The 4th of July is almost upon us and the boys and I will be taking the annual summer trip home to Wisconsin to be with the family which includes: grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and the extended group we aren’t quite sure how we are related to, but consider to be family anyway. I have always felt most fortunate to have a close-knit family and it is one thing I wish everyone had. In the spirit of July unity, I present a very patriotic group that is working to assist children all acorss our country.

This week’s pick: The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has a unique philanthropic priority – “to provide other nonprofit organizations with the means to educate the public about the special needs of children across this nation.” You must be a non-profit with the potential for helping American children to be eligible to apply.

The Foundation prefers to grant to applicants who can affect the welfare of children in a large geographical area. Grants amounts in 2007 ranged from $5,000 to $64,000. Click here to access more information on the submission process and to connect to the online application. Deadline for applications for the next granting round is July 15, 2008.

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June marks the 8th anniversary of the Improve Group. Looking back over the past eight years, it is amazing to reflect on the dozens of organizations we’ve worked with, the amazing things we’ve learned, and the friends we’ve made over the years. For me, the connection we make with people is one of the most rewarding aspects of our work. Each day I work with talented, committed, passionate staff, and with organizations that are making a significant difference in the world we all live in.

This is a pretty big milestone for us. Although we haven’t yet reached a decade, over the last year we have felt less like a “start up” and more like an established business, while retaining a great enthusiasm for what we do. Not that we don’t face many of the same issues small, relatively young businesses face: trying to predict what the future holds for us; making healthy and confident hiring, marketing and financial decisions; navigating regulations that effect us; and finding ways to compensate our staff fairly while keeping our prices competitive. However, these issues don’t consume us the way they used to.

I’m sure others share this experience: part of looking back is realizing that you would do some things differently now. It is all part of the growth process. One of the things I am most proud of is how we bring our history and experience to each new project, and get better every year. The Improve Group is looking forward to continuing to learn, grow and help organizations be their best in the years to come.

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It’s good to be back home after some exciting site visits! Eric, Liz and Steve spent last week in the southwestern corner of Minnesota in Pipestone and Rock Counties. Leah joined them on Thursday to finish off the week in Nobles County.

Our site visits with the DHS Waiver Review Project are never dull, but we had some especially memorable moments last week. The first few days were full of delicious food from the Magnolia Steak House in Luverne, Minnesota. The restaurant will soon be celebrating its 70th birthday and we can certainly see why! We liked the food so much we dined there two nights in a row; a rare honor on the DHS waiver review. On Tuesday evening, Eric visited the nearby Blue Mounds State Park and saw bison firsthand.

On Wednesday night, we spent some quality bonding time in our hotel hallway after the severe weather sirens went off in Worthington, Minnesota. After the warnings had passed, we enjoyed a relaxing dinner in downtown Worthington. While our Worthington visit got off to a shaky start weather-wise, we certainly enjoyed ourselves for the rest of our time there. Thursday marked the start of the 2008 U.S. Windsurfing Nationals at the Worthington Windsurfing Regatta. Over lunch, we watched the windsurfers and enjoyed some lunch with the crowd of spectators. The weather was gorgeous and it was such a fun break to watch the windsurfers. We’ve included a picture of Eric, Liz and Steve enjoying the windsurfing festival.

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GRANT GAZING 6/17/08 by Susan Murphy

As is the case with many working parents, my children spend time in a child care facility. I am blessed by having a great place for my boys to spend their summer and before and after schools time. The head of our center (Helen) does a phenomenal job teaching and encouraging all the ages of children who attend. It is hard for parents to leave their children in the hands of others, so knowing that they are well taken care of makes a world of difference to those of us who cannot stay at home. My funding choice today honors those care-givers who help our kids grown in a safe and loving environment.

This week’s pick: The Terri Lynne Lykoff Foundation’s – Children’s Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Awards. This foundation gives fifty awards across the country to dedicated, quality child care providers. Part of the application process requires submitting a project idea that will benefit their child care environment. Award recipients will get between $500 and $1,000 for their own personal use and another $500 to implement their proposed project. Of the top ten recipients, one person will be chosen to receive the Helen Marks Award which comes with an additional $1,000 shopping spree.

The deadline to apply is December 5, 2008 . Complete eligibility requirements and the application form can be found at the Foundation website.

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Being a woman (and once a girl), I have a soft spot for opportunities that assist women and girls and promote their new ideas and the projects they develop into. The Improve Group was one woman’s idea that developed into a great organization. It is exciting to see where a strong spark of interest and some support will bring you.

This week’s pick: If your project is led by and benefitting women and girls, the Open Meadows Foundation might be the funder for you. This grant-making organization gives funding up to $2,000 to small, nonprofits (or those with a tax-exempt sponsor) for projects that are designed and implemented by women and girls. Start-up organizations and those who have not received the Foundation’s funding in the past are encouraged to apply. The next due date for application submissions is August 15, 2008. More information can be found by clicking here. While you are at their website, check out the six additional special funds they offer.

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Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center released this year’s edition of Diploma Counts, examining the status of graduation rates and state P-16 and P-20 councils, and whether they can help smooth the transition for school youth to go on to successfully earn college degrees. The report illuminates critical issues on the status of education that have significant policy ramifications.

P-16 councils are state-formed groups of individuals from various levels of education, from preschool to post-college graduates, often including representatives from state government, business and the community. These councils are one of the most popular vehicles in strengthening the connection between public schools and higher education. The councils’ goal is to strengthen ties between schools and postsecondary education and training so students can successful earn a college degree. Currently, 38 states have P-16 or P-20 councils that deal with many of the issues in obtaining this goal.

Diploma Counts found that these councils have steep challenges to address in increasing the number of students obtaining their college degree. One of the main challenges is increasing the number of students that graduate from high school. According to the report, it is estimated that 1.23 million students will fail to graduate from high school this year. However, there are wide disparities between the state-reported graduation rates and the center’s estimates. These disparities are one reason the U.S. Department of Education proposed new rules this spring requiring all states to report graduation rates based on a uniform method that tracks cohorts of students as they progress through high school.

Despite the disparities between reported graduation rates, it is clear that there is difficulty for specific minority groups and specific regions of the nation in graduating students from high school. For example, the report states that 71 percent of ninth graders make it to graduation four years later, according to national 2005 data. This figure reduces to 58 percent for Hispanics, 55 percent for African-Americans and 51 percent for Native Americans. Additionally, while more than eight in ten students graduate on time in states such as Iowa, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that proportion drops to fewer than six in ten in states such as Georgia, Nevada, Louisiana and South Carolina.

The challenges presented in the report provide multiple opportunities for evaluation and strategic planning to assist policymakers and school districts. The Improve Group is currently working with numerous clients on projects that directly affect the topics mentioned in the report. With the challenges presented in Diploma Counts, there are sure to be more opportunities to address critical issues in improving graduation rates and education.

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Once the weather shaped up the animal life appeared in abundance. Our apartment parking lot had a gaggle wild turkeys running around in it and there have been spottings of everything from owls to hedgehogs. Animals are so enriching to our lives. Almost everyone on the Improve Group staff has a pet and we all appreciate the comfort they bring. Some animals do far more than that. My neighbor trains guide dogs and it is amazing to see what these canines can accomplish. My grant today is a nod to our furry friends.

This week’s pick: Planet Dog Foundation promotes and financially supports 501©3 non-profit and their programs such as those addressing:

• service dogs
• therapy dogs
• animal assisted therapy
• search and rescue dogs
• police, fire, military dogs
• other innovative canine service programs

Grants range between $5,000 and $10,000. Letters of Intent must be received via mail or email by August 1, 2008 for the fall funding cycle.

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