People

Rick Cohen, executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, is one of 12 inductees in the inaugural OMB Watch Public Interest Hall of Fame. OMB Watch also awarded three Public Interest Rising Star Awards to Christine Ahn, Economic and Social Human Rights program coordinator at Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy (Oakland, CA); Terry Pastika, executive director and community lawyer at Citizen Advocacy Center (Chicago, IL); and Kikanza Ramsey-Ray, senior community organizer and volunteer coordinator at the Labor/Community Strategy Center (Los Angeles, CA).

The Institute for Community Economics of Springfield, MA, has appointed Howard G. Collis interim executive director. Collis was executive director of the Bridgeport, CT, affiliate of Habitat for Humanity for nine years. He replaces Sarah Page who recently ended her five-year tenure as executive director.

Habitat for Humanity International has appointed Rey Ramsey as chair of its board of directors. Ramsey is CEO of One Economy Corp., a national nonprofit organization that integrates technology into affordable housing to help low-income people improve their lives. He previously served as president and chief operating officer of the Enterprise Foundation and was Oregon’s director of housing and community services under two different governors.

Demos, a NYC-based national public policy and advocacy organization has appointed Michael Lipsky as senior program director of State Governance for the Future program and as its Washington, D.C., representative. Lipsky was a senior program officer in the Ford Foundation’s Governance and Civil Society Program for 12 years.

The board of governors for the California Community Foundation has elected Antonia Hernández as president and chief executive officer. Hernandez is a respected Los Angeles civic leader and president of the national Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She replaces Jack Shakely who is retiring after 23 years with the foundation.

Tracy Van Slyke has joined the staff of In These Times as the new associate publisher. She was most recently communications director for the National Training and Information Center in Chicago.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has established a 10-year, $50 million loan and grant initiative to preserve and improve affordable rental housing. The majority of the funds will provide grants and low-cost loans to national and regional nonprofit organizations in 25 states to acquire, refinance and renovate rental housing. Ten million dollars are earmarked for low-cost loans to the lending intermediaries who finance the transactions. www.macfound.org.

Common Ground’s The Prince George, a supportive housing residence in NYC, was the recipient of the 2002 World Habitat Award, which recognizes projects that provide solutions to housing needs and problems. www.commonground.org.

The Enterprise Foundation awarded the Burlington Community Land Trust (VT) and the Women’s Community Revitalization Project of Philadelphia the 2003 Jim and Patty Rouse Award for their work in providing affordable housing and supportive services to low-income communities. www.bclt.net and www.wcrpphila.com.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation awarded the second installment of its five-year, $50 million initiative by granting $21.9 million to 10 community foundations: California Community Foundation (Long Beach), Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Marin Counties (CA), Community Foundation of Silicon Valley (CA), Dade Community Foundation (Miami, FL), Community Foundation of Central Georgia (Macon and Milledgeville funds), Fort Wayne Community Foundation (IN), The St. Paul Foundation (MN), Gulf Coast Community Foundation (MS) and The Philadelphia Foundation (PA). Grants are for the support of education, children and families, housing and community development, economic development, civic engagement and positive human relations and cultural life. www.knightfdn.org.

The Community Foundation Serving South Carolina received a $34 million bequest from long-time philanthropist and state resident Frances P. Brunelle. The funds will help the Foundation in its efforts to fight poverty and advance equitable economic growth and youth development. www.communityfoundationsc.org.

Families Count: The National Honors Program, through the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has named the 2004 Families Count honorees. The five organizations are recognized for their work in connecting families to the support, opportunities and resources they need to thrive in tough neighborhoods. Each receives an unrestricted award of $500,000. The honorees are Asian American LEAD, Washington, DC; Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center, Washington, DC; Connectinc., Battleboro, NC; Family Services Woodfield, Bridgeport, CT; and Mutual Assistance Network of Del Paso Heights, Sacramento, CA. www.aecf.org.