Bringing Baseball to the Community (and the Community to Baseball)

March 3, 2010

The torch at the Winter Olympics has been extinguished, and now that it’s pushing 40 degrees here in Minnesota, we can turn our thoughts to spring training and the anticipated arrival of another baseball season.

With spring in the air, I thought I’d highlight the work of the Minnesota Twins Community Fund, an MCF member.

Founded in 1991, the fund is guided by its mission to enrich local and regional communities by providing resources for the healthy development of children and families through an association with baseball, softball and the Minnesota Twins.

Giving highlights include:

  • In 2009, the Fields for Kids program granted $300,000 in matching funds to build and renovate 53 Upper Midwest ball fields. The deadline for the 2010 program is March 12.
  • In the summer of 2010, the Twins celebrate 50 years of the Twins Play Ball! Minnesota Youth Clinic program. To celebrate, the Twins Community Fund will host free youth clinics in 50 Upper Midwest communities. The clinics teach fundamental baseball and softball skills while promoting positive messages about staying in school and away from drugs and alcohol. Communities can submit an application now to host a clinic between April and August. Last summer, the program visited 35 Upper Midwest and nine Southwest Florida communities, providing free instruction to 7,000 young people.
  • Grants totaling $120,000 were made to the Minneapolis and St. Paul Park and Recreation departments to operate Twins Rookie League and R.B.I. (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) youth baseball and softball leagues. More than 6,000 kids participated in 2009.
  • Last year, the Twins donated $13,000 to support regional tournaments for seven youth baseball and softball organizations. The Twins also granted $20,000 to 20 traveling youth baseball and softball teams to assist with operating expenses. The fund also provides economically disadvantaged youth with scholarships enabling them to attend baseball/softball instructional camps. Upcoming grant deadline is March 12, 2010.
  • The Twins Wives Organization directed $50,000 in grants to various organizations, including the Southside Life Care Center, Sharing and Caring Hands, the Salvation Army, People Serving People, Camp Erin, the Minnesota Military Family Foundation, Gillette Children’s Hospital, the Epilepsy Foundation, the Drew Gilbert Medical Fund, Cystic Fibrosis – Minnesota Chapter, the Courage Center, and Cheerful Givers.
  • Through the Diamonds and Dreams Academic Scholar­ship Program, 20 Upper Midwest high school seniors each received $2,000 in scholarship support for post secondary education.

The Minnesota Twins Community Fund recently announced it will distribute approximately $1 million through its 2010 grant and community support programs.

Additional Twins in the Community initiatives include: donations of memorabilia to help nonprofits raise funds; hundreds of community appearances by the mascot, players and staff; TwinsFest 2010, the largest fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund; Minnesota Twins Holiday “Week of Giving”; Playball! Minnesota Youth Baseball and Softball Conference; several recognition awards, including the Carl R. Pohlad Award, Kirby Puckett Award, and the Play Ball! Minnesota Terry Ryan Award; and a ticket donation program for economically disadvantaged families and youth.

-  Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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How is teacher preparation like cosmetic surgery? No, this isn’t a joke.

December 3, 2009

As someone who just had yet another birthday, I can’t believe I’m writing this: I can’t wait for the next 10 years to go by. And, the faster, the better.

Why? Today, the Bush Foundation, an MCF member, and 14 higher education institutions gathered in St. Paul to announce their partnership, guaranteeing the delivery of 25,000 new, highly effective teachers by 2020. This initiative is key to the foundation’s goal over the next decade of increasing by 50 percent the number of students in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, from pre-kindergarten through college who are on track to earn a degree after high school, and of eliminating the achievement gap among diverse student groups.

Peter C. Hutchinson, Bush Foundation president, described the launching point for this initiative:

“Research has shown that while many factors play a role in educational success, effective teaching makes a bigger difference than any other in-school variable. Research also shows that when students consistently experience effective teaching, there are no achievement gaps. By forming partnerships with institutions who are willing to ensure that children across these three states will have effective teachers, we believe that over the decade we can significantly raise the achievement of every student and reduce disparities among student groups.”

The Bush Foundation and its partners define an effective teacher as one who ensures that each child learns at least a year’s worth of knowledge for every year spent in the classroom. “That seems obvious, but that’s not happening,” said Susan Heegaard, Bush Foundation vice president and educational achievement team leader, in MCF’s summer issue of Giving Forum.

Of the 72,000 teachers currently working in the three states, 40 percent will leave the profession over the next 10 years; some will retire, others will enter another profession. Who will replace them? How will they be recruited, prepared, placed and supported? What difference will they make?

To answer these questions, the 14 partnering institutions have signed on to a partnership they described today as “transformative,” “innovative,” “rare,” “courageous,” “daunting,” and “moving us from good to great.” They stressed that the type and extent of the impact that will result from this initiative can only be achieved by way of working together – not only amongst themselves but with K-12 education institutions and others as well – and becoming a voice for change.

The 14 are: Augsburg College; Bethel University; Concordia University, St. Paul; Hamline University; Minnesota State University, Mankato; University of Minnesota; Minnesota State University, Moorhead; North Dakota State University; St. Catherine University; St. Cloud State University; University of St. Thomas; University of South Dakota; Valley City State University (North Dakota); Winona State University.

In addition to sharing knowledge and dialoguing, each partner will launch a unique strategy that plays to its strengths, while challenging the status quo to ensure the teachers they prepare will be highly effective. An overview of each partner’s plan is available through the Bush Foundation’s website.

One panelist at the announcement today summarized the proposals this way: In the area of recruitment, they move from not very intentional to very intentional; in preparation, they move from theoretical to more immediately hands on, in front of a class; in the area of placement, they move from “hope for the best placement” to “placed in only the best” – in schools that are prepared and able to support these newly trained teachers; in the area of support, they move from providing little to undertaking intensive, multi-year efforts.

For its part, the Bush Foundation is committing $40 million over the next decade, its largest investment in an initiative.

The headline of the media advisory for today’s announcement mentioned the goal of transforming teacher preparation programs and proclaimed “Effectiveness of Teachers Being Guaranteed.”

In a time when the word “uncertainty” is used and used again, the word “guarantee” is truly attention-grabbing. When questioned today about the “guarantee,” a representative of one of the partners equated his institution’s involvement in this initiative to cosmetic surgery: You wouldn’t agree to the surgery unless you were almost certain that all the pieces are in place for a successful outcome.

I would add that this undertaking is also like non-elective surgery: Whatever ailments and challenges you face will not go away on their own.

Can you imagine what our communities will be like in 10 years when the goals of the Bush Foundation and these educational partners are achieved? I can hardly wait.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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How Did We Get Here? Asking the “So What?” Question.

October 5, 2009

The back-to-school honeymoon phase is over at our house. We’re now diving head first into the myriad of multi-month projects that will takeover the remainder of the school year.

Our middle and high schools participate in the National History Day (NHD) competition, using the annual NHD themes as springboard for students’ development of research papers, displays, drama and media presentations and websites. With Project Outline Step One due to the teacher this week, we spent our weekend brainstorming on possible topics to fit this year’s theme – “Innovation in History: Impact and Change” (pdf.)

NHD always does a great job of provoking students’ thinking about historic, cultural and social aspects related to the theme.  Here are a few nuggets related to innovation:

  • Innovation involves some sort of change, but not all changes are innovations.
  • With innovation, you should be able to say what previous ideas, objects, actions or institutions were replaced.
  • Innovation is the result of human ideas or actions.
  • The short term is the impact of the innovation, and the long term is the change over time brought about by the innovation.
  • To help put the innovation in historical context and discern its legacy, ask “why?” and “so what?”

It was this nugget that got me thinking about innovation in philanthropy: Innovation suggests creative new approaches to any facet of life. Innovation is creative individuals who set out to solve a problem, take advantage of opportunities, or build on the development of other innovators.

I thought that some sort of link to philanthropy would be a great take on the NHD theme, but this didn’t fly with my child, so she’s pursuing another topic.

But, you and I can keep the conversation going via this blog.

If we were to look back at the history of philanthropy, what innovations have most impacted and changed our field?

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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Education Entrepreneurs and the Transformation of Public Education

September 18, 2009

The Tenth Annual NewSchools Summit, “Innovating Toward Excellence: Education Entrepreneurs and the Transformation of Public Education,” must have been a fascinating learning experience for the nearly 500 people who attended!

Since its founding in 1998, the NewSchools Venture Fund has been dedicated to improving public education. They have provided funding not only to many charter management organizations (including Mastery Charter High School in Philadelphia, Aspire Public Schools in California, the Noble Network of Charter Schools in Chicago, Green Dot Schools in Los Angeles, and KIPP DC), but also to organizations that are developing and providing talented professionals for district public schools (including New Leaders for New Schools, the New Teacher Project, and Teach for America).

The report on the Tenth Annual NewSchools Summit provides in-depth coverage of the day’s program, which included presentations by:

  • Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles, and Ted Mitchell, CEO, New Schools Venture Fund
    • Ted Mitchell described how innovation is typically not a “cool stroke of genius” but rather occurs along a four-stage path, which includes clarifying the problem, generating ideas to tackle the problem, testing and refining the ideas in a “small space”, and continuously improving and sharing the ideas that work.
  • David Kelley, Chairman of IDEO, a prominent and leading design firm, who delivered the Keynote Address.
    • David Kelley’s remarks focused on “design thinking,” how design thinkers approach a problem, and the critical importance of “creative confidence” in design thinking.
  • Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, who joined the Summit by videoconference.

The Summit also included a panel discussion on “Innovation as Driver for Reform” and break-out sessions on:

  • “Turning around Failing Schools: Opportunity and Challenge”
  • “Design Thinking Workshop: Cultures of Innovation and Systems Challenges”
  • “EdTech Debate”
  • “National Standards and 21st Century Assessments”

I found the report on this Summit very informative, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Now I am thinking about its relevance here in Minnesota.

Join the Conversation: Are you inspired by any of the ideas discussed in this report? Have you used design thinking in your work? Do you disagree with any of the ideas shared in this report?

- Cindy Moeller, MCF director of professional development and member services

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Grant Makers for Children, Youth and Families Fall 2009 Forum

September 14, 2009

Are you a grantmaker concerned with well being of youth and children? Grant Makers for Children, Youth and Families Fall Forum will be hosting their annual conference in Minneapolis and St. Paul September 21 – 24.

At this three day event, grantmakers from across the nation will convene to discuss the current economic context and how it is impacting philanthropy for children, youth and families. In addition to addressing this timely issue, there will be three skill-building institutes on early childhood, youth development, and family and community.

More information on the conference and registration are available on the GCYF website.

Photo CC Cocoabiscuit

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Despite what test scores show, we’re working hard.

July 23, 2009

“Your hard work will pay off in the long run.”

This is a cliché, but it’s worth repeating. I’ve murmured it many, many times – most recently in conversations with my children, their teachers and others who have committed themselves to improving educational opportunities in my community.

Now that we’re embedded in an era of high-stakes standardized testing, it’s clichés like this that have to be whispered over and over again, especially for those toiling away in classrooms, schools and districts whose test scores are not glowing.

I dread when Minnesota publishes the results from its standardized tests, because the results for my school and district never seem to reflect what I believe to be a monumental investment of effort, resources, heart and soul by all – children, teachers, parents, administrators, the community – to positively impact learning and, as a byproduct, our test scores.

This summer’s  release of scores was no different, except that I’m now working at MCF and have a heightened awareness of the investment that grantmakers also are making.

For our current issue of Giving Forum, I interviewed 25 people who work at grantmaking organizations, and every one of them talked about the critical need to impact the achievement, access and opportunity gaps in our schools.  They passionately described the variety of nonprofits and initiatives they support and how those endeavors are creating change – both immediate and long-term, both individually and system-wide and throughout the state. They acknowledged that, while the challenges are daunting, they are hopeful and confident that what can be done to support one student in realizing his or her educational goals can be done for all.

Earlier this week, Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments II science exam results were published.  While the Star Tribune’s headline proclaimed students’ “dramatic gains,” a paragraph toward the end of the article noted that every ethnic subgroup improved, but, “That said, as the scores rose, the white/black achievement gap also grew slightly, by about three to four percentage points in all three grades.” Nothing more was explained.

Contrary to the Star Tribune, the Pioneer Press’ headline said students “fall short in science.” In the midst of its article, the paper elaborated on the achievement gap evident in the test scores, saying “As for ethnic subgroups, all showed gains at all three grade levels [the test was given in grades three, five and in high school], though the familiar gap between the performance of whites and other students persists.

At each grade level, white students scored highest as a group and black students lowest. The biggest difference was in high school, where 56 percent of white students met or exceeded standards, compared with 17 percent of black students. Asian students, along with whites, posted the greatest improvements.”

I read this again and again. Fifty-six percent compared to 17 percent? Not mentioned in either of these articles is that Minnesota is home to one of the largest achievement gaps in the U.S., according to the “Education Watch State Report” published by Education Trust.

A comment posted on my blog of last week about education and philanthropy in Minnesota focused on the importance of funders knowing about programs that are making a positive impact in supporting African American students and efforts to improve their performance on standardized tests. In light of the newly released snapshot of test scores, which cannot possibly reflect all the work that is happening community-wide to tackle some almost-overwhelming challenges, it’s critical that promising initiatives be supported and sustained.

So, let me use this blog to acknowledge all the hard work being done by funders, educators, nonprofits, students, parents and community members. It will pay off in the long run.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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Education Giving Trends: How does Minnesota Compare to the Nation?

July 21, 2009

More grant dollars go to education than any other interest area in the state of Minnesota, according to a recent article in Giving Trends, part of MCF’s Summer edition of Giving Forum.

Students from The Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative

Students from The Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative

$212 million, or 26 percent of all grant dollars in the state, went to education in 2006 (the latest date for which complete data are available).

Nationally, more grant dollars go to education than any other area, as well. In 2007, $4.9 billion went to education nationally or 22.8 percent of total foundation dollars.

In broad brush strokes, Minnesota’s grantmaking mimics trends on the national level. However, when examining the data more closely, interesting points of divergence reveal Minnesota’s own unique approach to education grantmaking.

  • Minnesotans value elementary and secondary education highly.
    The largest education grantmaking subcategory in Minnesota is elementary and secondary education. Across the nation, the lion’s share of education grantmaking dollars goes to higher education and graduate education.
  • Minnesotans support education-related programming.
    Minnesota funds education-related services such as college readiness, tutoring and drop-out prevention programming at just over twice the national rate. Twenty-percent of Minnesota’s education grantmaking dollars go to support this type of programming, compared to the national rate of 9 percent.

More information on how Minnesota’s education grantmaking compares to national trends can be read in the complete article published at mcf.org.

If you missed out on the latest edition of Giving Forum, you can subscribe online to receive your own free copy of this quarterly review of grantmaking in Minnesota. The theme explored in the next edition will be grantmaking partnerships.

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Can $212 Million Make Waves in a $7.6+ Billion Ocean?

July 17, 2009

New Issue of MCF’s Giving Forum Features Minnesota Grantmakers’ Contributions to Education

Children at Three Rivers Head Start participate in The Saint Paul Foundation’s Words Work! initiative. Read more about this initiative and others in Giving Forum.

Children in The Saint Paul Foundation’s Words Work! initiative. Read more about this initiative and others in Giving Forum.

Expenditures for elementary and secondary education in Minnesota topped $7.6 billion in 2006-07, according to the Report Card on American Education: A State-by-State Analysis by the American Legislative Exchange Council (whose source is the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics; Digest of Educational Statistics, 2007).

The $212 million in grants that went toward education in Minnesota in 2006 is not a small chunk of change (source: Giving in Minnesota, 2008 Edition, a report of the Minnesota Council on Foundations).  However, when comparing $212 million to $7.6+ billion,* one does wonder what kind of impact grant dollars can make when it’s “out-billioned” several times over.

Unfazed by the funding differential, Minnesota grantmakers are asking, “What if every student in Minnesota had the opportunity to realize his or her educational goals?”

Achievement, opportunity and access gaps abound, and the road ahead looks daunting. But, through initiatives big and small, long-term and short-term, these grantmakers are investing in changing the trajectory of student success by building on the body of research, promoting effective practices that impact academic outcomes, engaging and empowering stakeholders, influencing policies, and leveraging resources.

We talked to funders about why they fund what they fund and how it’s creating opportunities to innovate, change and sustain in education.  What they had to say is featured in our summer issue of Giving Forum, a publication of MCF.

Their initiatives are making sure children don’t enter school already behind, preventing students from falling further behind, and preparing students for post-secondary education. They’re investing in those closest to the student – parents, teachers and liaisons. They’re leading efforts to expand the meaning of “education” beyond the K-12 classroom to include perseverance in college, out-of-school time, early childhood mental health, opportunities for immigrants, and home visits for first-time parents in rural Minnesota.  And they’re laying the foundation to create change through public policy engagement.

This issue of Giving Forum also includes a commentary on how Minnesota funders can impact educational effectiveness, data on education giving trends in Minnesota, a look at Minnesota’s two top education funders – Target and General Mills, and a compilation of education resources.

The investment by Minnesota grantmakers is helping each and every Minnesota student in ways that not even $7.6+ billion can.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

*While the $212 million in grants includes support of higher education, student services and other related education areas, I didn’t research total public-sector spending on early childhood or post-secondary education or all the other areas that feed into education, so this is not a true apples-to-apples comparison, and thus the “+” that accompanies the 7.6. If I was a research expert and this was a blog on research, this apple-to-orange thing might bother me more, but I’m sure you’ll roll with my numbers as I try to illustrate a point.

Other Posts Related to Education: New McKnight Focus: Literacy by the Third Grade, Making It Real, Even on My Day Off, A Data Nugget is Worth 1,000 Words

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