NBC4/KNBC and Telemundo 52/KVEA announced today that six Southern California-based nonprofit organizations will receive a total of $315,000 in Project Innovations 2021 grants. The winning organizations feature programs that are addressing local community issues through creative solutions in the areas of community engagement, culture of inclusion, next generation storytelling and youth education and empowerment.
“It is tremendously rewarding for our station to grant charitable organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars after an unprecedented year of challenges impacting communities in Southern California,” said Steve Carlston, President and General Manager of NBC4. “The donations will help provide aid to tens of thousands of families and further support communities of color to thrive.”
This is the fourth consecutive year that both local news stations have recognized nonprofit organizations with Project Innovation grants. Since the inception of the program in 2018, the stations have awarded nearly $1 million in grants to groups providing direct services to diverse communities throughout Southern California.
“As a leading local news source and partner, we are proud to fund the 2021 recipients and support the essential work they lead to address critical issues affecting our communities every day. Issues which were magnified during the pandemic,” said Celia Chavez, President & General Manager, Telemundo 52.
Local Project Innovation 2021 grant recipients include:
One-to-One Advocacy: Court Appointed Special Advocates for Youth advocates volunteer their time to be the eyes and ears of the court for thousands of children and teens in Los Angeles County’s foster care system.
EmpowHer Youth Program is a social-emotional learning initiative that integrates its programming at several high schools in South Los Angeles and beyond to support teenage girls’ development, offering essential resources including mentoring, embracing the power of their voices, engaging in social justice, and learning STEAM.
Koreatown Storytelling Program extends the group’s Intergenerational Initiative designed to promote a greater understanding and respect between generations in the diverse Koreatown community. The grant will focus on a multilingual, multiethnic oral history and digital storytelling with high school students and elders to investigate the racial, economic and health issues in the community.
Rise Up & Lead: Las Memorias Internship Program will reach Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities to provide education, leadership, mentorship, networking, and other tools to encourage the next generation of strong civic leaders. The group focuses its work in the greater East Los Angeles area and beyond.
COVID-19 Relief Family Support Outreach Program reaches thousands of San Bernardino families, particularly African American and Latinx, to provide essential resources during the pandemic and its aftermath. The group also offers support to younger generations through education, employment, leadership building, violence prevention and mentoring.
Fire, Science and Safety Program will raise awareness about fire prevention. This one-of-a-kind program will educate children and families about fire safety through a permanent, interactive exhibit at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. The exhibit will reach hundreds of thousands of people every year to teach about burn prevention, the science of fire and help ensure fire safety at home.
Project Innovation is presented by the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation and NBC and Telemundo owned stations located in 11 markets, including NBC4/KNBC and Telemundo 52/KVEA. Grant applications opened January 8 and closed on February 12. This year, the program funding levels increased in each market to $315,000 up from $225,000 and to $3.475 million across the 11 markets, up from $2.475 million.
To learn more about Project Innovation and this year’s local recipients, visit www.nbcla.com/community. To see a complete list of winners nationwide, click here.
About NBC4
NBC4 is the West Coast flagship station of the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, serving the vast region since 1949. NBC4 produces 41 hours each week of local news and weather, and
the station features the largest award-winning investigative unit in Southern California. The station also produces “California Live,” a live weekday 30-minute lifestyle show featuring the latest in entertainment, travel and lifestyle trends across the Golden State. NBC4’s news operation has received nearly every industry award bestowed on local news, including numerous Los Angeles Emmy and Golden Mike Awards, two national and two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, and a Peabody Award. NBC4 news is delivered across the main broadcast on channel 4, at www.nbcla.com, and through multiple interactive social media platforms 24/7. The NBC Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal, also operates COZI TV, a national network that brings viewers some of America’s most beloved and iconic television shows and movies.
About Telemundo 52 Los Angeles
Telemundo 52 / KVEA is Telemundo’s west coast flagship local television station serving Spanish-speaking viewers in the Los Angeles market. Owned by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations (a division of NBCUniversal), Telemundo 52 has been delivering news, information and entertainment to viewers throughout Southern California for more than 30 years. Consumers turn to Telemundo 52 for breaking news, weather and sports headlines across a variety of platforms, including online at Telemundo52.com and via mobile and social media channels. Today, Telemundo 52 produces and broadcasts nearly 30 hours of award-winning local news and entertainment programming each week and partners with local organizations committed to serving the diverse Hispanic community across Southern California. In addition, Telemundo Station Group operates TeleXitos a national multicast network that offers viewers popular action and adventure television series and feature films in Spanish.
