs (defined as a family spending more than 30% of their income on housing) can affect children and their families’ health and well-being. The report will be used during the 2018 strategic planning process to define future funding priorities toward creating an environment where children and families in greater Wake County live healthy lives.

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."  - African  Proverb   This proverb has provided inspiration and guidance in my past 25 years working in the nonprofit sector. Collaboration is a value I will live as I lead the John Rex Endowment into the future.

Leaders from 14 local funders recently joined forces to address their concern over local nonprofits’ capacity building needs. The group commissioned a research project with North Carolina State University’s Institute for Nonprofits focusing on better understanding the capacity building needs of local nonprofits to support their organizational health and sustainability. [more]

The John Rex Endowment announces the approval of more than $800,000 in funding for seven grants to organizations and groups that support the physical, mental and emotional well-being of children. Recipients include Haven House Services, The Hope Center at Pullen, Learning Together, TheGifted Arts, Wake County Public School System, Wake Technical Assistance Collaborative and WAKE Up and Read. [more]

The John Rex Endowment announces new members and officers of the board of directors. New board members include Warren Ludwig, PhD, child welfare and mental health consultant; John Rusher, MD, of Raleigh Pediatric Associates; Kate Simpson, vice president of TrueBridge Capital Partners. [more]

The John Rex Endowment is accepting letters of intent that address our Preventing Injury goal as detailed in our Preventing Injury Request for Proposals. Letters of intent for the Winter Grant Award Cycle are due Tuesday, October 10, end of day (11:59 PM ET). [more]

John Rex Endowment announces a grant of $162,430 to Arts Access, Inc. for the Wake Arts Inclusion Project, which focuses on increasing participation by children with disabilities in the full range of cultural arts activities in Wake County. [more]

The John Rex Endowment Board of Directors announces Kellan Moore as the next president and CEO. Moore has been the executive director of Care Share Health Alliance since 2009. She will join the John Rex Endowment in mid-August. [more]

This year the John Rex Endowment welcomes letters of intent that are in response to three of the goals as described in our five-year plan, Our Plan for Impact, 2013-2018. Letters of intent for our Fall Grant Award Cycle are due Tuesday, June 13. [more]

After 16 years as the President and CEO of the John Rex Endowment, I have made the decision to retire.  I will move on in the next few months after my successor has been identified. [more]

The John Rex Endowment 2016 Progress Report is a glimpse of the foundation’s impact in our community over the past 15 years. Our commitment to vulnerable children is unwavering as seen by the more than $45 million awarded in grants to 88 local organizations since 2001. [more]

The John Rex Endowment announces three grants totaling more than $120,000 to support nonprofit capacity building. Recipients include Families Together, Lucy Daniels Center and SAFEchild. [more]

John Rex Endowment announces more than $1 million in grants for Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) and Youth Thrive to support positive mental health in Wake County. In addition, a planning grant has been awarded to UNC Department of Pediatrics for an injury prevention project focused on child maltreatment. [more]

In 2013 the John Rex Endowment published Our Plan for Impact: 2013-2018. Our five-year plan outlines the foundation’s commitment to children through investing in Healthy Foods and Active Living; Preventing Injury; Positive Mental Health; Coalition Effectiveness and Nonprofit Capacity Building. This year we are pleased to have funding available for projects toward our Preventing Injury, Coalition Effectiveness, and Nonprofit Capacity Building goals. In May, we will release the Requests for Proposals (RFPs) which will detail each grant funding opportunity. [more]

The John Rex Endowment announces grant awards totaling more than $179,000 for injury prevention and nonprofit capacity building to support the work of Haven House Services and the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education. [more]

The John Rex Endowment is pleased to announce new members and officers of the board of directors. New board members include Wake County District Court Judge Craig Croom and Matt Leatherman, policy analyst for the NC Department of State Treasurer. [more]

Friends who sail tell me of their great pleasure in selecting a destination, and then, paying attention to shifts in the wind, unseen currents, and obstacles in the water, begin tacking and jibing this way and that to get where they want to go. I have no experience with this form of recreation, but I take their point: always have a desirable destination before you set sail and be prepared to take advantage of circumstances or navigate around them. Like most sailors, the Endowment has a destination.  And, like them, we need to take account of factors along the way in order to have a successful journey. [more]

Heather Denny, president and chief executive officer of McDonald York Building Company, has joined the board of directors for the John Rex Endowment. She will serve on the Finance and Audit Committee of the board. [more]