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David Bley
Director, Pacific Northwest Initiative
United States Program |
Dear Community Partners,
For many families in Washington and Portland, 2009 was a hard year. While state revenue and charitable donations continued to drop, most of you experienced a growing demand for help from families in tremendous distress. Pick up a newspaper, or turn on the television or radio, and you are likely to find stories of struggle—but also stories of hope. We feel privileged to work alongside our grantees and partners who stepped up their work during these difficult times. You, and the families you serve, matched these exceptional circumstances with extraordinary tenacity and problem-solving.
As a new year emerges, while we see unprecedented need in many communities, we are eager to seize new opportunities to support our region’s families. I’d like to take a moment to share with you some thoughts about our continued partnership with organizations in the Pacific Northwest.
As many of you know, at the foundation we work hard to make sure our local giving is meeting the needs of at-risk families and children by collaborating with our partners: we listen, learn, and respond to the local needs of communities in Washington and in Portland, Oregon. This requires us to be nimble and flexible in our grantmaking approach, and means we are able to regularly adjust our approach to ensure that our investments and partnerships help to facilitate the greatest impact for our state’s residents.
In 2009, communities across the Pacific Northwest were increasingly feeling the impact of the economic crisis, and more than ever before, we needed to provide immediate relief to these vulnerable children and families, and the nonprofits, tribes, and government agencies that serve them. That is why in October, for example, we provided more than $4 million in new funding to help 10 community foundations, the Washington State Library, and the Legal Aid for Washington Fund (LAW Fund) increase support for residents facing economic hardship.
Based on what we learned from the community, we tightened our funding priorities in 2009 in Community Grants and we have adjusted them to the current reality for 2010. These priorities represent very tough choices facing funders throughout the region. Because we don’t have the resources to address every community problem, we feel it is important to our partners and potential grant applicants to be as clear as possible about our priorities.
Looking into 2010, in response to the most current state needs, our Community Grants program will support three core sets of activities:
- Increasing access to existing public benefits and supports. Many who are eligible for government assistance do not receive available supports such as food and nutrition aid, income supplements, and Earned Income Tax Credits—benefits that can help them get back on their feet, stabilize their lives, and focus on work and education. Some eligible families simply are not aware that they qualify for help, while others don’t know how to apply or get stuck working through complex administrative processes. The centerpiece of these activities is a new web-based portal under development by the State of Washington that was initiated in 2009 and is scheduled to become available in the second half of 2010. Community Grants resources will be targeted in support of this effort, including grants to increase the capacity of community-based organizations to partner with the state in this effort.
- Supporting evidence-based and promising approaches to preventing and reducing violence in our communities. Children and families who experience violence are more likely to suffer long-term consequences that affect their ability to learn, relate in healthy ways to other people, and participate fully in their communities. There is an association between violence and poverty: Women who experience abuse are less likely to hold a job, which is a major cause of homelessness; and children who witness violence or face abuse or neglect rely more on social service supports throughout their lives. This set of activities builds off our continuing commitment that started in 2008, reflecting the increased urgency caused by the economic crisis.
- Enhancing academic success through community and school collaboration. Education is the key to opportunity for everyone. Children who receive a quality education are more likely to find meaningful work and contribute to their communities as adults. High-performing early-learning providers, schools, and colleges contribute directly to academic success. But many children and parents also benefit from community-based programs that are focused on creating measurable, positive impacts, especially for low-income students. We seek opportunities to strengthen collaborations between community organizations and schools that can support students to succeed in their educational aspirations.
Our approach to Community Grants builds upon our long-held commitment to support strong nonprofit, public, and tribal organizations and the sectors in which they operate. We continue to be inspired by the work of grantees here in the Pacific Northwest who are dedicated to offering people the opportunities they need to live healthy and productive lives.
The Community Grants team also works alongside four other programs in Washington: early learning, K-12 education reform aimed at graduating more students from high school, an emerging initiative on college completion, and efforts to substantially reduce family homelessness. We are striving to coordinate our work across these initiatives in more efficient ways and in ways that enable our community partners to work with us more effectively. Information on all of these initiatives is available on our Washington state Web page.
We will continue to refine our priorities, and our commitment to this region and its most vulnerable people remains strong. We rely upon the innovative ideas and approaches of grantees and community partners to keep us informed about our region’s most pressing problems, and urge you to let us hear your ideas. I encourage you to learn more about our Community Grants program, what we fund, and how you can apply for a grant.
Regards,
David Bley
Director, Pacific Northwest
U.S. Program