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A GOOD ANNUAL REPORT ISSUE NEIGHBOR The Pittsburgh Project offers help and hope to a struggling community. The Magazine of The Heinz Endowments ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES HEALTHY CHOICES SECURE BONDS NIFTY BUSINESS 3691_txtC9_PDF.indd c4 10/11/08 10:23:37 AM inside The Heinz Endowments was formed state of knowledge and practice in from the Howard Heinz Endowment, the fi elds in which we work. Our fi elds established in 1941, and the Vira I. of emphasis include philanthropy Heinz Endowment, established in in general and the disciplines 1986. It is the product of a deep represented by our fi ve grant-making family commitment to community programs: Arts & Culture; Children, and the common good that began Youth & Families; Education; with H.J. Heinz, and that continues Environment; and Innovation Economy. to this day. In life, Howard Heinz and Vira I. The Endowments is based in Heinz set high expectations for their Pittsburgh, where we use our region philanthropy. Today, the Endowments as a laboratory for the development is committed to doing the same. of solutions to challenges that are Our charge is to be diligent, thoughtful national in scope. Although the majority and creative in continually working of our giving is concentrated within to set new standards of philanthropic southwestern Pennsylvania, we work excellence. Recognizing that none wherever necessary, including statewide of our work would be possible without and nationally, to fulfi ll our mission. a sound fi nancial base, we also are That mission is to help our region committed to preserving and enhancing thrive as a whole community — the Endowments’ assets through economically, ecologically, educationally prudent investment management. and culturally — while advancing the h magazine is a publication of The Heinz Endowments. At the Endowments, we are committed to promoting learning in philanthropy and in the specifi c fi elds represented by our grant-making programs. As an expression of that commitment, this publication is intended to share information about signifi cant lessons and insights we are deriving from our work. Editorial Team Linda Bannon, Linda Braund, Donna Evans, Carmen Lee, Douglas Root, Robert Vagt. Design: Landesberg Design About the cover Phylicia Ralph, 18, is putting some of what she’s learned at The Pittsburgh Project into practice as she paints the porch railings of a house that’s being renovated on the city’s North Side. Among the opportunities the organization offers young people to get their lives on track are academic assistance and building-trades training through its YouthBuild program. 3691_txtC9_PDF.indd c5 10/11/08 10:23:46 AM 6 Biz Kids A national entrepreneurship program is showing Pittsburgh high school students what it takes to be successful in business and in school. 12 Community Building The Pittsburgh Project strengthens students’ futures as it rebuilds their neighborhoods. Volume 8 Number 3 Summer 2008 This issue of h magazine also includes the 24 annual report of our 2007 grant making. In Good Health Women in the Pittsburgh region are learning common-sense approaches to safeguarding their health and their families’ health. 30 Bond Shelter Some Pittsburgh foundations have joined a unique venture to help minority and women contractors get a larger share of local construction projects. 38 Individual Investment With foundation support, some Pittsburgh-area artists are attending programs that hone their talents and their goals. 2Feedback 3 Messages 45 Financial Summary 46 2007 Grants Promising, page 12 59 History 60 Board and Staff 3691_txtC9_PDF.indd 1 10/11/08 10:23:46 AM SPRING 2008 feedback Our Spring 2008 issue featured The Heinz Endowments’ Pathways to Educational Excellence initiative that supports programs to improve The Magazine of The Heinz Endowments student performance in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. We also SHARPENING OUR SCHOOLS The Heinz Endowments partners examined efforts to protect state forests by managing deer populations with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, community organizations and other funders to craft new ideas to and highlighted robotic technology that will make driving safer and boost student achievement. 2 expand economic opportunities in the Pittsburgh region. ROAMING ROBOTS DEER ACCOUNTING Wild Things of nearly 1.5 million acres of family-owned life. Pittsburgh teachers see every day what Jeffery Fraser’s article “Wild Things,” regarding forest land and timber-related income as research has documented: How a child lives over-populations of white-tailed deer, the property is converted to non-forest uses. outside of school has tremendous infl uence brought to mind an incident that occurred As we say at our foundation, “No cash fl ow, on how the child performs in school. to me some 20 years ago. As a newly hired no conservation.” In many respects, the programs forester for an eastern Virginia pulp and Hunters must understand that a science- described in O’Toole’s story represent both paper company, I was given an offi ce that based approach to herd management in the accomplishment and challenge for those was then serving as a makeshift archive for long run will mean sustainable forests and goals. Without question, the work done thus company memorabilia. As I was moving this sustainable wildlife populations. If not, they far by the foundation community to prepare material to another location, a yellowed may one day fi nd that their favorite hunting children for school, provide enriched cultural newspaper clipping fell from a fi le onto the ground is now a golf course, and I seriously opportunities, improve health and wellness fl oor. There on this 1930s clipping from a doubt that the duffers on the 14th hole will programs, and support the work of the edu- Tappahannock, Va., newspaper was the photo be very willing to let them play through. cation-advocacy group A+ Schools is already of a deer hoof print on a sandy road. In a Robert S. Simpson a success story. font so large most editors would have used Senior Vice President This success, however, also underscores it for announcing Judgment Day, the headline Center of Family Forests the seriousness of the challenges we face. read “Possible Deer Sighting.” American Forest Foundation For example, we know that a program like It’s hard to imagine that less than University of Pittsburgh’s K-Club, designed 100 years later white-tailed deer populations to prepare children for kindergarten, would pose a threat to the ecology of the country’s A Promising Path have much greater impact if 40 of the 50 Eastern forest. Pennsylvania’s issue with deer I have been fortunate to be involved with eligible families participated, instead of 10. We is not unique. Nearly every state east of the the Pittsburgh Public Schools for more than also know that the tremendous potential of Mississippi River is in some way dealing with 40 years, as a teacher, a parent of three the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program deer over-population issues. As pointed out district graduates and a representative of the will be realized best only if we better prepare in Fraser’s article, deer have very discerning Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. During our students for post–high school education tastes when it comes to browsing, and their those four decades, numerous campaigns and training — and we generate further chief preference tends to be for the young have been undertaken to improve student community and foundation fi scal support. shoots of commercially valuable species like achievement and enrich educational oppor- Some observers believe that the success oak, cherry and maple. tunities in our school system. of our schools can be gauged only by stan- The vast majority of Pennsylvania’s Some efforts were more successful dardized test scores. They are wrong. Public forests are owned by families, not by the state, than others, and we with longevity remember educators know that, while test results are the federal government or the forest industry. well when our district was held in higher important, we also must ensure that every As senior vice president of American Forest regard than it has been for several years. student benefi ts from an education that Foundation’s Center for Family Forests, I am While all campaigns to improve our schools enables growth of character, physical and well aware of the pressures family forest were important, the current one is crucial, emotional wellness, readiness for work, ability owners endure as they try to maintain their as the district is at a precarious juncture to interact and maturity. We hope the foun- ownerships. Our nearly 70 years of experience in its history. dation community will continue to support working with family forest owners has shown It’s obvious that we must improve the a richer education and improved quality of us that they will not continue to own and achievement of all students and stabilize our life for our students. manage their forests if they are not econo- enrollment. A third objective is also essential, John Tarka mically viable. This year in the United States, and, as described in “A Promising Path” by President deer overgrazing led to the permanent loss Christine O’Toole, philanthropies are playing Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers a key role in improving students’ quality of Comments: The staff of h magazine and The Heinz Endowments welcome your comments. All print and e-mail letters must include an address with daytime phone number(s). We reserve the right to edit any submission for clarity and space. Published material also will be posted on The Heinz Endowments’ Web site, which offers current and back issues of the magazine. 3691_txtC9_PDF.indd 2 10/11/08 10:23:50 AM message Barry Lavery By Teresa Heinz Chairman, The Heinz Endowments 3 s I was reading through the stories in this annual report issue, I was particularly moved by one featuring Rebecca Elstner, a remarkably self-directed woman who started her own small contracting business but couldn’t quite break through the drywall ceiling of the construction industry to win larger jobs.

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