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Why didn't this program aimed at boosting teacher effectiveness help students?

Madeline Will

July 20, 2018 |

PBS NewsHour |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's teacher-evaluation reform initiative failed to generate the expected improvements in student performance, according to a recent study published by RAND. Critics point to the program's singular focus on teacher improvement as a reason for its shortcomings. Frederick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute summarizes, "It was an expensive experiment, but it was a reasonable hypothesis. ... For good or bad, we've learned a lot."

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How little investments can lead to big community change

Anne Hillman

July 18, 2018 |

Alaska Public Media |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Seward, Alaska

Wellness for All, a community organization in Seward, Alaska, provides funding for community members to take action on projects they think will improve their city. Funding from the Seward Community Foundation supports these community-led ideas, such as an urban garden and a hospice program. The Alaska Community Foundation, which funds projects across the state, has distributed over $1 million in grants over the last decade.

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Cleveland uses literature to empower youth, overcome social divides

Christopher Johnston

July 09, 2018 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland has been quietly building a network of book clubs, libraries, and empowerment groups "using literature to empower marginalized groups, foster economic dynamism, and bridge social divides." From workplace and veterans literature discussions led by community professors to youth writing initiatives, the city has uniquely woven literacy and social justice into its daily fabric. Journalist Christopher Johnston asks, could it be a model for other divided cities?

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Moving Community Foundation Dollars from Wall Street to Main Street

Oscar Perry Abello

June 25, 2018 |

Next City |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Fresno, California

Community foundations have a new way to invest their funds: they can opt to invest in community projects, such as credit unions, as opposed to more traditional financial investments. The Self-Help Federal Credit Union has benefitted from this shift. A $2.6 million investment from Central Valley Community Foundation has helped the credit union provide over 1000 loans to predominately low-income families in the region.

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The doctor from Myanmar faced with 1 million patients and a plague of rats

Danielle Stephens

June 20, 2018 |

The Guardian |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Myanmar

A doctor faced with a public health crisis in his remote Myanmar village called on an UK organization to help him enact a solution. Rather than trying to treat hundreds of patients a day, the doctor started a local branch of Health and Hope to train a man and a women from each small village in his region. Now, residents of these villages don't have to die from treatable diseases because a local health expert is nearby.

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Chester Artists Revitalizing Corridor on Their Own Terms

Oscar Perry Abello

June 05, 2018 |

Next City |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chester, Pennsylvania

Investment from large foundations can often compromise an organization's vision or tie an organization up in debt. In working with major funders, organizers in Chester, Pennsylvania were careful to select funders that shared their vision and established relationships that would eliminate the need for funders rather than create long-term dependency.

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#MeToo sex scandals spur interest in standards for the aid sector

Ben Parker

May 02, 2018 |

The New Humanitarian (formerly IRIN) |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

There is no international watchdog monitoring the estimated 450,000 humanitarian aid workers operating worldwide. After sex-for-aid abuses in West Africa became high-profile news in 2002, initiatives were established to regulate the sector. But without third-party enforcement, these initiatives continue to rely on the voluntary buy-in of NGOs and IOs, allowing sexual abuse and other malpractice to continue.

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The Posse Foundation

Jill Harkins

April 12, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Jill Harkins writes, "As the research shows, it’s not enough to get students into college. We need to also get them through college, and into jobs." The Posse Foundation recruits driven and accomplished low-income students to attend partner colleges in 10-person cohorts, a model that the Foundation believes offers a built-in support system that may prevent students from dropping out when facing the stressors of a new and challenging environment. And that is just the beginning - the Foundation continues to provide students with support and career advice through and after graduation.

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The Mountain

Jacqueline Sofia Hebah Fisher Razan Alzayani Lilly Crown

February 27, 2018 |

Kerning Cultures |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Tunisia, Jbel Samamma, Kasserine Governorate

When unemployment is high and hope is low, violent extremist groups around the world attract recruits who are searching for support and a sense of life purpose. In Tunisia, efforts to counter the pull of these groups are increasingly inspired by the peacemaking roles that women can play. Workshops are helping mothers guide their children away from violent extremism, and near Jbel Samamma, a mountain that has become a top hideout for extremists, a new community center is offering arts and cultural activities while working to link the local economy to larger business and tourism markets.

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When Being Unproductive Saves a Career

Courtney E. Martin

January 18, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In the United States, executive leaders of non-profits have a high turn-over rate due to workplace fatigue. The Durfee Foundation has pioneered funding 3-month sabbaticals for directors of non-profits to “decompress” so that they can return to work feeling refreshed and productive. Research has shown that these sabbaticals have improved relationships with the board and other organizations. Now more foundations across the country offer funding for sabbaticals.

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