In the Spotlight

"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.

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]

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]

Harm inflicted upon a child, whether intentional or unintentional, is never acceptable. The prevention of childhood injury is a goal of the John Rex Endowment. An early step in this work was the publication of A Profile of Wake County Childhood Injury & Injury Prevention which informed the foundation's decision to focus on Wake County’s five leading causes of childhood injury: (1) Motor Vehicle Crash - child is an occupant, (2) Assault (i.e., physical/sexual violence, child abuse), (3) Motor Vehicle Crash - child is a pedestrian, (4) Self-inflicted/Self-harm (i.e., suicide, cutting) and (5) Falls (e.g., playgrounds, homes). Guided by knowledge and promising actions, there are opportunities to actively and effectively contribute to the prevention of childhood injury.

The Skills and Knowledge for Injury Prevention Partners (SKIPP) project announces registration for the 3rd Annual Wake County Childhood Injury and Violence Prevention Networking Event, June 16, Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 12 noon. Registrations are due by June 9 for the no-cost event. Hear keynote Peter Morris, M.D., Executive Director, Urban Ministries of Wake County, give his views on how “caring for children truly means caring for a community." Listen to presentations by local organizations as they discuss collaborations/systems change efforts and innovative or long-standing programs underway to improve the conditions in which children, youth, and families live. [more]

The John Rex Endowment is pleased to release our 2016 funding opportunities for projects related to our five-year plan, Our Plan for Impact, 2013-2018. Applications will be accepted in the Fall and Winter grant award cycles according to our 2016 schedule toward our Preventing Injury, Positive Mental Health and Nonprofit Capacity Building goals. [more]

In 2016 we continue to make investments aimed at the goals defined in our Plan for Impact: 2013-2018.  At the release of our five-year plan in 2013, we committed to measuring progress and evaluating contributions to our goals in order to adjust and enhance our approach for deeper impact. Our assessment of where efforts have taken us at this stage has informed decisions about our 2016 funding.  We are prioritizing both opportunities to complement the remarkable efforts underway as well as support projects in areas where there is room to do much more. [more]

Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Knightdale, Morrisville, Raleigh and Zebulon have committed to take important steps to create a culture of active living and healthy eating. With guidance from Active Living By Design (ALBD) and grant support from the John Rex Endowment, each of the six municipalities are making changes to local settings and policies based on the unique needs of their community.

SKIPP (Skills & Knowledge for Injury Prevention Partners), the grant project that focuses on increasing the capacity of Wake County organizations to prevent childhood injury is pleased to announce the application process for the first training series open to individuals working with children and youth, parents, or caregivers.  Participants will enhance their knowledge of and ability to use the eight core competencies for injury/violence prevention through the use of evidence-based practices.  The application deadline to the first CORE Training series is close of business Tuesday, July 28, 2015.

Since 2009 the John Rex Endowment has made grant awards to Wake County nonprofits to enhance and build their core infrastructure.  It is our belief that in order for an organization to effectively carry out its mission the organization itself must be strong.  Our Nonprofit Capacity Building: 2014 Review and Future Directions report provides a perspective on the impact of our support in the areas of leadership, adaptive, management and technical capacity.  We learned that grantees feel they are stronger organizations, with better capacity, as a result of John Rex Endowment funding.  Read more in Learnings.