The Daily Tell

The PNC Foundation announced it has made a $2.1 million grant to the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, the Detroit Science Center and the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts to help create new science and art programs for preschoolers in the Detroit Public Schools.

The new courses of study will be introduced during a summer program starting this June and continue into the school year. PNC says it expects about 200 children and 24 educators to be involved in the pilot program. If it’s successful, the program could be expanded.

"Establishing a foundation in basic skills during a child’s early years is vital to competing in an economy increasingly based on knowledge and ability," said James E. Rohr, chairman and chief executive officer of the PNC Financial Services Group

The investment is part of the foundation’s Grow Up Great program, a 10-year, $100 million initiative to help improve early childhood education nationwide.

Another part of the program involves distributing free, bilingual "Learning is Everywhere" kits designed to encourage kids to learn in their everyday lives. After the grants were announced, the foundation gave the school system 3,200 of the kits – one for every enrolled preschooler.

"A quality preschool program has a major impact on the educational success of our students," said Robert Bobb, emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools. "Consistent studies have shown that investments in early childhood programs produce measurable, long-term educational benefits."

PNC also encourages employee involvement with the project. The company allows for 40 hours a year of paid time off for volunteer work.

Since the start of the Grow Up Great project in 2003, the foundation has distributed more than $15 million in grants to Head Start and other early childhood educational programs. It has also partnered with Family Communications and Sesame Workshop – the companies behind Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and Sesame Street- to develop tool and resources for children and their parents.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has announced the 39 recipients of its 2010 college scholarship awards.

The recipients come from 19 different states and the District of Columbia, and they will go on to attend many prestigious schools such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Cornell.

The foundation’s scholarship will provide up to $30,000 a year for the next four years.

The college scholarships are the second phase of the students’ relationship with the program, which started when they were selected into the foundation’s Young Scholar’s program when they were in eighth grade. The foundation will support them for up to 14 years – from high school through graduate school.

"They are our All-Americans and we are proud to continue to aid their journey through college and eventually to graduate school," said Lawrence Kutner, the foundation’s executive director.

The foundation says that each of the students has overcome economic and personal adversity to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

"My parents taught me to always try my hardest in everything I do, but more importantly, they have taught me to understand that failures do happen, and when they do, it is best to learn from your mistakes and move on with your life," said California scholar Stanley Yuan.

Many scholarship recipients have helped make a lasting impact on their communities. Mission, Texas’ Edith Benavides founded Vamos! – a non-profit organization designed to help impoverished inner-city children. Another student, Steve Hussung of Jefferson City, Tennessee, uses his spare time to help raise service dogs.

The 2010 class is the fifth year of the foundation’s college scholarship program. Last year the foundation awarded 683 scholarships totaling $11.9 million. They gave $12.1 million in grants to help support various educational and youth programs.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has announced $84 million in grants for 199 nonprofit organizations around the world.

The foundation has six major areas of grantmaking: global development, the environment, education, performing arts, philanthropy and population.

In an effort to help promote global literacy, the foundation made two grants totaling $7.5 million to Pratham USA, the U.S. affiliate of an Indian nonprofit that works to improve reading and math skills for elementary school children there. The new grants will work to extend the program’s reach into higher grade levels and support the organizations annual survey of math and reading skills.

Among the 47 organizations that received education grants was the Health Effects Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, which is conducting research on the continued health effects of air pollution.

The foundation’s education program awarded $6.7 million in 28 grants for education programs. One of the grant recipients was the Alliance for Excellent Education. It works to develop policies and teacher training programs that help bring deeper learning skills – like critical thinking and problem solving – into more schools nationwide.

The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir was one of many performing arts organizations that received funding. The choir received a $90,000 general operations grant from the foundation to help promote equality in one of the country’s most culturally diverse regions.

The remainder of the grants went to dozens of organizations working in philanthropy and healthcare programs.

The foundation also makes select grants to special projects in areas such as the political realm. It made a special grant of $750,000 to the Washington D.C.-based State of the USA, a bipartisan group that works to create a set of common measurements to find a true measure of the country’s progress.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has made grants to organizations working on social and environmental problems since 1967. Last year, the foundation gave out nearly 600 grants and gifts totaling more than $345 million.

Charter schools from around the country will soon be the beneficiaries of more funding thanks to a generous donation from one of the nations largest banks.

JPMorgan Chase announced recently that it was starting a $325 million initiative to support high-level U.S. charter schools that may be struggling due to the credit situation. The bank will give $50 million in grants to community development financial institutions that are concerned with funding charter schools.

"Many charter schools have expanded access to academic opportunities for students in all types of communities, so we shouldn’t let tough economic times bring them down," said JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon. "Improving educational opportunities is a cornerstone of JPMorgan Chase’s philanthropic giving."

The first CDFI partners include The Reinvestment Fund of Philadelphia, The Low Income Investment Fund of San Francisco, and NCB Capital Impact of Arlington, Virginia. Additional partners will be announced later in the year.

"The Low Income Investment Fund is proud to be one of the partners with JPMorgan Chase on this initiative. Through this financing initiative, JPMorgan Chase and LIIF will invest in exceptional educational opportunities for thousands of low-income students," said Nancy O. Andrews, president and CEO of LIIF.

JPMorgan said in a statement that it saw potential for improving childhood education and community development though charter schools and was committed to seeing them succeed. The bank supported educational institutions by providing almost $12 billion in financing in 2009.

JPMorgan, along with other banks that received money through the government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program, has seen its reputation suffer in recent years. By funding programs to help educational institutions, the bank is hoping to restore its image.

State’s Outcomes-based Approach Employs Evidence-based Practices

New York City – A study conducted in Michigan by a national poverty research center shows the state’s approach to delivering care to children and youth in its public mental health system by focusing on outcomes is a model for health care in the United States.

“Michigan demonstrates that when we start to track outcomes we are more likely to focus on access and quality,” says Janice L. Cooper, PhD, interim director of the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), a think tank based at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. “Knowledge about evidence-based and effective practices is high in Michigan. We think this is because they are using data on how children are doing to inform decision-making about what practices to implement and train on. A major focus of health care reform is on patient-centered outcomes research. Our study shows that Michigan was able to focus on how they can improve their system by getting information on how well children in services are doing. They instituted a quality improvement system that included many different stakeholders.”

Dr. Cooper and Patti Banghart, a research associate at NCCP, report in “Unclaimed Children Revisited: Focusing on Outcomes – A Case Study of the Michigan Level of Functioning Project” that the state’s approach to delivering care to children and youth with the highest need begins with sharing data about children and families with providers, system leaders and the children and families themselves. This accountability and monitoring mechanism is a large part of why, unlike many states, Michigan is able to report on how well the children and families they serve are doing, what types of services are working, and what trends exist for specific conditions. With this information they can better plan and address servicgaps, explains Cooper.

Cooper and Banghart examined Michigan’s Level of Functioning Project, a 14-year effort to monitor and improve outcomes for children and youth with severe emotional disturbances, through the use of the “Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale,” which they found has helped improve individual and systems-level decision-making statewide.

NCCP found that:
· Michigan is a national leader in implementing such a mechanism for state accountability in children’s mental health.
· The state’s assessment tools allow it to use interventions that work, and address factors that support or impede quality.
· Michigan’s tools can and should be used to help facilitate communication between mental health care providers and families.
· Using Michigan as an example, mental health care services providers will benefit from “buy-in” and training in such assessment systems.

“Michigan’s statewide effort to monitor child outcomes through the collection of functional assessment data, using learning opportunities to review data, get feedback and improve practice is a promising approach to how systems can enhance their accountability and quality,” says Banghart. “Clinical decision-making is made easier by focusing on how well children in services are doing. Tracking the data also helps to identify populations of children in need, and in turn can help to introduce evidence-based practices to serve children better.”

The full report can be found online at: www.nccp.org/publications/pub_940.html

The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) is the nation’s leading public policy center dedicated to promoting the economic security, health and well-being of America’s low-income families and children. Part of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, NCCP uses research to inform policy and practice with the goal of ensuring positive outcomes for the next generation.

Thanks to one of the most generous pledges in its history, Washington University in St. Louis has 60 million reasons to celebrate.

The university recently announced that John F. McDonnell and the JSM Charitable Trust have donated $60 million to the school. The vast majority of the gift – $48 million – will establish the McDonnell Academic Excellence Fund. With the endowment, the university will be able to respond to new academic opportunities in the future.

The remaining amount will go toward increasing annual scholarships as part of the Opening Doors to the Future: The Scholarship Initiative for Washington University program, a $2 million commitment. And finally, $10 million will support the McDonald International Scholars Academy, a global network of partner universities that allows students to gain experience abroad.

"This is a remarkable gift, and it will have a real impact in advancing Washington University’s strategic plan for excellence," said Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. "I am very grateful to John McDonnell and the JSM Charitable Trust’s directors for their foresight and extraordinary generosity. I am particularly thankful to them for establishing the McDonnell Academic Excellence Fund, which will provide flexibility and generate much-needed resources in perpetuity."

The money from the Academic Excellence Fund will be used for faculty appointments, new construction and renovations, scholarships and new programs. McDonnell said that his philanthropy’s goal is to inspire others to support the university and give the institution some flexibility with the funds.

"By establishing this endowment, my goal is to allow the university’s leadership to access resources necessary to develop new initiatives and take advantage of special opportunities to strengthen Washington University and its value to society," McDonnell said.

Henry Kravis joined the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity in honoring three worthy business leaders at the organization’s Annual Awards Dinner for their continuous efforts to help disadvantaged children reach their potential.

More than 750 alumni, friends and partners gathered at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City for the event, which was chaired by Henry Kravis, co-chairman and co-CEO of Kravis, Kohlberg and Roberts.

This year, SEO honored Russell Carson, co-founder and general partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe; Mario L. Baeza, chairman and CEO of the Baeza Group; and Carla Harris, an SEO alumni and managing director at Morgan Stanley.

SEO was originally started in 1963 as one of New York City’s mentoring and college preparatory programs for disadvantaged high school students of color. The program now provides educational opportunities and career programs to young people from under-served communities across the nation. It boasts more than 6,000 graduates in nearly 50 countries.

Each year, the organization’s scholars program helps more than 400 motivated high school students in New York City gain admission to competitive colleges and universities across the country through academic preparation, guidance and mentoring. Many of the program’s recent students also attended the event.

SEO’s career program provides summer internships for college students which can lead to jobs with investment banks and other companies. The organization says that more than 75 percent of its interns receive full-time job offers.

Henry Kravis has fostered a very close relationship between his firm and SEO. Last year, Kravis, Kohlberg and Roberts partnered with the organization to launch its Alternative Investment Fellowships. The program works to create opportunities for under-represented minorities in the financial services sector through an 18-month internship, and potential job placement with KKR.

Safeway Foundation raises $10.7 million to support people with disabilities

The Safeway foundation has announced that it raised $10.7 million last month during its annual Support for People with Disabilities Campaign.

"We are thrilled with this kind of outcome and are moved and gratified by the generosity of our customers and employees," said Larree Renda, Safeway executive vice president.

The April campaign is one of the company’s two annual fundraisers supporting organizations that help people with disabilities, including the Special Olympics, Easter Seals and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Last year, Easter Seals named Safeway one of its all-time top corporate partners. The company has donated more than $100 million to the organization over the last 30 years.

Safeway also contributed to several organizations which assist in job placement and job coaching for people with disabilities. The company itself employs almost 10,000 people with disabilities for a wide range of jobs.

To kick off the campaign last month, Safeway held a special event in Alameda, California, honoring its own employees with disabilities. The company was joined at the event by many elected officials, U.S. gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and long-time NBA player Sam Perkins.

"The generosity shown will help us not only reach more athletes, but will help us build communities of acceptance and inclusion throughout the country," said Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics chairman and CEO.

Safeway also gave a $275,000 donation to Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit organization that renovates homes and facilities that serve those with disabilities. Several hundred Safeway employees also volunteered their time and effort on rebuilding projects in 10 cities across the country.

The Safeway Foundation also supports many other charitable and community programs in areas such as cancer awareness, hunger relief, education and disaster assistance. In 2009, the foundation donated more than $250 million towards these causes.

Across the United States, more and more students continue to drop out of high school before receiving their diploma. But organizations like the PepsiCo Foundation are turning their focus to these forgotten school children.

The Pepsico Foundation recently announced a $6 million donation to Diplomas Now, a collaborative effort of three nonprofit organizations – City Year, Communities In Schools and Johns Hopkins Talent Development – to address the ever-increasing number of high school dropouts in cities across the United States.

"With nearly 7,000 students dropping out of school every single day, we’re facing a critical issue that has broad implications for the future of the U.S. economy," said Larry Thompson, senior vice president of government affairs for PepsiCo. "We believe in the promise of Diplomas Now, and are excited to step up our commitment to help grow a program with a successful track record of improving student achievement and decreasing dropout rates."

The Diplomas Now program is a "turnaround model", working with high schools and middle schools whose students are most at risk of dropping out. The system will combine school reform with student support, providing an early warning system to school districts, administrators, teachers and students. The program will also work to provide students with activities before, during and after school.

In 2008-2009, Diplomas Now surpassed its stated goal of reducing "off-track" indicators among enrolled students by 25 percent in schools where the program was adopted.

"Examining early-warning indicators and working closely with school administrators and teachers, we identify off-track students and develop customized strategies to get them back on track and keep them there," said Robert Balfanz, director of the Talent Development programs at Johns Hopkins University.

Thanks to the efforts of organizations like the PepsiCo Foundations, students in high-risk school districts will be given a helping hand when it comes to reaching the ultimate goal of receiving a high school diploma and pursuing a college degree.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $6.7 million in grants to 476 nonprofit organizations and libraries across the country to support adult literacy, family literacy and summer reading programs.

Illiteracy remains a major problem both around the world and in the U.S. ProLiteracy.com says that 14 percent of the U.S. population over the age of 16 doesn’t read well enough to understand a story written at an eighth grade level or complete a job application. That’s 30 million illiterate Americans. Moreover, the site says that 774 million adults worldwide are illiterate in their own languages.

"We hope that the Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s support of these organizations will empower individuals of all ages to have a better life for themselves and their families, in turn, ensuring a promising future for our country," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and CEO.

The Tennessee-based retailer’s founder, J.L. Turner, was functionally illiterate when he started the company in 1939.

The foundation awarded 250 grants to adult-oriented organizations, including literacy programs, GED preparation courses and English as a second language classes in this round of funding. Additionally, 75 grants were awarded to support programs that allow parents and children to learn to read together, and another 151 grants were given to libraries and nonprofits promoting summer literacy and reading programs for children.

Back in March, Dollar General donated $500,000 to support family literacy programs in Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. That grant was also matched the Barbara Bush Foundation.

The company is also running an in-store promotion to raise money for literacy organizations, and it is donating five cents from every purchase of Lysol, Air Wick and Finish products. The promotion has already raised more than $37,000 since beginning on May 3.

Since the Dollar General Literacy Foundation started in 1993, it has awarded more than $47.2 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 2.5 million people take steps towards literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency.