Aug 01, 2016

Exponent Philanthropy;

The Ohio Transformation Fund (OTF) wants to change its state's justice system from one of mass jailing, particularly of young people and people of color, to one based on stable families, economic security, and access to health care and education. It began with the vision of a national funder building a model together with local funders and key partner organizations.

Nov 11, 2013

Fund for Our Economic Future;

Northeast Ohio -- home to four major metropolitan areas, more than 4 million people and a $180 billion regional economy -- faced in 2004 what the Cleveland Plain Dealer dubbed a "Quiet Crisis." Employment growth in the region had lagged the rest of the nation for the prior two decades and manufacturing's share of total regional employment had fallen by half. The population was declining and poverty was on the rise, particularly in urban areas.Community and private foundations were waging an uphill battle responding to the increasing needs for social services that were straining the resources of nonprofits in the region. Philanthropic organizations were quickly coming to the realization that the only way to meaningfully address the challenges of poverty and unemployment would be through a more holistic effort to promote regional economic opportunity. In response, a set of philanthropic institutions from across Northeast Ohio launched the Fund for Our Economic Future (the "Fund") in 2004 to promote a regional approach for increasing economic prosperity and opportunity. The original 28 Fund members committed a total of $30 million over three years to begin restoring regional economic competitiveness through pooled grantmaking, research and convening. The Fund's experience produced several lessons about fostering effective collaboration that apply to business, nonprofit and government leaders partnering in any region to address systemic issues. The report provides details in each of these areas.

Apr 01, 2013

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; National League of Cities;

Communities across our nation are experimenting with new ways to engage citizens in the decisions made by civic leaders from the public, private and non-pro!t sectors, working sometimes together and sometimes at cross purposes. Ultimately, success at making democracy work and sustaining healthy communities requires engaged individuals, organizations, and institutions.Across our country, community engagement bright spots are emerging. These initiatives foster a sense of attachment, expand access to information and resources, and create opportunities for citizens to play more active roles in setting priorities, addressing issues, and planning the longer-term sustainability of their communities. The National League of Cities, working with The John S. and James L Knight Foundation, selected 14 communities that the two institutions are engaged with to explore how well or poorly some of these experiments are faring today. This analysis then focused more closely on four communities -- Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Austin -- to document the lessons learned and the challenges ahead.