The TNI Fund for Community Innovation Awards $142,000 to Nonprofits

The Transforming Neighborhood Initiative (TNI) Fund for Community Innovation Awards $142,000 to Nonprofits Serving Prince George’s County, Maryland

On Tuesday July 12th, Prince George’s County Executive, Rushern L. Baker, III, was joined by Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer, Prince George’s County Public Schools, to recognize nine nonprofit organizations that received a total of $142,000 in grant funding from the Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI) Fund for Community Innovation, a component fund managed by The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region in Prince George’s County.

Established in 2014 by the Office of the Prince George’s County Executive and Prince George’s County Public Schools, the TNI Fund provides general operating, program funding and capacity building support to community-based organizations providing quality free and/or affordable out-of-school programming for youth and families living in Prince George’s County’s TNI communities of Langley Park, East Riverdale/Bladensburg, Kentland/Palmer Park, Suitland/Coral Hills, Hillcrest Heights/Marlow Heights, and Glassmanor/Oxon Hill.

“At the center of the success of the Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI) are the relationships developed between the government, community-based organizations and community members. We understand that in order to successfully address the needs of our communities requires a partnership between the government and community-based organizations,” said County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III. “These organizations will receive various supports needed to allow them to continue and expand the services and programs they provide to strengthen our communities.”

The goal of the TNI Fund is to support nonprofit organizations committed to fostering positive outcomes for youth, ages 0-18, and families in the Prince George’s County’s TNI communities by supporting education for youth including: literacy, early learning, college and career readiness and other enrichment activities that promote and assist in improving academic achievement; recreational activities that are offered in a safe and nurturing environment and encourage wellness, conflict resolution, violence prevention, and family engagement; and life skill activities that provide exposure to career and leadership development and civic engagement opportunities that foster responsible citizenship.

The TNI Fund is a clear demonstration of the value of partnerships between the public sector and nonprofit organizations to make a difference in the lives of youth and their families, particularly in our most vulnerable communities.” said Desiree Griffin-Moore, Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County. “These resources also allow our extremely dedicated nonprofit organizations to build and sustain their effectiveness while fostering positive outcomes for Prince George’s County youth.”

A total of $218,500 has been granted to 11 organizations through the TNI Fund since its inception. The TNI Fund aims to support organizations in order to provide an array of educational services for youth residing in targeted communities.

Supporting communities through the Resilience Fund

The Community Foundation is proud to announce the establishment of the Resilience Fund. Formed in partnership with the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, the Resilience Fund has been established to fund the critical needs of nonprofits working to support our region’s vulnerable communities as a result of changes in federal policy.

Donors may contribute to the Fund and join with others who seek to ensure our region’s communities are resilient and supported in spite of federal policy shifts. Donors may elect to provide both general support and contributions designated for specific jurisdictions. Individuals or organizations that contribute $50,000 or more to the Fund are eligible to serve on a committee that will advise on grant decisions and future Fund priorities.

Initially, the Resilience Fund will accept grant requests by invitation only in response to urgent needs identified by the fund advisors, other contributors, and colleagues in the philanthropic community. The Fund is currently focused on changes in international travel, immigration, and deportation policies that have an impact on residents and families in the Greater Washington region. In the future, we anticipate supporting policy analysis and advocacy around federal budget proposals that would have an adverse impact on our region.

Contact us today to join other donors in the support of this important initiative! 

The role of education in achieving economic security

Along with workforce development and strengthening the safety net, education is one of The Community Foundation’s three strategic investment priorities. Our investments in these three areas work together towards one overarching goal: To achieve economic security for all residents of the greater Washington region.

Disconnected youth represent an enormous potential for our region’s economy. If these young people do not reconnect with school and earn a high school diploma, their earning potential substantially decreases. A high school dropout will earn $40,000 per year at age 59, where an individual at age 24 will earn the same with a bachelor’s degree. To maximize the potential for the prosperity of region’s economy, investing in these young people is a social imperative. 

Our education investments are focused on producing tools to pinpoint problems and opportunities to reconnect disconnected youth, scaling effective practices and programs and alignment among important actors across and in the same sectors, which in turn ultimately ensures that our region provides youth multiple pathways to adult success. 

Manuel R. Geraldo: Donor Passion in Action

The Sharing Prince George’s County initiative gives us the opportunity to conduct Site Visits with several nonprofits in the County. Those who join us include our board members, donor advisors, business leaders, and other nonprofit professionals. We asked one of our participants, Manuel R. Geraldo, an Advisory Board Member of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County, to describe how important site visits are to him.

Why did you choose to engage in these site visits?

Site visits are the best way to see the organization in action and the manner in which it utilizes its resources. I have been on the National Harbor Community Outreach Grants Fund committee since it was taken over by The Community Foundation. In prior years, I made my decisions based upon the proposal and the collective wisdom of the other reviewers. The site visit gives me an additional perspective on the grantee that I can share with the committee.

What aspect(s) of the visit was most valuable to you?

For the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) visit, it was the enthusiasm and knowledge of the staff, the transparency exhibited by the staff, particularly how they conveyed to their volunteers about the responsibilities and rigors associated with being a CASA volunteer.

“There’s only so much you can glean from an organization on paper. The site visit provided me with a feel & understanding of the impact the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization is having on the lives of children & families. Many times, that does not come across completely in a written grant proposal.”

— Manuel Geraldo, Advisory Board Member of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County

How will visits like this help you carry out your philanthropic goals?

It will help me see the impact that funding will have on the organization and its mission. Listening to the volunteers and their experiences which I don’t get in a grant proposal. There’s only so much you can glean from an organization on paper. The site visit provided me with a feel and understanding of CASA that usually does not come across completely in a written grant proposal.

What advice can you offer to aspiring philanthropists or nonprofit professionals?

I highly recommend site visits. I also recommend that philanthropists and nonprofit professionals insist that grantees measure their effectiveness, performance and use of the grants. It is important for the grantee to be able to demonstrate how the grant helped the organization in concrete ways.

What do you see as a critical action step that needs to happen to help this nonprofit carry out its goals?

CASA has a difficult mission especially with transitioning the youth into adulthood and independence. To the extent that CASA is successful in this regard, it is providing a valuable service to the community. Taking youth who have been victimized and providing them with advocates and services is important. Otherwise the youth would have no voice and the future for them would seem hopeless. CASA speaks for them and provides them with protection and hope. Helping the youth to become successful as adults by giving them the appropriate tools is equally important. This requires a multi-agency and multi-discipline approach. CASA understands this and has assumed the role of quarterback by having the social service agencies and their programs work collaboratively to ensure the older youth are successful in transitioning to adulthood. CASA needs more resources to help with the coordination of limited assistance for young adults and to measure its effectiveness with successful transition.

Housing security and food security: Why does it matter?

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life in our region by leading on critical community issues.

Stable and affordable housing for people at all income levels is a goal that our region should be able to achieve. Without stable housing, it is difficult for people to obtain economic security, a quality education, good health, and employment. 

In July 2014, The Community Foundation released a study, Housing Security in the Washington Region. This study was the first of its kind to show critical gaps in affordable housing across a range of income levels. It is also the first study to comprehensively examine housing needs and how housing policies and programs are funded by public and philanthropic sectors in multiple jurisdictions. 

The Community Foundation commissioned the study, which includes an Executive Summary, with generous support from The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and the study was researched and prepared by the Urban Institute and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. We commissioned this study in order to quantify the needs for affordable housing and inform strategic investments by the philanthropic sector, as well as the public and private sectors, because all people in our region deserve the chance to prosper as our region prospers.

Food security matters, too. The Community Foundation is a key partner in the Washington Regional Convergence, a group of funders focused on better understanding the food system in the region in order to increase access to healthy and affordable food for all residents and create an equitable food system.