Investing and Philanthropy—The What, Why, and How

Compared to a decade ago, there is an increased use and greater acceptance of both the term and practice of “investment” in philanthropy. Nonetheless, “investment” used in conjunction with philanthropy remains controversial, often blurred by ambiguity, confusion, misinterpretation, and lack of a common understanding. For Venture Philanthropy Partners and others with similar missions, this often makes our work more difficult as we find the need to explain the “what, why, and how” of what we do as a “philanthropic investment” organization—to our investment partners (the nonprofit organizations in which we invest), our investors (the donors who trust their philanthropic monies to us), and other stakeholders (spanning foundations, government agencies and officials, community activists, and a range of thought leaders). More »

Capital One Joins VPP as First Corporate Partner

As the Campaign for Venture Philanthropy Partners moves into the third quarter of 2007 with nearly $30,000,000 in commitments, a growing group of individuals, families, and institutional investors are joined by VPP’s first corporate partner, Capital One. More»

Investing and Philanthropy—The What, Why, and How

Editor’s Note: This column is the first in a two-part series. Chairman Mario Morino describes the evolution of the term “philanthropic investments,” its underlying assumptions, and how these concepts apply to a narrowly defined group of nonprofit organizations. Carol Thompson Cole, President and CEO, will describe VPP’s specific approach to philanthropic investments in the September issue of VPPNews.

Compared to a decade ago, there is an increased use and greater acceptance of both the term and practice of “investment” in philanthropy. Nonetheless, “investment” used in conjunction with philanthropy remains controversial, often blurred by ambiguity, confusion, misinterpretation, and lack of a common understanding. For Venture Philanthropy Partners and others with similar missions, this often makes our work more difficult as we find the need to explain the “what, why, and how” of what we do as a “philanthropic investment” organization—to our investment partners (the nonprofit organizations in which we invest), our investors (the donors who trust their philanthropic monies to us), and other stakeholders (spanning foundations, government agencies and officials, community activists, and a range of thought leaders).

The Evolution of the Term “Philanthropic Investment”
Consider these definitions from the dictionary:

Investment – the "action of putting something in to somewhere else" perhaps originally related to a person's garment or vestment. A traditional definition is the “investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.” A more generic view is “devoting, using, or giving of time, talent, emotional energy, etc., as for a purpose or to achieve something.”

Philanthropy – the “altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons, by endowment of institutions of learning and hospitals, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes.” Another view is “the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time and in regard to a defined objective. In a more fundamental sense, philanthropy may encompass any altruistic activity which is intended to promote good or improve human quality of life.”

I suggest a derivative of the above:

Philanthropic Investment – an action rooted in an individual’s or foundation’s generosity and altruistic concern to promote good or improve human quality of life that devotes, uses, or gives money, time, talent, emotional energy, etc., over an extended period of time, to gain social returns defined by a specific objective, purpose or result.

I admit I did not always have an informed view of what we now advance as “philanthropic investment.” Back in 1998, I was armed only with my entrepreneurial, business, and venture capital investment experience, six years of working with nonprofits, and virtually no experience in working with foundations. I wish I had been smart enough then to embrace the term “philanthropic investment,” since it appears to be a more apt description of what VPP does than terms like venture philanthropy, highly engaged philanthropy, social ventures, and others.

We might have been better off to have followed the path of Michael Bailin, then President of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. Mike and his successor Nancy Roob are good friends, trusted colleagues, and a source of inspiration and guidance for our work. When I first met Mike in 2000, he insisted on using “plain English” to describe their approach as he was transforming the foundation’s grantmaking. For him, the communication was clear—it was about making their grantmaking more effective. This was the right course at the time as they were working within the foundation world, their approach was already provocative, and he was striving to gain acceptance of their groundbreaking work. As the use of the term “investment” became more generally accepted in philanthropy, their website was updated to read “The Foundation believes that significant and long-term investments in nonprofit organizations with proven outcomes and growth potential is one of the most efficient and effective ways to meet the urgent and unmet needs of low-income youth.”

Using “plain English” is something that I will seldom be accused of. First, I probably am incapable of “plain English,” no doubt stemming from my software designer/developer DNA, where creating new acronyms was a daily foot race and defining new terminology the way to lay claim to a brand new market opportunity. But, I like to think there is a more strategic reason. We wanted to influence a change in mindset about philanthropy over the long run. Inherent in our approach was the use of investment terms and metaphors to encourage philanthropic and public funders to think more as investors, when applicable. This implied fewer, but larger, investments (still legally grants with no financial return); more analysis and due diligence in selecting and understanding the nonprofits; investing in organizations and its leadership versus individual programs; a horizon of three to five years (or even longer); using the funds to build stronger, more effective organizations; and being more outcomes-focused.

Our mistake wasn’t in using new terminology, for I will argue we were one of the voices that helped nudge the broader use of “investment” thinking in philanthropy, but our insensitivity to the field at large. We didn’t take the time or give due respect to the experience of others who had plowed these fields before us. We inadvertently conveyed the impression that our approach was a better way of doing philanthropy. As a generalization, that was outright wrong. Now, we believe we can demonstrate that our investment approach is effective in meeting the needs of a narrowly defined class of nonprofits.

Taking An Investment Approach to Philanthropy
Through my work with nonprofits and my own private sector management, acquisition, and investment experience, I recognized there was, and continues to be, a philanthropic and public funding void in supporting the growth needs of a certain class of nonprofits and their leaders. These organizations had achieved a level of tangible success and demonstrated that their approach to meet a core problem worked, had a bold vision to substantially grow their impact, and fit a rigorous set of investment criteria that gave them a reasonable confidence they could achieve their aspiration. If they had access to critical growth capital and strategic assistance, they would be able to take their organization to a whole different level of performance.

In late 1999, the “obvious” became apparent. The high-quality investment partnership my firm (an emerging and growing software business) and I had enjoyed with General Atlantic LLC, a premiere private equity investment firm, could be the model for how investments could help great leaders build stronger, high-performing nonprofit institutions. And, with large investments of capital and strategic assistance, we could help fill the void in supporting the aspirations of nonprofit organizations that have done great things and have the potential to truly scale their impact. Thus, inherent in our approach from the beginning was a focus on specific types of nonprofits, regardless of their organizational stage (stage independent). In effect, a slice along the philanthropy spectrum—never the gamut—where an investment approach would prove of value to gain a higher social outcome and return.

Semantics aside, the true challenge remains in implementing and demonstrating our view of “philanthropic investment.”

Investment is both art and science. At the core of great investing—private/venture equity or philanthropic—are judgment and a touch of clairvoyance. A great investor has the uncanny ability to see opportunity where others don’t and quickly ascertain if the critical conditions are there for the opportunity to be realized. This judgment is then, of course, validated (or rejected) by a more rigorous investment analysis and final due diligence. I can’t overemphasize the importance of keen judgment, following Peter Drucker’s adage that “it is more important to do the right thing, than to do things right.” It not only applies to selecting opportunities with the potential for greatest impact, but it proves to be the most important value we bring to our nonprofit investment partners throughout the investment partnership.

By definition, it is an outbound, not inbound, process. A great investor does research, often focused on particular sectors; develops an investment strategy; and scans the environment to find those investments with the greatest potential for highest returns. In VPP’s case, these are social returns defined by results in the form of healthier, better educated, better supported children and youth of low-income families, with greater access to opportunity and resources. Following the lead of one of the world’s premiere private equity investing firms that seldom accepts incoming business plans, VPP has adopted a policy not to accept applications, although we are always open to input, leads, and suggestions. We work on the assumption that having hundreds of applications draws us into myriad detail that inhibits us from focusing on the big picture that will lead to the highest potential opportunities. Defining our own investment hypotheses and, then, through extensive, often informal scanning and landscaping (the venture capital term), finding investment opportunities with the potential for the greatest social return and long-term impact helps us be more effective.

The grant application process has worked very well for many other levels of philanthropy, as illustrated by the Case Foundation’s Make It Your Own Awards™, a recently announced program which provides funding for “citizen-centered” approaches to making the world a better place.

An investable opportunity is about what “can be” versus what is or what has been. The term “investable opportunity” has created more confusion (and discussion) within our organization than perhaps any other. Why? It is abstract, conceptual, and, therefore, not readily amenable to a grant application or even a well-done checklist of criteria. Framing an investable opportunity is a result of judgment and the ability to factor in the intangibles.

Let me use an example of one of our investment partners, the See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Public Charter School. The following is an excerpt from VPP’s Investment Rationale and Recommendation (IRR) memorandum, which was presented to the VPP Executive Committee (acting akin to a private equity firm’s investment committee) in the summer of 2002. The IRR captures the “investment opportunity,” which is described by the organization’s aspiration.

Organization’s Aspirations/Growth Plans: The See Forever Foundation presents a strong a combination of extraordinary leadership, an innovative and effective model and the potential to change a sector and influence public policy on an intractable national social problem. The See Forever Foundation is now looking to establish three new schools in the Washington area over the next five years. Each school would serve approximately 80 to 100 youth, which would quadruple their annual student enrollment to more than 300 students. While the new schools would be based on their original Maya Angelou model, there would be variations based on the neighborhood they enter and the new school leadership. Their plans also include continuing to refine and improve their education, counseling and employment training program, promoting their methods as a national model for other localities to adopt, and influence local and national policy affecting the highest risk students, in particular those that are involved with the juvenile justice system. Likewise, See Forever’s expansion will increase its capacity to develop new curricula and teaching methods, which can then be widely disseminated.

The success and replication of Maya Angelou can also raise the bar for urban public education both here in DC and beyond. The program’s success can influence public policy and funding decisions affecting programs for high-risk youth nationwide. Run as a high-caliber organization with exceptionally successful academic and social results, Maya Angelou is demonstrating what is possible for students who have been virtually written off by others. The success of its replication can help raise expectations of both policy makers and funders.

The great news is not only that the organization will achieve its aspiration, but there is a high likelihood they will exceed the expectations we all had!

An aspiration cannot and should not be fabricated for a funder—it must be defined and “owned” by the nonprofit, it must be theirs. Although VPP will always have a view of what a particular organization can achieve, in the end, our opinion is not relevant. The organization’s aspiration (the investable opportunity) can’t be VPP’s vision for change or what folks at VPP think possible. Rather, and emphatically, it MUST be the aspiration of the nonprofit’s leadership. But, this can present a real conundrum. The historical relationship between donor and grantee is often driven by the donor’s needs, with the recipient organization adjusting, sometimes bending like a pretzel. Thus, when we hear “tell us what you want,” we know we have not clearly conveyed our investment approach. And, this is made more difficult as great nonprofit leaders, seeking the kinds of funds an organization like VPP can provide, begin to craft a vision to this end alone. Sadly, even if they become an investment partner, chances are it will be less than successful as the right principles of ownership were never established.

An aspiration is bold, plausible, and benefits from the deep conviction of its leaders. First and foremost, the aspiration focuses on how the lives of children and youth, relative to core needs, will be improved. Increasing numbers of children served, opening new locations, building a stronger, high-performing nonprofit are all great “process” achievements, but ALL must be viewed as a means to an end. The end result is judged in terms of the improved lives of children and youth of low-income families and, ultimately, the impact these children and their families have on their communities, our region, and society overall.

Because a VPP investment generally involves several million dollars in funding, the projected social return or impact must be very high—positively affecting thousands of children. This impact can be a change in direct service, e.g., VPP Investment Partner Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care has been able to provide healthcare for another 4,800 children. But, the impact can also result by “resetting the bar” for performance or what is possible in the field, where sheer achievement can send a ripple effect across scores to hundreds of other nonprofits and, hence, benefit thousands to tens of thousands of children and youth. We believe that the work of See Forever Foundation, described earlier, and Friendship Public Charter School, showing that an urban school can succeed, are two such examples.

Bold change is not for the faint of heart. Just as in the private sector, nonprofit leadership must believe strongly in their future. And, yes, the leader or leadership that is obsessively compelled or, even in the eyes of some, irrationally driven, is a necessity as it takes this extreme commitment to fully succeed. Fortunately, we see this type of leadership in a number of VPP’s investment partnerships, and it is these nonprofits where the gains and achievements have been the greatest.

There also must be the reasonable likelihood of securing funding sources to allow for stable and sustainable ongoing operation and the willingness and organizational culture that can absorb the difficult change such a transformation requires. Leave no doubt, a bold vision for change in impact means nothing short of organizational transformation, which I believe is the “secret sauce” of great institutions that are able to re-invent themselves to respond to changing times.

Bottom line: There must be bold vision for change, clear indicators that the readiness to grow and build is present, and the leadership that will take the organization from what it is to what it needs to be to fulfill its mission and aspiration.

Different Mindsets for a Remarkable Era To Come
The act of philanthropic investment is grounded in a different attitude toward philanthropy, not universally applied but appropriate to the types of nonprofit organizations VPP engages and supports. It requires a bold and highly trusting mindset from our investors—as they are often putting their own recognition second to knowing that their philanthropic monies are having greater impact. It requires a radical mindset change by the nonprofit leaders who choose to accept our investments, for expectations are high as they grow to think differently about what is possible, exert greater managerial rigor, establish transparent accountability, and learn to leverage the investment partnership with VPP, all while holding true to mission. Similarly, it is a different mindset on the part of co-investors and other partners as we see true collaboration, grounded in a common acceptance of our investment approach and practice, as vital and critical to our investment partners and our own success. And, it is even a different mindset for those who make up the VPP team. Each member of our team shows care and concern for the lives of children, but each must also believe in the VPP vision that this is about a different way—philanthropically—to have impact for children while maintaining a respect and appreciation of the work and achievement of the conventional field.

Philanthropic investment has always existed. In its most basic sense, John D. Rockefeller defined it in the Golden Age of Philanthropy. But, the more intense version that now applies some of the practices of the venture and private equity worlds (which themselves only came of age over the past 30 to 40 years) holds great promise for the field. The level of wealth creation, the interconnectedness of a “smaller world” made possible by technology, and the sheer volume and velocity of change is creating a new era that will ultimately impact public policy and funding and has potential for even greater social impact.

We all need to do more to move beyond terminology and focus more on the substance of our respective work. We need to move beyond allowing differences to keep us from working together and leveraging our complementary resources and purpose.

The long-established and traditional foundations and philanthropic families need to do more to move out of their comfort zones to benefit from the important lessons being learned by the newer players and different approaches that can be more broadly applied.

And the newer players must keep being entrepreneurial, driving change. But, we should also step back to better understand the needs and values of those we seek to serve, recognize the complexity of social issues and communities, and have a greater respect for the legacy of experience and achievement that has plowed the way to where we are today and is giving those of us in this new philanthropy “the gift” to make a difference for others.

- Mario Morino

Capital One Joins VPP as First Corporate Partner

As the Campaign for Venture Philanthropy Partners moves into the third quarter of 2007 with nearly $30,000,000 in commitments, a growing group of individuals, families, and institutional investors are joined by VPP’s first corporate partner, Capital One.

Building on work from its first phase, VPP plans to become even more integrated within the region’s philanthropic, government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors, and as such, will reach out to a small group of regional and national corporations to develop partnerships.

We believe these collaboration and partnerships will help advance the flow of executive talent, board leadership, and capital to nonprofits in the region; raise the profile of the corporate partners, VPP, and its investment partners; and, to a larger extent, bring attention to the nonprofit sector overall. In the coming months, VPP will be approaching several other corporate entities to join Capital One.

VPP President and CEO Carol Thompson Cole said, “We are delighted to have Capital One, with its rich history of community involvement in our region, as VPP’s first corporate partner. Through its co-investment as board members and corporate supporters of VPP investment partners CentroNía, Child and Family Network Centers, and the Latin American Youth Center, and its generous support of a number of other VPP investment partners, including College Summit, Capital One has demonstrated its commitment to help children of low-income families succeed. We look forward to working with Capital One to apply and leverage our collective achievements and lessons learned to have a broader impact on nonprofits, philanthropy, and public and private funders in the region.”

In commenting on this new partnership, Carolyn Berkowitz, Vice President of Community Affairs, said, “We’re very proud that Capital One is the first company to invest in VPP. Capital One is deeply committed to finding and investing in programs that enhance the lives of the children and families in our communities. By investing in a nonprofit capacity builder like VPP, we are really leveraging any investment we make in the nonprofit community and kids in general in the Washington area.

To learn more about Capital One and its work in the community, please visit: http://www.capitalone.com/about/corporatecitizenship.

- Steve Whisnant

Video Features Thompson Cole, Skloot

VPP President and CEO Carol Thompson Cole and Board member Ed Skloot participated in a town hall conversation in the KCTS-TV studios during the Council on Foundation conference in Seattle. The Philanthropic Fault Line: Exploring the Sometimes Shaky Ground between Foundations and Nonprofits, explored a number of issues including power, collaboration, and funding in a results-based environment. Moderated by Diana Aviv, President of Independent Sector, the panel also included Clara Miller, Nonprofit Finance Fund; Putnam Barber, The Executive Alliance and Idealist.org; and Pramila Jayapal, Hate Free Zone.

MacArthur Foundation Honors Kartemquin Films

Kartemquin Films is a recipient of the 2007 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. The Award, similar to the MacArthur Foundation’s Fellowship Program, is given annually to select small nonprofit organizations from around the world that have demonstrated success in affecting social change, raising social discourse, or otherwise instigating social action. VPP's Vice President of Development and Investor Relations Steve Whisnant, who serves as Chair of Kartemquin’s Board, attended the June 7 Awards Ceremony in Chicago.

One of only eight recipients this year, Kartemquin Films was honored for its renowned documentaries, including Hoop Dreams and The New Americans, and the civic engagement work that accompanies them. In his remarks, Jonathan F. Fanton, the President of the Foundation, said, “For recording social history with depth and empathy, producing a rich and diverse library of American stories, and pursuing the highest standards of artistry and integrity in filmmaking, [the MacArthur Foundation] is proud to present [Kartemquin] with the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.”

Winners are awarded up to $500,000 each. Kartemquin plans to use the funds for board and staff development, the preservation and digitization of older films, and the creation of a fellowship fund for minority filmmakers.

Management Changes

Heads Up Announces Change in Leadership
Thanks to Sara Brandspigel, Development Manager, for this update.

As Heads Up launches into a new decade, an interim Executive Director steps in to manage the organization during a time of transition.

Darin McKeever, co-founder of Heads Up, served his final day as Executive Director on June 15 and will continue to serve the organization as President of the Board. Robin Gilbrecht Minter, Deputy Executive Director, will serve as the Interim Executive Director until a permanent replacement is named.

“Robin has been my ‘right hand’ for the past few years,” McKeever said. “She has more than 20 years of nonprofit management experience and has played a vital leadership role both before and during this transition period. The board and I have great confidence in her capabilities and commitment.”

Minter is backed by a strong management team and Heads Up’s committed staff.

For 11 years, Heads Up has grown from a personal calling for its founders into a local institution with a track record of innovation and impact. “The Heads Up team will miss Darin, whose idealism and courage has helped change the lives of thousands of children in the D.C. area,” Minter said. “We wish him luck in all his new endeavors.”

A team of board members continue the search for a new Executive Director.

Partnerships & Alliances

Deloitte, College Summit Team to Increase College Access Thanks to Tom Harrison, Marketing and PR Coordinator, for this update.

Tiesha Lewis, Oxon Hill High School says, "As I brought the song to a close. I looked at the adjudicator waiting for him to yell at me fiercely because of the way he yelled at the previous student who auditioned before me. As I stood there, a dead silence came upon the room. The adjudicator then stood and yelled, 'Congratulations you're going to Hollywood!'"

These words, excerpted from Lewis’s college application essay, were made possible, in part, by a team effort between Deloitte & Touche USA LLP and College Summit. Through a commitment to College Summit that includes pro-bono services and a philanthropic donation valued at $2 million, Deloitte will help increase the rate at which college-capable high school students from low-income families apply to and enroll in college.

Ryan Zamora of Laurel High School writes, "As soon as I stepped in the door shut behind me and I stopped. The main lobby resembled a busy street . . . The bells between classes were not what I was used to. Instead of a metal bell ringing with numerous vibrations it was the sound of an A note being played on an electric piano. This was the beginning of my life in a public high school."

left to right, Johnson, Dozier, Zamora, and Lewis participated in the College Summit workshop at Morgan Statue University.

In addition to its philanthropic commitment, Deloitte is also helping College Summit establish college enrollment as a standard performance benchmark for all high schools. The firm’s pro bono commitment to College Summit involves a team of consultants who are building a scalable database capable of accurately measuring and reporting school district-wide college enrollment rates. Completion of this database tool is scheduled for the fall of 2007.

As I walked to the front of the church with my mother, I saw him lying there lifeless and pale. I couldn't hold my tears in anymore. I broke down into tears. Before they were about to close his casket, I touched his hand one last time, but I didn't cry because something told me that he was okay and out of pain.

-- Lakendra Dozier, Oxon Hill High School

In addition, Deloitte partners and employees are volunteering as board members, strategic advisers, and summer workshop volunteers at College Summit sites across the country. James Luna, a Strategy & Operations Recruiter for Deloitte, served as a Writing Coach for Lewis, Zamora, Dozier, and Johnson at the four-day workshop held at Morgan State University in Baltimore, June 21-24. His guidance helped these students from various Prince George’s County Public Schools shape their experiences into essays they will include in college applications for the fall.

I spun to the right and took off down the court. The point guard cut me off at half court so I faked to my left and went back to my right. I got to the free throw line at the other end and their center came at me so I hopped to the left, came back up for the lay-up and made the shot. As I made eye contact with the same teammates that I had once seen hesitation in, looking at them now I saw a glimpse of hope.

-- Breanna Johnson, Laurel High School

More than 60 Deloitte employees have signed up to volunteer this summer.

Announcements of Note

AALEAD Hosts Birthday Bash
Thanks to Rosetta Lai, VP for Development and External Affairs, for this update.

On June 14, AALEAD hosted the Phil Nash Birthday Bash in honor of its long-time friend, Phil Tajitsu Nash’s 50th birthday. Nash, an Asian American Studies professor at the University of Maryland and a columnist for AsianWeek, has been involved in the development of Asian Pacific American community institutions nationwide for almost 30 years.

At AALEAD, Nash has volunteered as a fundraiser, speech writer, staff trainer, strategic planner, internet consultant and more. The party raised $2,000 for summer programs and featured a video on AALEAD’s elementary program, produced by AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers, and a special birthday song from AALEAD’s youth.

Governor Tim Kaine Joins Supporters at CFNC’s Gala
Thanks to Loren Blinde, Grant Writer, for this update.

On May 6, Barbara Fox Mason, CFNC’s Executive Director, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Senator and Mrs. John Warner gathered aboard the Cherry Blossom Riverboat with more than 200 supporters for CFNC’s annual Wine Tasting Gala, An Evening in the Vineyards. Members of Alexandria’s City Council, the Arlington County Board, and other distinguished members of the community joined the evening’s Honorary Chairs to support an organization that has sought for more than 20 years to improve the odds for young children who are at serious risk of school failure. Corporate representatives from The Freddie Mac Foundation, Ernst & Young, The CNA Corporation, BAE Systems, Capital One, and others were also in attendance.

Each year, CFNC’s gala raises critical funds that are used for program and general operating expenses. This year’s event featured food and wines of Virginia, and guests bid on a wide array of silent auction items. Through An Evening in the Vineyards 2007, CFNC raised over $200,000 to support of its quality preschool and family support services.

Governor Kaine, keynote speaker for the evening, highlighted his personal commitment to early intervention, reminding the group that “it is easier to build a child than repair an adult.” Cheryl Clarke from the Freddie Mac Foundation and Robert J. Mason from Ernst & Young echoed their commitment to improving the community through making investments in children and families. Luk Photography captured the evening in photos.

CMHS Markets CAFI-XC
Thanks to Sarah Beglarbegui, Special Projects Manager, for this update.

In response to growing demand from mental health/human service agencies and educational institutions in the Washington, DC metropolitan region, CMHS has begun marketing CAFI-XC (Current Adaptive Functioning Index - Cross-Cultural Version), a professional rating tool developed and copyrighted by the agency for assessing the functional needs and progress of cultural and language minority clients in eight key areas—Basic Resources, External Risks, Mental Health, Family Relations, Social Connections, Educational Achievement, Language Barriers and Cultural Navigation Barriers. Each area or domain is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “in-crisis” and 5 being “thriving.”

The fruit of 25 years of experience working with immigrants and refugees, CAFI-XC fills a major gap in terms of measuring adaptive functioning for this population, as mainstream assessment instruments do not work well with immigrant and refugee clients, who often present with a multiplicity of needs.

“We believe that CAFI-XC could become the standard instrument in agencies across the country for assessing and tracking the progress of cultural and language minority clients,” said Dennis Hunt, CMHS Executive Director.

CMHS Psychologist, Emi Furukawa, who played an important role in developing CAFI-XC, added, “The beauty of this tool is that it is brief, uncomplicated, and has many applications. It can be used as a case management tool for case workers, a management tool to determine the effectiveness of the services offered to clients, a measurement tool for funders, and much more”.

Scientific validation of this instrument is underway. CAFI-XC may be ordered online.

See Forever Celebrates Graduates, Welcomes New Staff
Thanks to Ingrid Padgett, Director of Development, for this update.

See Forever Foundation and Maya Angelou Public Charter School (SFF) celebrated the achievements of 31 students at commencement exercises on June 26, 2007. This was the first graduation for the newer Maya Angelou Public Charter School- Evans Campus.

The Maya Angelou Public Charter School Class of 2007 illustrates the school’s postsecondary success rate. Twenty-eight members of the class are enrolled in four-year or two-year colleges and universities. “The rate at which this year’s graduating seniors will enroll in postsecondary institutions is astounding and a testament to the hard work and dedication of students, teachers, staff, and other members of our vibrant learning community,” said SFF Executive Director, Cynthia Robbins.

SFF also announced that Marian White-Hood, Ph.D., an experienced educator who recently retired after 30 years of service with the Prince George’s County Public Schools, has joined the staff as a full-time director of academics, principal support, and accountability. White-Hood’s experience in instructional leadership, recruitment and staff training as an exemplary principal and administrator will serve SFF well, especially as SFF expands this fall to open its first middle school campus east of the Anacostia River with 80 to 100 sixth graders. Effective July 1, See Forever also began operating the school at Oak Hill, the secure facility for youth who have been adjudicated delinquent, and her experience will inform the evolution of both programs.

VPPNews takes a hiatus for August....see you in September!