TRAILS’ Post

A child’s future success is often inextricably tied to factors out of their control, such as their gender, race, or zip code. In the United States, fewer than one in 13 kids born into poverty will go on to hold a high-income job in adulthood, and this number falls to just one in 40 for Black children. To help close the opportunity gap in the United States, we and our partners launched the Education & Economic Mobility Co-Lab—a $56M collaborative philanthropy fund supporting 16 grantees working on improving mental health in schools, helping marginalized parents access education and wrap-around social services, and establishing career pathways for underserved communities. The Co-Lab offers each organization unrestricted grant funding for three years, because we know our grantees are the experts and we want them to have the freedom to plan for the long-term. They have a deep understanding of the challenges they’re working to solve, the communities they serve, and how their funding should be spent. The grantees work across three key areas:  💼 Seven of the Co-Lab’s organizations are providing more #EquitableCareerPathways for marginalized youth by ensuring all students and young professionals have access to the types of paid internships, vocational trainings, and apprenticeships that lead to high-wage jobs. 🧠 Five of the Co-Lab’s organizations are improving #YouthMentalHealth by advancing local and federal policy, supporting student-led mental health advocacy, increasing access to teletherapy for the most at-risk youth, and more. 👨👩👦 Four of the Co-Lab’s organizations are bolstering #TwoGenerationSolutions, supporting underserved caregivers, like single parents and first-generation families, with everything from ensuring school readiness for their children to earning a college degree.  Please join us in congratulating all grantees: CareerWise Colorado, CodePath, Opportunity@Work, Propel America, inseparable, Generation Hope, TRAILS, MindRight Health, i.c.stars, Hopebound, AVANCE, Inc, Raise The Barr founded by NFL Player Anthony Barr, Jeremiah Program, FreeWorld, Active Minds, Inc., Genesys Works 🎉 🎉 🎉 To learn more about the Education & Economic Mobility Co-Lab and its grantees, check out our press release here: https://lnkd.in/eBDsYw6x #Education #EconomicMobility #Philanthropy #CollaborativePhilanthropy 

Good people have been #giving for good causes for decades. But today there is an evolving approach to giving. For example, my parents used to give their #time and #food to #poor people in #Calcutta, regardless of their #religion, #gender or #casts. Today, their next generation has embraced a more structured, purpose-driven approach to giving. This next generation didn’t take it up from the point of giving time, food, or #money, they took it up from #data and #Facts. This approach is an example of a growing trend of impact-focused givers that are emerging from every corner of the world. The economic #growth over the last couple of decades has not only led to the development of a burgeoning middle-class, but it has also fuelled an increase in the number of people actively engaging in giving. So, what is the difference between the last generation of givers and the current generation of givers? The current generation of givers are acting more like #value creators than traditional givers. As a younger, more tech-savvy group that is closely connected to their communities’ problems, current generation of givers are making smart, #data driven investments in both non-profits and socially driven SMEs. As wealth is created and capacity is built, indigenous givers are emerging, dedicated to promoting inclusive development in their countries and, in many cases, in their place of births. Consider the University of Liverpool's Mathematics School that introduced access to higher education for disadvantage local young people supported by Steve Garnett. Here, Steve’s effort already made a #transformational impact on the city, where he was born and grew up. Steve has plans to include further programmes to change the lives of talented and underserved young graduates in that famous city for #PhD Studentship. Similarly, Stephen Kelly made many donations to help improve the lives of many disadvantage people. From my experience, crafting a giving approach is an iterative process, regardless of the economic climate. It requires the internal discipline to ask, and rigorously answer, 3 fundamental questions: - 1.   How do I define success? 2.   What will it take to make change happen? 3.   How can I improve our results over time? The investment by current generation of givers is one that has a deeply personal return, which leads to more effective outcomes. What’s more, the return is not financial — it’s the positive social change that people like Steve and Stephen seek. These current generation of givers emphasise the value of sharing the benefits of economic growth more widely. This is because, if the economic growth does not include developing solutions to the wider population, there will no long-term economic growth for the most. The objectives of giving may be different today from the days of my parents, but the underlying logic is still the same. 

Over a decade ago, I began addressing the challenge of creating a more inclusive #STEM space. Reflecting on my own journey, I realised that positive early experiences led me to where I am. I wanted to create those same opportunities for other young people. If you know a young person (ages 5-25) looking to develop their #STEM skills over the summer, take a look at Stemettes’ free, fun, and food-filled events: https://lnkd.in/eyXRFj-S It's not about forcing everyone into STEM careers. It’s about ensuring everyone has basic tech literacy, to make informed decisions and participate in these 21st century conversations. #WomenInSTEM #STEMdiversity #STEMeducation

So many college students are graduating this semester!🎓🎉 As we celebrate fresh perspectives, let's dive into the importance of engaging recent college grads in philanthropy. 🚀✨ 💡 Fostering a Culture of Giving: Recent college grads bring passion, innovation, and a desire to make a difference. Involving them in philanthropy not only nurtures a culture of giving but also ensures a continuous infusion of new ideas. 🌐 Building Lifelong Advocates: By embracing philanthropy early in their careers, young graduates become lifelong advocates for social responsibility, weaving a commitment to giving back into the fabric of their professional lives. 🎓 Harnessing New Perspectives: The unique experiences and perspectives of recent grads add a dynamic layer to philanthropic efforts, enriching initiatives with creativity and a contemporary understanding of societal needs. 📖 Join the Movement: Ready to empower the next generation of changemakers? Explore the importance of involving recent college grads in philanthropy in our latest article here https://lnkd.in/gt_eeivF , and let's shape a future where giving is not just an option but a way of life! 🌟🌍 #PhilanthropyForAll #YouthInAction

Today is my last day at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. Choosing to leave was not a decision I made lightly. Some things I have learned in my nine short yet long years in philanthropy: 1. As we all witnessed for a brief moment in 2020, foundations are more than capable of pushing out resources in a no strings attached, no reporting requirement, just take the money and do what you need to do kind of way. $20M to be exact.   2. Spend downs, or even just spending slightly above 5% is philanthropy’s version of “if he wanted to, he would”. 3. If the racial equity work you’re doing is not making people uncomfortable, then it’s not really working. 4. Many people really believe they have a right to comfort (see above). Repeat after me: Representation alone is insufficient; not all skinfolk are kinfolk and white supremacy truly is the air we breathe. It has a chokehold on us. 5. The only way to show up in this work is with humility. People will know when you’re being inauthentic. Speaking of humility, as an Asian woman, it is still hard for me to talk about my accomplishments. But I am proud of: 1. pushing for more trust-based practices that privilege relationship and trust building over paperwork and ROIs, 2. co-designing (with youth, educators, and community members) and implementing a $14M, multi-year, gen ops fund with authentic community input from youth, educators and community members that centers the lived experience and expertise of those most impacted by systemic racial inequities, 3. pushing NM to be one of the first mainstream funders to address (and allocate resources) toward the rise in documented anti-Asian violence. Will always be grateful to the mystery funder I inspired to match our rapid response fund, 4. dreaming up a cross-racial solidarity rapid response with my co-conspirator and sister friend, Alexis Harewood M.Ed, to demonstrate that collective liberation is the only way forward, 5. making sure when we talk about allocating resources to  communities impacted by racial inequities that it includes Asian American communities. Yes, even in education philanthropy #disaggregatedata, and 6. listening to what grantees had to say, improving our practices based on their feedback, and helping to make Nellie Mae a more responsive and “credible” funder. Grateful for all the inspiring co-conspirators I have met along the way at NM, including Alexis Harewood M.Ed., Gislaine Ngounou, Ed.L.D. , Kathiana A., Julita B., Delia Arellano-Weddleton, Pamela White, and Lucas Codognolla among many others. More to come on my next chapter but I will always be for and about people of the global majority and our collective liberation.

New Year, New Cheer for ACF! Community. 🏘️ ~ Empowering Our Community Through Volunteering ~ Our Applied Computing Foundation 2024 mantra is "Impactful Outreach," and we gladly kickstarted our first week of 2024 through a golden networking opportunity for our ACF teen founders at the global 1517 Fund Ice Cream Social on Jan. 4. 👏 Volunteer. Impact. Honor. 👏 In 2024, ACF allows you to volunteer for causes dear to your heart and get certified for hours towards the “Congressional Award” and “Presidential Award” within the United States. Our previous exemplary student interns have been awarded for their invaluable and positive contribution towards community empowerment in STEM. The beauty of volunteering is that it can enrich not just our students but also their peers, siblings, guardians, teachers, mentors, club leaders, families, and groups. The “Presidential Award” rewards all age and community groups based on service benchmarks. Help Spread the Word! Our volunteering opportunities are one of the most integral and impactful facets to help fulfill our ambitious 2024 wishlist! ACF provides a rewarding experience for all volunteers through autonomy, personal growth, leadership, creativity, and real-time impact. https://lnkd.in/gF4dC8Gh . . . . #team #technology #community #experience #science #acf #appliedcomputing #appliedcomputingfoundation #sustainability #innovation #genz #changemakers #coding #education #learnbuildapply #learn #build #apply #ethicalinnovation #entrepreneurship #teenentrepreneurship #entrepreneurs #collaboration #leadership #startup #impact #startupcommunity #startupecosystem #volunteering

Today, PRI works with leaders in rural places to identify and fill in the gaps in educational, medical, and social services to support young people from cradle to career. But to get here required growth, partnership-building, and belief in the power of place-based work. Read more about how and why we are building partnerships to bring our cradle to career, place-based approach to rural communities across the country in this new article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy: https://lnkd.in/eQ8dpBRU

🌈✨ 10 Powerful Reasons to Launch a Youth Service Program at Your School with Youth Volunteer Corps! ✨🌈 Ever thought about how we can make our school not just a place for learning but also a hub for positive change? Partnering with Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) to start a youth service program is the way to go! Here's why: Empower Students: Unlock the potential of our students to lead and make impactful decisions. There’s no limit to what they can achieve with the right platform. Address Local Issues: Directly tackle the challenges our community faces. From environmental projects to supporting local non-profits, make a real-world impact. Cultivate a Culture of Service: Embed the spirit of volunteerism within our school's ethos. Show the power of giving back from an early age. Develop Critical Skills: Beyond academic achievements, our students will learn valuable life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Foster Inclusivity: Create a space where students from all walks of life unite for a common cause, celebrating diversity and building empathy. Enhance Academic Learning: Connect curriculum to community service, making learning more relevant and dynamic. Witness history, science, and literature come to life through service. Build Lasting Friendships: Forge new friendships and strengthen existing ones. Shared service experiences can create bonds that last a lifetime. Improve Mental Health: Engaging in service projects can boost self-esteem, reduce stress, and promote a positive outlook on life. Prepare for the Future: Equip students with the experiences and skills that colleges and employers seek. Show them how to be proactive citizens of the world. Leave a Legacy: Inspire a ripple effect of kindness and service that will outlast their time at school. What better legacy to leave behind? Starting a Youth Service Program with YVC at our school is more than just an extracurricular activity; it's a movement towards building a better world, starting with our own community. Let's come together to create a program that empowers, educates, and elevates our students and community. 🌟 Are you in? Let’s make it happen! Contact Sarah Miller at smiller@yvc.org to get involved or learn more about how to make this vision a reality. Together, we can make a difference. 💪💖 #YouthService #Empowerment #CommunityService #YouthVolunteerCorps #SchoolPride #MakeADifference

“The challenges we face are too great to ignore the power structures, mental models and mindsets that hold problems in place. As institutions, practitioners and funders we are all a part of the story that needs to change.” - Carolyn Curtis Philanthropy has the potential to shape transformative system change in education, but it requires a departure from traditional norms towards more inclusive decision-making processes and an understanding of how education intersects with other challenges we face in our world. As part of the Big Change New Education Story insight series, Euan Wilmshurst and I, with support from Eva Keiffenheim, explore the role of global philanthropy in system change, highlighting the necessity for a paradigm shift towards long-termism and power-sharing. Key takeaways: 1️⃣ Challenge the status quo in funding: To bring in the desired changes, we need to bring a diversity of voices and experiences into how funding requests are assessed and considered by philanthropy. 2️⃣ Shifting Focus and Sharing Power: Embracing a long-term, risk-taking approach and shifting decision-making power to include representation from young people and local communities is crucial for driving innovation and impactful change. 3️⃣ Connecting Education and Social Challenges: We need to see and support education’s role in addressing societal and global challenges, like climate, and focus on equipping young people with relevant skills, knowledge, and values for a changing world. Read the full article for more insights and join the conversation. What are your recommendations for philanthropy to drive impactful change in education? #educationtransformation #philanthropy #education #transformingeducation #systemchange #neweducationstory

Tunde Onakoya has shown us that there is dignity in not only thinking about oneself, rather in living a life to help others. It is that time of the year again where we call unto young minds with the heart to contribute to development in their communities #Volunteering always begins in the heart before extending to the hands and legs (and maybe purse😀) But one thing is certain, volunteering is the only way to build our communities, contribute to the betterment of the lives of those around us especially indigent and underserved children and communities. From personal experience, I have come to see that volunteering does not only benefit others, there’s an unending outline of benefits it portends even to the volunteer themselves. From career develop, access to mentors, CV boost, traveling opportunities to scholarship opportunities et ce tera. Yattiyr Scholarship Initiative is a registered youth-led Non Governmental Organization with the vision to proffer access to quality education for indigent children and communities, participate in community building and contribute to all aspects of life. If this aligns with your personal mission, your skill, expertise, experience and passion would be greatly relevant in the organization as we look to achieving a common goal. Register here: bit.ly/RecruitYATTIYR2024 #ngo #volunteer #development #sdg4 #sdgs Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Mastercard Foundation