Is the HCZ cost-effective, scalable? … Livin’ in “the DMV” [News, 7.30.10]

PLACE-BASED WASTE? | The Harlem Children’s Zone Revisited (Brookings, 7/28) – Brookings takes issue with the “use of the HCZ as evidence that investments in wraparound support services and neighborhood improvements are a cost effective approach to increasing academic achievement.” Geoffrey Canada pushed back against Brookings’ original report.

MENTAL HEALTH | Commentary by Terri Freeman, president of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region (WAMU, 7/30) – “[T]he “new poor” have been showing up at community health clinics, many without health insurance and many in need of mental health services. Non-profits have been reporting alarming trends…”

ARTS | Will the Washington National Opera merge with the Kennedy Center? (WaPo, 7/30) – Opera president: “all options are on the table.”
> Related: Measuring the Health of Arts and Culture (WGDaily, Feb. 2010)

YOUTH | Bank of America’s weeklong Student Leadership Summit just wrapped up in DC. “230 civic-minded high school juniors and seniors” … inspires students “to continue serving their communities and effect a lifetime of positive change.”

LENDING | Bank of America Commits $10M in Small-Business Grants (WSJ, 7/29)

THE DMV? | “A nickname has recently emerged that could put the Washington area on the regional nickname map: the DMV. As in, D for the District, M for Maryland, and V for Virginia.” (WaPo, 7/30)

TGIF, DMV! Hope your weekend is A-OK.
- Nick

Female Condom campaign, phase 2: “DC’s Doin’ It!”

DC’s Doin’ It! It’s a new campaign that uses “sex appeal to sell safe sex,” and it launches this week. “The Washington AIDS Partnership worked with the DC Department of Health and local partner organizations to conduct focus groups and develop messages and materials that are engaging and relevant to sexually active adults, especially African American women and men, who live at disproportionate risk of HIV infection.” We’ve seen lots of press coverage, including:

- D.C. launches female condom campaign (WTOP, 7/29)
- D.C. promotes free female condoms in Metrobus ads (Examiner, 7/29)
- Improved female condom gives women another form of protection (WUSA9, 7/28)
- Move over, Trojan Man. A new campaign promotes female condoms (NBC4, 7/28)
… and this AP article is all over the place:
DC pushes female condoms to fight HIV epidemic (7/28)

The Washington AIDS Partnership is a funding collaborative of Washington Grantmakers. To learn more about the Partnership, click here.

KIDSCOUNT 2010… Capping nonprofit salaries… Mental health grants [News, 7.29.10]

While we were off at our conference, the world kept spinning! As always, email us if you spotted something interesting.

MENTAL HEALTH | “The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region recently awarded grants, through its Neighbors in Need Fund, totaling $308,000 in support of 13 mental health programs…“

CHILDREN/DATA | The Annie E. Casey Foundation released the 2010 KIDSCOUNT Databook. “Rates of Children in poverty already on the rise before recession began…”
… Fact sheets: DC | MD | VA
…”affecting nearly one-fifth of American kids“ (WaPo, 7/27)
… Report highlights problem of childhood poverty in D.C. area (WAMU, 7/28) – “41 percent of D.C. children live in families where no parent has full-time or year-round employment.”

EDUCATION | DC, Md., and 17 other states are Race to Top Round 2 finalists (WaPo, 7/27) – Read more in EdWeek (7/27)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING | D.C. law has put up a goose egg (WaPo, 7/26). Not fair, says David Alpert: “Too soon to judge.”

ENVIRONMENT | Ford Foundation commits $85 million to advance rural land rights, reduce climate change (PND, 7/29)

COMPENSATION | Lawmakers Seeking Cuts Look at Nonprofit Salaries (NYTimes, 7/26) – New Jersey limits “what nonprofit groups can pay their chief executives if they are providing social services under state contracts.” I’m not sure why people think 501c3s are immune to the laws of supply and demand.

NONPROFITS | Tax deadline extension. Small charities at risk of losing their tax-exempt status will have until Oct. 15 to file. (WSJ, 7/26) – “These groups do great work in communities across the United States and are vital to the vibrancy of our nation.” Well said, IRS, well said.

The Forum conference was informative and energizing. And not buying WiFi was a good decision–my brain feels better. Now, time to jumble it all up again.
- Nick

Rhee fires 226 DC teachers [News, 7.23.10]

DC SCHOOLS | Rhee fires 226 D.C. teachers (WaPo, 7/23) that received poor appraisals under the new IMPACT evaluation system. Rhee: “This is a school district that has had a lot of problems with student achievement.” Over the next two years “a not insignificant number of folks will be moved out of the system for poor performance.” … The politics! (Examiner, 7/23)

SOCIAL INNOVATION FUND | Opinion: “[I]f the Fund’s approach leads to more funders following the approaches of groups like Edna McConnell Clark, New Profit and Venture Philanthropy Partners, I do believe that philanthropy will change for the better.” – Sean Stannard-Stockton (7/23)

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS | New pub: Working with Government: Guidance for Grantmakers (GrantCraft, July 2010)

EVEN HOTTER | Tomorrow’s heat index will push 110. “Don’t mess with this kind of heat.” (Capital Weather Gang, 7/23)

Several WG staffers will be at the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers’ annual conference the first half of next week, so posting may be light. Have great weekend! Try not to combust spontaneously!
-Nick

VPP gets $4M from Social Innovation Fund for youth investment [News, 7.22.10]

$50M WORTH of SOCIAL INNOVATION | Corporation for National and Community Service announces 11 winners, (wire, 7/22) including:

…Venture Philanthropy Partners (7/22) – $4 million, which “will result in direct investment of almost $13 million in the young people of the National Capital Region (NCR)” … “enable us to launch youthCONNECT, a pioneering and powerful network that aligns public-private capital, evaluation experts, and innovative nonprofit organizations to dramatically improve the life opportunities of vulnerable youth.”
… Jobs For the Future (SacBee, 7/22) – “This award is testament to the hard work and innovative spirit found at the 23 local sites of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions,” said Barbara Dyer, president and CEO of The Hitachi Foundation, and chair of the National Fund.”
… National AIDS Fund (wire, 7/22) … Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) … and others.

GIVING | Big jump in online contributions for nonprofit groups (Pitt Post-Gazette, 7/22), says a study by Blackbaud. This internet thing could be for real.

NUTRITION
- Child Hunger: Nutritious Food Tough To Afford (NPR, 7/21)
- Walmart donates $1.5 million to help Share Our Strength® expand family nutrition education programs in the U.S. (wire, 7/22)

EDUCATION | D.C. Adopts Common Core Standards (WAMU, 7/22)

MILESTONE | Hill-Snowdon Foundation announces the release of a publication, Values to Vision to Action:  The Hill-Snowdon Foundation Journey, to commemorate its 50th anniversary. (7/22)

MISERY | Say it loud and proud: We are “among the least miserable!” (Lately… not true at all!)

Higher Achievement in Ward 8… National Adoption Day… Reactions to DYRS change [News, 7.21.10]

YOUTH | Higher Achievement celebrates launch of new Ward 8 Achievement Center (7/20) – Higher Achievement supporters include several WG members.

ADOPTIONS | National Adoption Day Set for November 20 (wire, 7/21) – Renette Oklewicz, director, Freddie Mac Foundation and member of the National Adoption Day Coalition: “There are 123,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families. It is unacceptable that any child should not have the opportunity for a safe, loving and permanent home.”

JUVENILE JUSTICE | Wells, Mendelson surprised and disappointed at DYRS move (WaPo, 7/20)

WORKFORCE | Job growth slows in Washington region (WaPo, 7/21)

CRIME | Nonprofits seek boost for crime victims fund (WaPo, 7/21)

EDUCATION | D.C. and Massachusetts to vote on national school standards (WaPo, 7/21)

PEOPLE | 3-minute interview: Nicky Goren (Examiner, 7/21)

…and you can now replenish your SmarTrip card online, which is nice.

DC advocates decry firing of juvenile justice agency leader [News, 7.20.10]

JUVENILE JUSTICE / YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | D.C. mayor names new chief of juvenile justice agency (WaPo, 7/20) … Youth groups, advocates, lawyers for delinquent youths decry the move, call for investigation into role of Attorney General Nickles (7/19): “With today’s abrupt decision, the mayor just headed in exactly the wrong direction and risks the stability of these reforms” … Nickles’ role (Examiner, 7/20) … Background (WG Daily)

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS extension expected to pass today, retroactive to June 2 (Washington Independent, 7/20)

YOUTH | Local funders announce $150,000 grant to three Mont.  Co. nonprofits serving middle-school aged youth (7/19)

HEALTH | Upcoming Free Clinic For D.C. Residents (WAMU, 7/19) – Volunteers needed Aug 3 and 4

DATA | “Giving USA…is re-examining the approach it uses to determine how much Americans donate.” (Chronicle, 7/19)

AWARDS | Nonprofits can register for the 2011 “Best NonProfit Organizations to Work for” program

CONTESTS! | “the question of whether a contest is the right way to distribute arts funds” (NYTimes, 7/16) …or any funds? “[S]uch contests are increasingly popular among corporations looking to blend philanthropy with marketing.”

TAXES | Philanthropy and the estate tax (CSM, 7/20)

EDUCATION | KIPP schools show what a longer school day offers (WaPo editorial, 7/20)

… and from the “Future is Now” department, Kindle surpasses hardcover books in sales on Amazon.

TD Charitable Foundation accepting applications for 2010 “Housing for Everyone” grants

“The TD Charitable Foundation’s 2010 Housing for Everyone grant competition focuses on capital improvements for affordable housing. Safe and affordable housing remains a critical concern for low- and moderate-income families in the current economy. While the spotlight has been largely on the mortgage crisis and rising foreclosure rates over the last several years, preserving America’s aging housing stock is critically important. This competition will fund the most innovative plans that preserve and improve affordable housing units. As capital improvements are made to available housing, the integrity of the neighborhood is stabilized and protected from further deterioration.” … “A total of 34 grants representing $1.7 million will be awarded to applications that meet the eligibility criteria.”

Apply here.

Local nonprofit sets up a 501c4 [News, 7.19.10]

ADVOCACY | Taxpayer funded group gets into politics (Examiner, 7/19). That wording and the WW III font may leave the impression that local service group Casa de Maryland is using taxpayer funds for political activism. They’re not. Furthermore, “nonprofit legal analysts tell The Washington Examiner that CASA is not in violation of federal law if they don’t use government money for political purposes and note the time spent between the two wings of the organization.” And “by obtaining 501(c)(4) status, CASA in Action is allowed to participate in political campaigns and elections.”

PHILANTHROPY | EPIP is now a project of the Tides Center (7/19)

HIV/AIDS | Treating HIV patients helps to stop spread of disease (Reuters, 7/19) -  “study also found that rates of other sexually transmitted diseases went up, suggesting that it was the AIDS drugs and not other confounding factors such as condom use or less sexual activity…”

“DIVERSITY, in and of itself, does not mean racial equity.”  (Community Foundation blog, 7/16) – by Bomani Johnson

CORPORATE | The case against corporate social responsibility? (WaPo, 7/18) – Opinion: “CSR, and the communitarian philosophy behind it, asks us to believe that the interests of an individual company and those of the wider community are fully aligned. They aren’t.” The author seems to suggest that this oil leak happened because BP, distracted by CSR, somehow forgot to focus on making a profit. Which strikes me as ridiculous. I think profits were always #1.

CENTRO FAMILIA | Nonprofit’s discrepancies challenged but forgotten (WaPo, 7/18) – Pilar Torres: “Montgomery [County] must take responsibility for its internal procurement and contract monitoring failures, and stop deflecting all blame to a small nonprofit organization.”

HUNGER/NUTRITION | Opinion: “Congress must act now to help feed the District’s children.” (letter to WaPo, 7/19) – Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

COMING UP AT WG | July 28: Briefing with the DC the Advocates for the Arts – all WG members welcome

Friday Inferno! [News, 7.16.10]

EDUCATION
- Bill Gates’ school crusade (Business Week, 7/15)
- A New America Through Broadband” (WaPo, 7/16) -  “Replacing textbooks with e-readers would create a platform that lets students learn as much as they can, as fast as they can. The teacher is freed from drudgery, such as correcting homework, and given the tools to teach more effectively.”

ENRVIRONMENT | Nonprofit Energy Alliance: cheaper, greener electricity (WGDaily, today!)

MERGERS | Pittsburgh Foundation’s Grant Oliphant ponders nonprofit mergers (PBT, 7/16). Is the Pittsburgh BizJournal called “Times” rather than “Journal” to avoid being the “PB&J”? WGDaily: not afraid to ask the hard questions.

BILLIONAIRES | Paul Allen to give away half of his fortune (NYTimes, 7/15)

TWITTER | Cool Tool: Topsy Finds Most Influential Tweeters on Any Topic (GigaOm, 7/15)

LEADERSHIP AWARD | The Center for Nonprofit Advancement is accepting nominations for the Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2010 EXCEL Award.

SEISMIC EVENTS | Earthquake! (Didn’t feel it. I am an accomplished sleeper.)

Have a great weekend. Stay cool. (And stay cool.)
Nick