Local governments receive grants for projects

For programs ranging from incentives in learning to commuting concepts, local governments are being rewarded. The annual Innovations In American Government Awards, funded by the New York-based Ford Foundation and presented in October, were given to four local government organizations that have created community-oriented projects.

– The King County (Wash.) Transit System formed the Metro Commute Partnerships, which helps employers jump-start subsidy programs for employees’ commutes. Under the program, King County Metro directed a small portion of its transit budget to initiatives that would attract private investment for traditional transit and other commuting alternatives. The state offered tax credits for employers’ contributions. By the end of 1999, 425 King County employers were involved in the program, and the number of employees driving alone to participating work sites had been reduced by up to 40 percent.

– New York and the City Parks Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises private funds for parks and playgrounds, formed Partnerships for Parks. The program sponsors neighborhood-based groups that serve as park partners and advocates, especially in struggling neighborhoods. The partnership brings those groups together to promote shared learning and to form common goals for parks.

– Perry High School in Perry, Ohio, in conjunction with the city, local community service organizations and private corporations, started a program that offers high school students business training and industry-recognized technology certification programs. Students complete an entry-level course in sales, marketing, finance and organizational development, followed by specific training in software applications, hardware repair or network management.

– The Sheriff’s Department in Hampden County, Mass., formed a Public Health Model for Corrections to provide medical care to inmates. Medical services are provided through a contractual arrangement with established non-profit neighborhood health centers, each of which provides physicians and case managers. Using zip codes, the inmates are matched with the health centers closest to their homes. The physician and case manager assignments are considered permanent; the inmates continue to meet with the physicians and caseworkers after they are released from jail. The fact that inmates are provided health care, not only while they are incarcerated, but also upon their release, plays an instrumental role in helping reduce the incidence of disease, as well as the associated costs in the community.

The Innovations program is administered by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in partnership with the Washington, D.C.-based Council for Excellence in Government. Since the Innovations program began in 1986, the Ford Foundation has made grants totaling $15.9 million. Each of the winning programs received a $100,000 grant. For more information about the Ford Foundation and the awards, visit the Innovations Program home-page at www.innovations.harvard.edu.