Washington Grantmakers Celebrates the Launch of the Partnership for Prince George’s County

l-r, Kim Rhim, Executive Director - The Training Source, Inc.; Tamara Lucas Copeland, President - Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers; Councilman David Harrington, Chair, Prince George’s County Council; Artis Hampshire Cowan, Board President - Prince George’s Community Foundation; Desiree Griffin Moore, Executive Director, Prince George’s Community Foundation

[Jan. 30, 2008] Fifty-one degrees and sunny—but Prince George’s County is experiencing a major snowball effect. That’s because in a building where 40 people gathered a little more than a year ago to discuss strengthening the county’s nonprofit sector, more than 100 gathered today to help Washington Grantmakers and the Prince George’s Community Foundation launch the Partnership for Prince George’s County.

Members of the philanthropic, nonprofit, government, and religious communities came together in Landover, Md., to celebrate the County’s first true alliance among these sectors. Desiree Griffin Moore, the Partnership’s executive director, set the tone for the event by announcing that attendees must introduce themselves to three strangers. A few minutes later, she struggled to quiet the crowd as she presented the speakers.

County Council Chair David Harrington, whose advocacy and financial support has been instrumental in bringing the county government to the table, addressed the room first with a warm smile and congratulations for reaching this monumental moment. “This Partnership is about three things,” he continued. “Empowerment. Collaboration. And, Community.” He expressed his optimism for the Partnership’s ability to elicit substantial change in the County, and he firmly pledged his continued support and participation.

Harrington was followed by Artis Hampshire Cowan of the Prince George’s Community Foundation, Kim Rhim of The Training Source, and Washington Grantmakers President Tamara Copeland, all of whom offered their unique perspectives on the importance and potential of the Partnership.

It later became clear that the group had extended Desiree’s charge to network well beyond three people. Long after the formal program had ended, the room remained full – and loud – confirming what has been evident all along: there is a great amount of work to be done, but there is an even greater will to do it. And the snowball keeps rolling…
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For more about the events leading to the Partnership’s launch, see The Power of Collaboration - Dec. 2007
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Scenes from the launch event:

“New Viral Video to Urge for National Leadership on Education Reform”

New from ED in ‘08:

That video has some compelling info in it, but I would suggest:

1) Making it half as long, and chopping the first 20 seconds.
2) I’m not sure we win this argument with statistics. What about appealing to our values–children having it better than their parents, etc. And maybe some more faces.
3) What do they want me to do? They need to make the ask. I don’t know about the petition if I’m not viewing the video on their site.

What do you think? 

Unfortunately, it’s the audience that decides if it’s viral. But we can help this along. Sign the petition and pass it on. The only reason candidates aren’t answering questions about this the sorry state of U.S. education is because we’re not asking them loudly enough.

Grantmakers working for affordable housing (CDSC Update)

In December 2007, the Community Development Support Collaborative (CDSC), a funding project of Washington Grantmakers, approved $664,000 in grants to its nonprofit partners – a group of effective housing developers and technical assistance providers.  Collectively these nonprofits are engaged in the purchase, rehabilitation and management of over 1600 units of housing for low- and moderate-income residents of Washington, D.C.  Many of the residents who benefit from this very affordable yet high quality housing earn less than $30,000 a year. 

The Community Development Support Collaborative currently has 26 funding partners and has been providing operating support and capacity building grants to non profit organizations engaged in neighborhood revitalization and preservation for the past 15 years. 

One of the recently completed projects is a 12 unit building (pictured above) in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C.  This property was developed and is now managed by So Others Might Eat (SOME). The facility combines high quality rental housing with a range of supportive services for recently homeless families.  

See also:

• “Housing’s Helping Hands: Charities Strive to Make Washington More Affordable” - a December Washington Post article on affordable housing mentioning CDSC nonprofit partners: Manna Inc., Marshall Heights Community Development Organization, and SOME. It’s about the experience of a DC family moving into a duplex built by Manna volunteers. Look for quotes from Ken Ellison–housing advisor for SOME, George Rothman–president of Manna, and Angela Copeland–director of communications and resource development–all individuals with whom the CDSC works very closely. 
• CDSC website - CDSC.org
  

D.C. Region Funders Announce $300,000 Funding Pool and Networking Opportunities for Prince George’s County Nonprofits

News release - PPGC Launch [.pdf]

LANDOVER, MD – Washington Grantmakers and the Prince George’s Community Foundation announce the public launch of the “Partnership for Prince George’s County” – the county’s first true alliance of funders, nonprofits, government and religious organizations. The launch event will take place on Jan. 30, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. at the Tree Tops Atrium, 8181 Professional Place, Landover, Maryland.

Speakers will include: David Harrington, County Council Chair; Tamara Lucas Copeland, President – Washington Grantmakers; Artis Hampshire Cowan, Board President – Prince George’s Community Foundation; Desiree Griffin Moore, Executive Director – Prince George’s Community Foundation; and, E. Kim Rhim, Executive Director - The Training Source, Inc.

Launching on Wednesday: The Partnership for Prince George’s County

Don’t forget to register for the Partnership for Prince George’s County Launch — this WEDNESDAY!

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EDUCATION
- An Interview with Michelle Rhee [WaPo, 1/24]
- Report: Majority of funding for education goes to teachers’ salaries [Examiner, 1/28]
- D.C. Public Schools spent $2.7 million to educate 166 students with questionable residency status [Examiner, 1/28]

HIV/AIDS
- A Shot at Curbing the AIDS Epidemic [WaPo, 1/27]
- Bush expected to call for $30B extension in AIDS relief program [Kaiser, 1/25]

[News 1/25/08] The Jan. 25th Edition

Don’t forget to register for the Partnership for Prince George’s County Launch!

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- Bill Gates new project: Farming [CNN, 1/25]
- D.C.’s 911, 311 lines to merge [Wash Times, 1/20]
- Fenty Ponders Plan to Lure Redskins With a Stadium, Perhaps at RFK Site [WaPo, 1/25]

EDUCATION
- There Are Other Children to Save [WaPo, 1/20]
- Statistics show mixed results in crimes near city high schools [Examiner, 1/25]
- D.C. students raise truancy rate [Wash Time, 1/24]
- [Md.] Report: Non-native English speakers see drop in score gains in high school [Examiner, 1/25]
- School-closing manifesto part one: No more delays — time to get radical [Examiner, 1/25]

HEALTH
- Medicaid expected to improve in D.C. [Wash Times, 1/25]

Partnership for Prince George’s County: Launch Event

[News release - .pdf]

On January 30th, the Partnership for Prince George’s County will officially launch. We have planned a reception to coincide with the launch, and we hope you will join us. This will be an exciting and special opportunity for you to learn more about the Partnership.If you would like to attend, please email Britton Walker - britton@onealconsult.comDate: January 30th, 2008
Time: 8:30am-10:30am
Location:
Tree Tops Atrium
8181 Professional Pl.
Landover, MD 20785

If you haven’t heard about it yet, the Partnership is a network of community stakeholders and a funding collaborative whose charge is to build the capacity of the nonprofit community in the County. It is the result of a joint-effort between our Sustainable Communities Working Group and the Prince George’s Community Foundation, who have spent two years exploring the ways in which we can work together to make Prince George’s County a more vibrant place. Click here to learn more.

[News 1/22/08] Headlines: Everyone is talking about education

- Charity Begins in Washington [NY Times, 1/22]

EDUCATION
- “Seven in 10 D.C. residents believe the city’s public schools are performing inadequately, with the lack of parental involvement still cited as the biggest problem facing the nearly 50,000-student system, a Washington Post poll has found.” [WaPo, 1/21]

- D.C. Chancellor’s Confidence Can Serve Her and the School System Well [WaPo, 1/22]
- Charter Schools and the Next President [WaPo, 1/22]
- Rhee to unveil gifted program in schools [Examiner, 1/22]
- [Md.] Minority Students Become the Majority [WaPo, 1/22]
- Hearings begin on special ed. [Examiner, 1/22]
- Rethinking Principal Priorities of Training [WaPo, 1/21]

HEALTH
- Military shift could lengthen emergency response times [Examiner, 1/21]
- Cold has agencies helping the homeless [Examiner, 1/21]

[News 1/18/07] National Harbor Grants; Poverty Grows

“The Prince George’s Community Foundation (PGCF), a regional affiliate of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, has approved 30 grants totaling $329,000 from the National Harbor Community Outreach Grant Fund for 2008. The grants, ranging from $5,000 to $15,800, will support 30 nonprofit organizations in the areas of workforce development, arts and culture, education, recreation and social services for children, youth, young adults and senior citizens.” (Press Release)

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- “One in three children in the District continues to live in poverty, and there has been a slight increase in the city’s overall poverty rate, according to the D.C. Kids Count Collaborative….” [WaPo, 1/18]

- Visions of a Brave New Washington [WaPo, 1/16]
- Google Offers a Map for Its Philanthropy [NY Times, 1/18]

EDUCATION
Parents Slam Schools Plan at Hearings [WaPo, 1/18]

HEALTH
- [D.C] Inmates Qualify for Federal Drug Program Perk [WaPo, 1/18]
- Suburban is pilot for cell phone program: Hospital is trying to cut down on heart attack response time [Gazette, 1/16]

[News 1/16/08] Headlines - Reviving Washington, One School At a Time

- D.C. provides $200M for SW waterfront development [Examiner, 1/16]
- Reform of child agency pledged [Wash Time, 1/16]

EDUCATION
- [Va.] Reviving Washington, One School At a Time (The president, not the city!)[WaPo, 1/16]
- District hires SIGAL to finish overhaul of school [Examiner, 1/16]
- Hearing on School Closings Is Long and Emotional [WaPo, 1/15]

HEALTH
- D.C. yet to issue fines for smoking [Wash Times, 1/16]

HOUSING
- D.C. Housing Agency Is Updating Wait List [WaPo, 1/16]
- Urban Institute: Time to plan for D.C.’s special housing needs now [Examiner, 1/16]