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A Visit to Child Trends, the Veteran Child Researchers On Connecticut Avenue in DC, across from the Van Ness Metro stop, sits an innocuous office building. Walking down the halls of the third floor, you would not think you were in any place different than the many other buildings that dot the Washington skyline. But behind the doors of suite 350, you will find some of the leading researchers on child welfare and child development. VPP staff recently visited these offices, the offices of Child Trends, the nation’s only nonpartisan research and policy center that studies children at all ages of development. Child Trends is a significant partner to VPP on its Social Innovation Fund initiative, youthCONNECT, and is also currently conducting baseline research on the status of children and youth in the National Capital Region on behalf of VPP. The organization was started in 1979 by the Foundation for Child Development with the original mandate to monitor the well-being of America’s children. youthCONNECT Update: Evaluation Planning Lays Foundation for Network Over the summer, the youthCONNECT network partners were hard at work developing their individual evaluation plans and a common outcomes framework for the network. The network of six organizations—College Summit NCR, KIPP DC, Latin American Youth Center, Metro TeenAIDS, Urban Alliance, and Year Up NCR—created an “Evaluation and Common Outcome Measures” workgroup (or ECOM, as it became known) to map out how the network will measure its progress over the next four years. The workgroup is comprised of evaluation staff from each network partner, as well as representatives from VPP and its evaluation partner, Child Trends. The ECOM workgroup met every two weeks for the last five months to develop a shared set of metrics to measure each of their individual programs while creating a framework for six different organizations to track towards the same outcomes. The workgroup is including input from the executive leadership of each network partner as well. |
 OCTOBER 2011
Investing in Our Region’s Most Valuable Asset In this day of 24-7 media, nonstop information flows, and infinite reams of data that can be crunched in seconds, I am still sometimes shocked by how very little we know. Particularly about the things no one really wants to know, the things that are difficult for us to face. My colleague tweeted the other day about a new online database from the USDA that put together open and public data in a new way to show "food deserts" – defined by the USDA as "a low-income census tract where a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store." She had been surprised by not just the number of food deserts in DC, but the stretches of "desert" in Prince George's County. Someone else tweeted back within 15 minutes, surprised to learn that she lived in a food desert, connecting the dots to her tendency to drive to the grocery store once a week because of the inconvenience. Information is power, and while research and data might not be the most exciting projects to fund at the outset, the results can be turned into knowledge that can spark action, collaboration, policy change, and movements. |
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A Visit to Child Trends, the Veteran Child Researchers On Connecticut Avenue in DC, across from the Van Ness Metro stop, sits an innocuous office building. Walking down the halls of the third floor, you would not think you were in any place different than the many other buildings that dot the Washington skyline. But behind the doors of suite 350, you will find some of the leading researchers on child welfare and child development. VPP staff recently visited these offices, the offices of Child Trends, the nation’s only nonpartisan research and policy center that studies children at all ages of development. Child Trends is a significant partner to VPP on its Social Innovation Fund initiative, youthCONNECT, and is also currently conducting baseline research on the status of children and youth in the National Capital Region on behalf of VPP. The organization was started in 1979 by the Foundation for Child Development with the original mandate to monitor the well-being of America’s children. “It was kind of a big task,” said Kris Anderson Moore, Senior Scholar, who has the longest tenure at Child Trends, starting in 1982. “If you go back that far, the type of research we do now wasn’t happening yet. We have made so much progress in the intervening 30-plus years, it’s hard to remember how little the field knew back then.”
Over the last three decades, the state of child-center research has changed greatly for the better. In the late 70s, researchers collected almost no data on the child-level. The general unit of data was the family level. It was difficult to tease out the state of children using this data, but when collection became more robust, Child Trends’ researchers began developing specific areas of focus. “The research grew somewhat organically,” said Carol Emig, President. “We didn’t just sit there one day and say, ‘Well, I think today I’ll study child welfare because I haven’t studied it before.’ If you think about who is vulnerable in this country, you see certain characteristics and you begin to identify sub-populations of kids that need to be studied.” Part of Child Trends’ mission is to influence policy in the child development field. To accomplish this, it not only produces research, but distributes information broadly to the general public and in very targeted ways to influencers and decision-makers. It disseminates briefs and report summaries that can be easily digested by those who do not “speak evaluation.” “The communications effort is something we value,” said Zakia Redd, Research Scientist. “Not just doing research, but making sure it is being used. We need to make sure that this research gets to those in the positions of power that make a difference for children and families.” “It’s a stand-out for Child Trends,” said Rose Ann Renteria, Senior Research Scientist. “It’s the way we do the work, and it contributes to the field. Our findings move beyond these walls because we share them with folks, and we are also contributing to the constructs behind it and the theories behind it.”
To do this, Child Trends employs communications experts, which its researchers appreciate greatly. “From a researchers perspective, it’s a luxury to have that specialized expertise right here,” said Karen Walker, Senior Research Scientist. “We can focus on the research and have the communications experts asking us questions along the way.” This sharing of knowledge has made Child Trends an industry leader and influenced many policy changes. Having a robust evaluation and communication capacity is rare for most practitioners, however. Child Trends would like to focus more on helping social service providers use data to manage their programs in the coming years. “You are working with people who don’t get up in the morning to crunch numbers,” said Anderson Moore. “Showing them how it could be useful to them, how it could make them more effective, that’s a really difficult challenge. And it’s fun!” This challenge is not the only one Child Trends will tackle in their next three decades of work (see sidebar). And they will be well equipped to accomplish what they set out to do. As the VPP staff members left the Child Trends offices after the discussion, they noticed several empty offices with new furniture. The organization began with only two staff and, even with over 70 current staff members, it is still growing. The staff, current and future, will continue to find better ways to study children at all levels of development, and influence the field on how to serve them in the best way possible. youthCONNECT Update: Evaluation Planning Lays Foundation for Network
“Everyone at the table gave their all on this effort, and the results show it,” said Marc Schindler, a Partner at VPP. “The framework the ECOM group developed will be a strong foundation and guide for our activities going forward.”
The evaluation framework incorporates indicators and activities from all six organizations, allowing each to track their own progress, as well as for VPP and Child Trends to track the progress of the network. Indicators being measured include educational attainment, workforce preparedness and healthy behaviors. While these indicators primarily focus on network partner programs, the framework will be adapted for other uses. For example, part of the goal of youthCONNECT is to foster greater collaboration between the partners, and an additional measurement plan will be used to track progress on collaborative efforts. Further, we expect the outcomes framework to influence the field, and we are already seeing interest from other organizations and entities who are exploring outcome measures in these areas. In addition to the common outcomes framework and the implementation evaluation of the youthCONNECT network, each network partner has contracted with an outside independent evaluator to measure the impact of their youthCONNECT programs. Last month, VPP hosted a meeting with network partners and their third-party evaluators so they could learn more about the individual evaluation plans of each organization and begin to identify additional opportunities for collaboration across the network. “Having a common outcomes framework shared by multiple organizations is a very rare thing in the nonprofit world today. It is exciting to be engaged with the network partners as they hash out the details of developing and managing an innovative plan like what we are using in youthCONNECT,” said Schindler. “This will greatly inform VPP’s work, as well as influence the field beyond the National Capital Region. This is precisely the sort of innovation the Social Innovation Fund was designed to catalyze and support.” VPP Hosts “Dream Team” of Education Reformers Last month, VPP hosted DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Superintendent Hosanna Mahaley, and Deputy Mayor for Education De’Shawn Wright for a discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing public education reform in the District of Columbia. The event was co-hosted by JPMorgan and the Community Foundation of the National Capital Region, and was held at the Metropolitan Club. VPP co-founder and investor Raul Fernandez moderated the event and asked the panelists to comment on a number of issues including advances in pre-K access, consolidation of schools, and the success of the school system’s performance measurement systems. Henderson shared that “Phase Two” of reform efforts were underway with a focus on delivering effective and standardized curricula. Wright noted that his department was evaluating the schools in the city to have a better sense of which neighborhoods needed more resources. Mahaley underscored that progress has been made in the public schools—and the audience agreed—although there is still a lot to be done. She said that the DC’s investment in pre-K is one of the highest in the nation compared to other school districts. In the question and answer session, the audience branded the panelists as a “Dream Team” of reformers and implored them never to leave the city. The panelists returned the compliment by thanking the guests for their commitment to the reform agenda and for supporting the youth of the city. |
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Input Wanted: Critical Tool for Nonprofits and Foundations Under Revision After ten years, the Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT) is getting a facelift. First released in the VPP publication “Effective Capacity Building in Nonprofit Organizations,” prepared by McKinsey and Company, the tool has been used by nonprofits, funders, consultants, academics, government agencies, and others from around the world and adapted and customized versions have been created by over 70 organizations. It is a self assessment tool that provides a detailed understanding of a nonprofit’s capacity, and can be used to track capacity improvements over time. Organizations like the Marguerite Casey Foundation, Social Venture Partners International, and Feeding America have adapted the tool to fit their specific needs. Because of its widespread use, McKinsey has decided to update the tool and create an “OCAT 2.0.” To help with this process, it has created a website devoted to crowdsourcing feedback from both users of the OCAT and from other practitioners and experts in the field. On the site, you can take a survey about your usage of the tool and suggest changes to help make it more accessible and applicable to organizations. The OCAT 2.0 will be released in early 2012, and the feedback site will be up until the end of October. Please visit the site and provide your thoughts on improving the tool for the sector. Upcoming Session Teaches Excellence for Nonprofit Board Members Next month, the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program will host “Governing for Nonprofit Excellence” on its Cambridge Campus. The four day event is for voluntary members of nonprofit boards looking to enhance their leadership skills. The event includes several discussions on various topics, such as the changing dynamics between boards and CEOs, the revamping of governance systems to maximize success, and guiding organizations in the measurement of organizational performance. The goal of these sessions is to challenge each participant to examine his or her role on the boards they serve and think about how to increase organizational effectiveness. You can learn more about the event here. Scholarships are available. |
Child Trends conducts research on a variety of topics—from child poverty to marriage and family—and produces reports for government agencies, foundations, and private sector funders. Their mission is to improve the lives of children and youth through high-quality research and sharing that research with those whose decisions affect children.
Over the summer, the youthCONNECT network partners were hard at work developing their individual evaluation plans and a common outcomes framework for the network. The network of six organizations—College Summit NCR, KIPP DC, Latin American Youth Center, Metro TeenAIDS, Urban Alliance, and Year Up NCR—created an “Evaluation and Common Outcome Measures” workgroup (or ECOM, as it became known) to map out how the network will measure its progress over the next four years. The workgroup is comprised of evaluation staff from each network partner, as well as representatives from VPP and its evaluation partner, 
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For AALEAD, “Getting Involved” Starts with Camping Thanks to Rick Chen, Director of Development and Communications, for this update.
AALEAD’s school-year programming is divided into three sections, with each section focusing on one of the theme’s three components: Dialogue, Government, and Community. Its first component, Dialogue, focuses on talking with others who are different from the participants and seeking understanding, as well as learning about how the quality of dialogue impacts our communities and our democracy. To kick-off this component, AALEAD held a joint camping trip for high school students from both D.C. and Maryland High School Programs. The goal of the weekend was to bridge the two programs together and to help students break down barriers to get to know one another. While the goal of AALEAD Program Coordinators is to always create a safe, caring, and fun environment for students to grow and learn, many were surprised at how close students became with one another over the course of only two days. “I got a lot from going camping with Maryland AALEAD and DC AALEAD,” said one female student. “The thing that I loved most about camping was the meal times. We would all have to participate in cooking or cleaning or getting wood. When we played football and volleyball, I finally was passed to for once in my life! I couldn’t help but feel happy...DC and Maryland worked as a team and we made new friends, which was the best thing we accomplished.” The Boys and Girls Club Visits the White House Thanks to Andrea James, Communications Manager, for this update.
The following is a first-person account from Ryan Washington, a FBR Branch Boys & Girls Club member, of his trip to the White House to meet President Obama. When I woke up Monday morning, I didn't know what to expect. All that I knew was that I'd soon be at one of the most historical landmarks in our nation’s history. That place was the White House, home and office to the President of the United States. The purpose of the visit was to listen to the President give a speech on the recently created American Jobs Act. Shortly after arriving to the White House, I was pulled away from the rest of my Club members and put into a room in the East Wing. I had no idea what was going on. A couple minutes later, White House staff informed me that I'd be standing behind the President, as the only teen representing millions of young Americans who would be greatly impacted through the Act’s attention to education and employment. I would also be standing amongst a group of leaders from across the country, including first responders to 9/11, brave police officers, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others that make this country great. I would stand behind President Obama not only during his speech, but behind his decision to put millions of Americans back to work and restore our country’s economy. Although being with the President while he made his speech was a great honor, I was in for a big surprise. I was escorted, with the group, to the West Wing in a Presidential meeting room and was told that I'd soon get to meet the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Being the youngest person in the group, I can definitely say that I was one of the most energetic. It's not everyday day that I get to hang out in the White House and meet the President! After excruciating suspense, the President finally came into the room and spoke with the elegant voice we'd all heard a million times on the radio and TV. To add to the surprises that day, the President was also accompanied by the Vice President, Joe Biden. When the two approached me, I was absolutely speechless. However, when I found my voice, I told them that I was only 15 years old (because they thought I was older) and a representative from the Boys & Girls Clubs. Walking out of the White House into the Rose Garden will always be an unforgettable experience for me! McKinley Marketing Partners Donates Paper Supplies to CFNC Thanks to Manager of Development Anna Berke for this update.
On Friday, September 9, Alexandria's McKinley Marketing Partners donated a total of 30 boxes—filled with folders, calendars, loose paper, note pads, note cards and envelopes, letter-size envelopes and brochure-size envelopes—to CFNC's classrooms at the Cora Kelly Recreation Center. McKinley recently rebranded with a fresh logo and an updated website, and instead of discarding its old supplies, donated them to CFNC. Those supplies will be used to help CFNC fulfill its mission by providing children with supplies to encourage writing, drawing, creativity, design, and inspire lessons such as "how to mail a letter." The story of the donation was featured on WUSA9.com on September 15. You can read the article and view the photos here. “CFNC extends a huge thanks to McKinley's President and CEO, Michelle Boggs, and her wonderful staff who made the 30-box delivery in the pouring rain!” notes CFNC’s Director of Development Anna Berke. “We look forward to seeing them all at CFNC again soon.” CentroNia Hosts "Learning and Growing through Healthy Habits" Nutrition Conference for Parents and Educators Thanks to Laura Anduze, Communications and Marketing Manager, for this update.
CentroNía recently hosted a nutrition conference titled "Learning and Growing through Healthy Habits". Organized by CentroNía’s Food, Nutrition, and Family Literacy programs, the conference assembled experts, educators, chefs, parents, and others whose work focuses on the importance of nutrition and healthy living for kids. Over 100 people attended a full day of educational sessions and fun workshops presented by 10 expert speakers. The sessions focused on how to incorporate wellness and nutrition in a fun and easy way inside classrooms and at home; ways to encourage students to use their imagination towards healthy ends through play and physical activity; and the benefits of parents and children reading together about healthy habits. KIPP DC Launches “Future Focus” to Provide Students with the Skills Needed to Succeed in College, Careers, and Life Thanks to Lindsay Kelly, Communications Manager, for this update.
This September, KIPP DC and Accenture launched Future Focus, a year-long career readiness program for more than 50 KIPP DC alumni and high school students. Jointly developed by KIPP DC and Accenture, Future Focus is an innovative program composed of core workforce skills training, career coaching, and experiential learning that will enable students to be successful in college, careers, and life. “KIPP DC is thrilled to partner with Accenture to provide workforce readiness training for our students and alumni,” said KIPP DC Founder and CEO Susan Schaeffler. “Students who identify a specific career interest are more likely to complete college and KIPP DC is committed to providing all of our alumni with the support and resources needed to attain a college degree and enter the competitive workforce.” The first nine months of the program includes 18 classes that will expose 10th-12th grade students to a variety of career and life skills including: Career Management, Communications, Global Awareness, Presentation Skills, Financial Literacy, Critical Thinking, and Technology and Media Literacy. The four-hour Saturday morning classes will be offered twice a month from September 2011 through May 2012. Upon completion of the course work, some students will have the opportunity to gain real-world experience in their field of interest by participating in a three-month internship at one of the partnering Future Focus companies. The effort is also part of Accenture’s Skills to Succeed initiative, which plans to equip 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. In the coming years, KIPP DC hopes to expand the Future Focus program to offer workforce readiness training to even more of its high school students and alumni. LAYC Hosts Tribute to Tennis Legend Thanks to Araceli Curiel Rosenberger, Communications Specialist/ Grant Writer, for this update.
LAYC hosted its first annual tennis program fundraiser, “A Tribute to Richard ‘Pancho’ Gonzalez,” International Tennis Hall of Famer and winner of back-to-back U.S. Championships in 1948 and 1949. LAYC honored members of the Gonzalez family—son Danny Gonzalez and nephew Greg Gonzalez—and welcomed Consul Aníbal Gómez Toledo, Head of the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC, and over 100 supporters for an evening of celebration, tribute, food, dance, and mariachi music, at the Mexican Cultural Institute. "We are here today to celebrate our young people who are being introduced to the sport of tennis through the legacy of Pancho Gonzalez," said LAYC Executive Director Lori Kaplan. LAYC Board of Directors Tony Marquez presented the Gonzalez family with a recognition award for their support of the LAYC Pancho Gonzalez youth academy. "The LAYC Pancho Gonzalez youth academy has been one of the shining lights and it is truly an honor for our family to have LAYC associated with my uncle," said Greg Gonzalez. The event also recognized Gustavo "Gus" Castillo with the first LAYC Pancho Gonzalez Lifetime Achievement Award. Castillo is a former Colombia Davis Cup player and former touring tennis pro. "I had the opportunity to meet Pancho Gonzalez and be his ball boy in several occasions,” said Castillo. “He was the one who inspired me to become a tennis pro. He was my hero." Mary’s Center Dental Clinic Provides Free Services for Clients Living with HIV Thanks to Lyda Vanegas, Director of Advocacy and Communications, for this update.
Free dental care for HIV residents in the District of Columbia who are uninsured or underinsured is now available at Mary’s Center. The funds come from the Ryan White program of the DC Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration. “We are committed to care for our patients with the same standard of care and respect that we would expect for ourselves. Even though this is a new community for our dental department, we are fully equipped to provide them with the same quality of care that we provide to all of our patients,” says Dr. Richard Gesker, Mary’s Center’s Chief Dental Officer. In order to provide comprehensive service to this community, Mary’s Center’s dental staff work hand in hand with the Center’s health promotion department to ensure participants also receive all the counseling and support necessary to help them reduce stress and overcome the many challenges they face every day. The free services include cleanings, extractions, dentures, periodontal maintenance, endodontics, and restorative care. To ensure the confidentiality of these services, participants are given a dedicated line and email address to make their appointments. The services are provided at Mary’s Center’s new location on Georgia Avenue in Ward 4. The SEED Foundation and Schools Add New Board Members Thanks to Laura O'Connor, Director of Communications, for this update.
SEED welcomes Ned Brody to the board of directors of The SEED Foundation, Kelly Tubman Hardy to the board of trustees of The SEED School of Maryland, and Brooke B. Coburn to the board of trustees of The SEED School of Washington, D.C. As Chief Revenue Officer and President of AOL Advertising, Ned Brody oversees AOL’s global Owned & Operated advertising, global network business, sales, and advertising and publishing products. In addition to overseeing the AOL Advertising sales force, Ned oversees the AOL Advertising.com group. Kelly Tubman Hardy is the Regional Office Head of the Corporate and Finance Group and Global Desk Partner for the Baltimore office of DLA Piper. She practices corporate and securities law, including mergers and acquisitions, public and private offerings of securities, corporate governance, securities compliance and general business law. Brooke B. Coburn is a Managing Director and Head of Carlyle Growth Partners, the U.S. growth capital arm of The Carlyle Group. Mr. Coburn leads Carlyle's small-cap buyout practice focusing on investments in the education, technology, telecommunications, media, and business services sectors. SEED is also pleased to announce Virginia Newmyer as chair emeritus of The SEED Foundation board. Urban Alliance Youth Start New Program Year Thanks to Sean Segal, Chief of Staff, for this update.
Urban Alliance received over 450 applications for 210 slots in its 2011-2012 high school internship program. Three hundred youth were invited to begin pre-work training this September, a four to six week series of daily workshops designed to teach youth the “soft” skills they need to succeed on their first day of internships. The training also serves as a month-long interview where youth demonstrate the positive attitudes, commitment to the program, and exemplary attendance they need to succeed in the professional internships they will receive through Urban Alliance. This October, 170 youth will be placed in internships in the DC area at top companies like Marriott, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. An additional 40 youth will be placed in Baltimore at sites such as Legg Mason and the Johns Hopkins Health System. Urban Alliance interns come from over 20 high schools in DC and Baltimore. This year’s class will include the 1500th youth Urban Alliance has served through its year round internship programs. |
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| Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP) is a philanthropic investment organization that helps great leaders build strong, high-performing nonprofit institutions. It concentrates money, expertise, and personal contacts to improve the lives of and boost the opportunities for children and youth of low-income families in the National Capital Region and cultivates a growing donor community of high net worth families to generate funding and influence in support of these institutions and of social change. | ||||||||||||||
AALEAD started a new school year with a new theme: “GET INVOLVED!” 
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