The Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation has approved more than $1.9 million in grants in the spring 2011 grant cycle.
The Rowan-Salisbury Schools received 13 grant approvals totaling $448,586, most of which are technology driven.
Salisbury High School will receive the largest grant of $80,806 for the installation of a 3-D virtual reality program.
Six agencies receive annual grants in the foundation’s Continuing Support Grant Program. These include Community Care Clinic, $50,000; Communities In Schools, $50,000; Habitat for Humanity, $20,000; Meals on Wheels of Rowan, $35,000; Rowan County United Way’s Day of Caring program, $40,000; and Rowan Helping Ministries’ Crisis Assistance Support, $50,000.
The following are grant awards of $50,000 or more:
Catawba College —$50,000 for budget relief;
Downtown Salisbury Inc. — $75,000 for the DSIP Revolving Fund, and $3,500 to purchase a folding machine for the DSI office;
Habitat for Humanity —$50,000 for funds to purchase housing property;
Hood Theological Seminary — $50,000 toward construction of new refectory;
Livingstone College — $50,000 for budget relief;
Rowan County Health Department — $50,000 for Health Link program;
Rowan Helping Ministries — $50,000 for the Crisis Assistance Network;
Rowan-Salisbury Schools/Koontz Elementary School — $59,000 for expanding technology;
Rowan-Salisbury Schools/Overton Elementary School — $55,000 for the Overtonville PASSPORT program;
Rowan-Salisbury Schools/Salisbury High School — $50,000 for completion of the restroom-exercise addition to the school gymnasium;
Waterworks Visual Arts Center — $50,000 for operating support;
YMCA of Rowan County — $50,000 for operating support.
The foundation was chartered in the fall of 1997 with an initial gift of $15 million by Salisbury native Julian H. Robertson Jr., now of New York City. He named the charitable foundation in memory of his parents, Blanche S. and Julian H. Robertson Sr., longtime residents and civic leaders of Salisbury.
Throughout the past 13 years, Robertson has increased his gifts to the Foundation by an additional $21 million. The foundation has a current operating investment base of $18.4 million.
Read the complete list of grant awards in Saturday’s Post.