As part of the Savannah College of Art and Design’s ongoing effort to strengthen its hometown communities, the university launched the SCAD SERVE Community Fund in Atlanta and Savannah.
The SCAD SERVE Community Fund provides financial support to local organizations that primarily serve residents and workers in both cities. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and bona fide local government entities. Grants ranging from $100,000 to $1 million will be awarded to proposals focusing on critical community needs in the areas of food, shelter, clothing, environment, safety, and education. The university has allocated $10 million to establish the fund, according to a press release.
“SCAD demonstrates deep and abiding affection for our hometowns. Our students are at the heart of everything we do at SCAD, and we know they thrive in part because of the vitality of the cities in which they study,” SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace said in the release. “By launching this initiative in our 45th year, we celebrate SCAD’s long history of service, and we reaffirm our perennial commitment to the communities we call home.”
A recent SCAD SERVE initiative in Atlanta was Paint Our Parks to create murals in local greenspaces. More than $667,000 was donated to the effort, which include restoration of park surfaces, new basketball goals and nets, and painting materials. Additionally, the project engaged over 2,000 volunteers from the community and local neighborhoods.
Over the past 18 months, SCAD has worked with local partners to complete 10 murals, including the Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Atlanta Public Schools, City of Savannah, Savannah Chatham County Public School System, Savannah Jewish Educational Alliance, and Greenbriar Children’s Center.
Nonprofit organizations and local government entities interested in applying for grants from the SCAD SERVE Community Fund may find more information and submit applications at scad.edu/community-fund.
