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| 2016 Annual Report Annual 2016 |
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Many routes, singular purpose: Expanding 1opportunities6 in America’s cities
| 2016 Annual Report
The Kresge Foundation 2016 Annual Report
Many Routes, Singular Purpose
The Kresge Foundation uses a variety of methods to Route 5 advance our mission to promote human progress by Learning Networks Bringing together a group expanding opportunity for low-income people of individuals who share a in America’s cities. common concern, practice or interest to impart ideas, create new knowledge and advance innovative ways of collaborating to bring about Route 1 Capital Access systems-level change. and Deployment Making available and ensuring the effective use Route 6 of non-grant capital, often Local at below-market terms, Problem-Solving Providing training and for sustainable social other operational and outcomes. management assistance to grantees. The goal is to enhance the effectiveness Route 2 Field Building of organizations and their Connecting fragmented individual leaders to better players in an area of work solve local problems and to create an organized challenges in their own industry around an issue communities. or challenge. The goal is for the field to operate more effectively and efficiently, to Route 7 surface best practices and Policy Change Funding research, backing to improve outcomes. education campaigns and supporting organizations involved in grassroots Route 3 Interdisciplinary organizing and outreach to Combining two or more support policies that create programmatic disciplines opportunity for or fields within one grant or low-income people. investment to support social change. Route 8 Public-Private Partnerships Building collaborations among Route 4 Investing in the public, private, nonprofit Innovation and philanthropic sectors to address complex, multifaceted Investing in organizations challenges in America’s that offer innovative cities. Instead of working solutions, often with the in parallel, we actively shed goal to scale up regionally predefined roles and look for or nationally. opportunities to work together for a common good.
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Table of Contents
4 Letter from the Board Chair Route 5: Learning Networks 6 Message from the President Doing What it Takes to Build Student Success in Austin and Beyond 59 10 2016 Financial Report - A Fresh Approach to Food Access 60 - Building Climate Resiliency in Cities 63 - Working in Cities to Improve College Enrollment 64 Route 1: Capital Access and Deployment Transforming Lives and Communities in Greater Boston 13 Route 6: Local Problem-Solving - Leveraging Dollars to Get Results 14 Empowering Leaders and Partnerships in the - Investment Meets Innovation 20 Neighborhoods of Detroit 69 - Attracting Resources to Accelerate Social Change 21 - Tackling Blight in Memphis 70 - Setting the Table for College Access 74 - The Next Step: Bringing Recovery to Neighborhoods Route 2: Field Building 75 - Kresge Arts in Detroit 76 Creative Placemaking Boosts Quality of Life in Minnesota’s Twin Cities 25 - Shaping the Future of Public Health 26 Route 7: Policy Change - Common Challenges, Shared Solutions 30 Advancing Successful Program Models to Create - Integrating Arts & Culture into Development, Lasting Change 85 Urban Planning 31 - Closing the Opportunity Gap 86 - More Power to the People 91 - Partnering to Promote Health for Low-Income People Route 3: Interdisciplinary 92 Connecting the Dots to Promote Health and Well-Being in Miami 35 Route 8: Public-Private Partnerships - Taking Aim at College Completion in Newark 36 River of Dreams: Sprucing up the Front Porch of - Focusing on Kids and Families in a Water Crisis 41 Downtown Memphis 97 - Cities’ Leadership is More Urgent Than Ever 42 - Expanding Opportunity in Seattle 98 - Creating a Path to College 101 - Accelerating Opportunity by Reinvesting in Our Cities 102 Route 4: Investing in Innovation Families Gain Control by Taking Pathways Out of Poverty 47 106 Presidential Discretion, Special Initiatives, - Innovation in Neighborhood Revitalization 48 Other Grants - Taking Legal Services to the People 53 - Using Integrated Approaches to Achieve 108 Board of Trustees Better Outcomes 54 109 Foundation Staff 117 Credits 118 A Decade in South Africa
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Letter from the Board Chair While the Upcoming Challenges are Great, We are Greater By Elaine D. Rosen Chair, Board of Trustees
recently and quite by accident came upon a note I had sent to our foundation staff at the end of 2016. Following a successful I fourth-quarter board meeting, I wrote, in part: Please do remember that while the upcoming challenges are great, we are greater. Our work is strong and our talent … well … that simply blows the mind. In the year ahead, we will navigate several new realities carefully and wisely – led by Sebastian Kresge’s mission and our values as an institution. Elaine D. Rosen
The discovery of the note took my breath away. When I wrote it, the uncertainties of December had not yet given full view to the pace and extent of a new governing and policy-making environment. For those reasons, the Kresge Board of Trustees authorized for 2017 an increase in the foundation’s capacity to engage with What centers me while considering the impact of changes since issues and movements precipitated by the new political and policy then is remembering that philanthropy by its nature is steady – environment by making selected one-time grants as well as long- and steadfast. term investments.
Since 1924, The Kresge Foundation has been carrying out But we will not be shaken from that for which we stand. our founder Sebastian Spering Kresge’s mandate to promote human progress through grantmaking. And since 2006, we have We will lead with our values, driven by the credo of our founder to developed a strategic philanthropy that engages an array of tools leave the world a better place than we found it. to expand opportunities in America’s cities. We will persevere. Certainly, we all realize that philanthropy is During these 93 years, our government leaders and prevailing incapable of fully replacing government supports – the 2014 ideologies have come and gone. The political climate has bended U.S. federal budget was nearly four times the assets of all and shifted. The economy has experienced peaks and troughs – U.S. philanthropies combined. That said, we have the will and and after those troubling troughs, always a healthy rebound. wherewithal to respond when ill-advised government cutbacks result in human fallout. Through it all, The Kresge Foundation has remained focused and a force for change to promote the greater good. We will stand for equity and justice. The implications of rolling back social programs and supports are profound, especially toward That focus is more important than ever when government people in cities who do not seek a handout, but rather, a hand up. actions create chaos and new policies seem to threaten the most vulnerable among us. In response, we are taking stock, We will concentrate our work in cities. More than 80 percent of adjusting our course, playing with the hand we are dealt. the U.S. population lives in and around cities where strong, bold,
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visionary leadership on the ground is yielding positive outcomes board. Among Irene’s countless talents and contributions, from coast to coast. her knowledge has brought Kresge to the forefront of good governance and her grace and leadership have raised our board We will defend science: Fifty years of data show that climate discourse to a superior level. change is as real as the urgency to address it. I got to know Lee Bollinger while successfully co-leading the We will stand for facts and truth. Period. search for our new president in 2006 (successful in that it resulted in Rip Rapson’s appointment). Lee is an inspirational We will continue to believe in the strength and resolve of American thought leader who has helped open my eyes to the breadth of the talent and the power of citizen-leaders in communities urban, foundation’s philanthropic potential. rural and in-between. We are indebted to Irene and Lee. They will be missed beyond We will remain nimble, prepared to act as circumstances require, measure. our minds focused, our tools at the ready.
In Appreciation On behalf of all our trustees, I note with regret that two people I so dearly admire will depart the Kresge board in 2017 after serving Elaine D. Rosen their 16-year terms. It is hard to consider our board without their Chair, Board of Trustees presence.
Irene Hirano Inouye, who preceded me as board chair, has been a personal mentor and role model to most of us on the Kresge
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Message from the President At the InterCHANGE of Imaginative and Bold By Rip Rapson President and CEO
n 2016, we marked a decade of continual reorientation at The Kresge Foundation. Over the course of some 80 Iyears since its founding in 1924, Kresge perfected the art and science of challenge grants, a tool to help nonprofit organizations expand their base of individual donors as the final piece of campaigns to construct libraries and college science buildings, art centers and hospitals.
The Kresge brand became iconic. Indeed, we contributed in the Rip Rapson most tangible ways to the completion of thousands of building projects of unquestionable importance – in our hometown of Detroit, across America and around the world. But our toolbox was, ultimately, limited to a single instrument, and the In so many ways, Elaine and Lee’s conversation set the stage for increasingly complex and nuanced world of capital fundraising the foundation’s next executive. It became an invitation for me, had begun to relegate Kresge’s contributions to the margins. Our when I joined Kresge later that year, to help the board and staff trustees appropriately began to ask if it wasn’t time to reassess explore how we might navigate into new waters, all the while our aspirations and adjust our methods. respecting an honorable and venerable legacy of grantmaking.
Going for a Ride Accelerated Gradualism That appetite for a refreshed perspective is captured in a story We moved deliberately, even slowly, to broaden our construct Elaine Rosen, our board chair, tells about her conversation in of capital investment – no longer just focusing on building 2006 with fellow board member Lee Bollinger. The two were campaigns, but instead expanding our funding along a spectrum co-chairing the search process for a new Kresge president, which of capital support. Where we had prioritized fundraising prowess, had begun to crystallize the possibilities of a different institutional we introduced an emphasis on values – fostering community aspiration. “What would it look like if we took Kresge’s endowment impact beyond the organization itself, advancing low-income out for a ride?” Bollinger asked. opportunity, promoting environmental sustainability and others. In place of an undifferentiated approach to fields as diverse as He was not being cavalier about stewarding the resources of one health, the arts, education and human services, we sought to of the nation’s largest private philanthropies. He was instead understand how philanthropic investment might play different suggesting that ingrained in that stewardship was the imperative roles in varied topical domains. to put those resources to their highest and best use – to be imaginative and bold.
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We concentrated our grantmaking into six Within five years, we had made a full pivot. To fields: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment, resort to an overused philanthropic shorthand, Health, Human Services and Community we had entered the realm of strategic Development. We assembled staff teams with philanthropy – forward-looking, issues-based deep content knowledge around each area. investments that focus on the root causes of And we began to build out a capacity – which social challenges, proactively employing a full we termed our Social Investment Practice – to array of tools. supplement our grantmaking with non-grant investments: loans, guarantees, deposits and The InterCHANGE equity investments. But that turn-of-the-wheel led to yet another. Over the next five years, we not only more The changes fundamentally reconceptualized sharply defined the nucleus of each of our six Initiatives like FreshLo, a and reconfigured the programmatic side program areas, but also immersed ourselves collaboration between Kresge’s of the house. But it also meant that the in the complexities of a city struggling as few Arts & Culture and Health teams, rest of the organization had to keep apace. others had with private sector disinvestment, engage residents in the community Our investment and finance teams grew political dysfunction and economic meltdown. development process. At the Little in size and complexity. We created teams Mekong Market in St. Paul, Minnesota, FreshLo partners used an interactive for human resources, grants management, Lite-Brite-style map to learn more communications and information technology. about their community.
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One of the nation’s oldest And we increasingly recognized that how we improving outcomes for people who have been commercial districts, New Orleans’ worked in Detroit influenced profoundly how denied full opportunity – whether individually, Claiborne Corridor was split by the we viewed our work elsewhere – so profoundly, institutionally or structurally. construction of I-10 in the 1960s. Kresge’s American Cities Practice in fact, that we distilled those experiences is supporting its revival through the into what we term the “four fenceposts” of At the Core Greater New Orleans Foundation, Kresge’s institutional identity. Stated simply: Despite evolving structures and methods, we which will create storefronts for We seek to advance opportunity for low-income have remained committed throughout our small businesses and nonprofits people living in America’s cities by applying a history to our founder’s mission: to promote while incorporating open spaces, art installations and demonstrations. cross-disciplinary approach and calling on a full human progress. spectrum of capital tools. As Elaine states in her message, that aspiration In our 2015 annual report, we explored the has rarely been so challenging as we see fourth of those fenceposts – the diverse tools widening economic, educational and health that constitute our Social Investment Practice. disparities between the wealthy and the In 2016, we widen the aperture to explore the poor. Deepening structural and generational interaction of the fenceposts – what we term impediments to economic and social mobility. the InterCHANGE. It is an attempt to illustrate An ever-narrowing window to prevent and elevate examples of the various methods unmanageable, irreversible effects of a changing we bring to bear to test, support, facilitate, climate. A growing chasm between resource-rich share and uplift effective approaches to neighborhoods and communities struggling
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to stabilize and revitalize. A continuing erosion Each possesses deep intellect and profound People enjoy the waterfront in in our ability to have open, candid and probing decency in equal measure. We would not have Oakland, California, where Kresge discourse about racial justice. traveled this path but for their formative roles. supports efforts to improve affordable housing and enforce tenants’ rights. It is impossible to overstate my gratitude – and What is reflected here is not the full solution to the gratitude of the entire Kresge family – for any one of these challenges. But it does offer a their service. window into the possibilities. Please let us know what you think.
Lasting Legacy With powerful, mixed emotions, we are saying goodbye to two longtime trustees who brought Rip Rapson passion, insight and integrity to their board President and CEO service over the past 16 years. Irene Hirano Inouye and Lee Bollinger, who both joined the foundation in 2001, have left an indelible mark at every stage – and in every dimension – of the foundation’s evolution to a new orientation.
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2016 Financial Report
Our primary investment objective is to preserve and grow our endowment by generating returns greater than our spending on grants, social investments, Robert J. Manilla Vice President and Chief administrative costs and inflation. We believe measuring our performance Investment Officer over market cycles of at least five years is appropriate. For the five years ending Dec. 31, 2016, the endowment has returned 9.1 percent annually, well ahead of our spending plus inflation target of 6.9 percent annually. Amy B. Robinson Vice President, CFO and Chief Administrative Officer In 2016, the Board of Trustees approved 474 grants totaling $141.5 million. In addition, we made 14 social investment commitments totaling $50.8 million to organizations whose efforts support our goals through program-related investments.
$4
$3.6 $3.6 $3.5 $3.4 $184.1 $3.2 $175 $171.6 $3 $167.1 $162.7 $165.0
$2 $125 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 estimate
n Qualified Spend (million) n Endowment (billion)
The Kresge Foundation Page 10 Making available and ensuring the effective use of non-grant capital, often at below-market terms, for sustainable social outcomes.
Route
Capital Access and Deployment
Boston: 42° 21' 36.2952" N, 71° 3' 31.968" W
Capital Access 1 and Deployment Capital Access 1 and Deployment 2016 Annual Report
Route 1: Capital Access and Deployment Transforming Lives and Communities in Greater Boston
or years, a dark, hulking warehouse on Pleasant Street in 2016 is paving the way for Boston Community Capital and in Brockton, Massachusetts, and its overgrown parking its partner, MassDevelopment, to continue this work not only in Flot served as a magnet for illicit activity. Drugs. Gangs. Brockton – where 18 percent of residents live in poverty and the Violence. Graffiti. average annual household income is below $50,000 – but also in 10 other small-to-medium-size Massachusetts cities hit hard by the Located in one of the state’s original 11 “Gateway Cities,” Brockton loss of manufacturing jobs. has been designated as a struggling urban center facing tough social and economic challenges. The Pleasant Street parcel had “For us to have a healthy society, a healthy culture and a healthy long housed a national chain supermarket before becoming a economy, we need to invest in all of our communities including warehouse. After the latter was abandoned, the building fell into disrepair. Brockton police were among the most frequent visitors to the blighted property.
Today, that parcel has been completely transformed by local entrepreneurs and community leaders with financing from The Kresge Foundation, Boston Community Capital and several other investors. Locally based Vicente’s Supermarket opened a new location there in the summer of 2015, offering the city’s large Cape Verdean population healthy, traditional foods and more than 100 jobs. Rounding out the $20 million complex is Brockton Neighborhood Health Center’s gleaming new primary care facility, which employs a full-time nutritionist to shop with patients and demonstrate healthy cooking in the center’s test kitchen.
Supporting Conscientious Lenders The Pleasant Street complex exemplifies the social investment Kresge is making in cities across New England through its support of community-oriented lenders like Boston Community Capital. Another $3 million program-related investment loan from Kresge
Innovative financing is enabling projects that are transforming lives and landscapes in Brockton. Nutritionist Mary Lynch conducts a cooking class at Brockton Neighborhood Health Center.
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those that have been traditionally underserved,” initiative for community development finance says Boston Community Capital CEO Elyse institutions and qualifying development finance Capital Access and Cherry. “Low-income communities and authorities working in sectors that align with the Deployment populations are vital contributors to the health foundation’s programmatic goals. and wealth of our communities; when we Leveraging strengthen opportunities in these communities, More than 60 organizations applied for Dollars to Get the entire regional economy benefits.” Kresge Community Finance loans through the initiative, which provided 10-year financing at Results Traditionally, under-resourced communities below-market interest rates. Additionally, each Grants and social like Brockton have struggled to attract the recipient received a small grant equal to 5 investments yield more kind of capital investment they need to percent of the total loan amount. — and better — early catalyze long-term economic growth. Kresge childhood facilities believes every community contains creativity, “Solving complex social problems requires that we human and economic capital and inherent change behaviors, markets and policy using The buildings on the campus worth – a philosophy that helped pave the grants and investments,” says Kimberlee Cornett, of the defunct McKenny Ele- way to a 2015 commitment by its Board of managing director of Kresge’s Social Investment mentary School in Detroit stood Trustees to allocate $350 million toward social Practice. “We’re trying to use a full suite of capital forlorn. investments in traditionally underserved cities tools – grants, debt, equity, guarantees and and neighborhoods. One of the first outputs of deposits – and identify investments using those That was until four years ago, that commitment in 2016 was a $30 million loan tools that are supportive of those goals that we’re when Detroit-based Develop- trying to achieve.” ment Centers Inc. began ren- ovating them to house a Head Boston Community Capital received its loan Brockton Neighborhood Health through Kresge Community Finance. Cornett Center interpreter Judith Varela says criteria for being awarded a loan included guides residents through Vicente's Supermarket, which is located in the close alignment with Kresge’s programmatic same complex. strategies, strong organizational finances, a
Development Centers Inc. is filling a crucial gap for Detroit children.
Start early childhood develop- ment program and other services for area children and families. The company had enough cash flow to open three of its four planned classrooms for its youngest Head Start children, ages 0 to 3.
In 2016, thanks to a $15,000 grant from Kresge partner and grantee IFF, Development Centers furnished the remaining classroom and can now offer day care for eight additional children.
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“Solving complex social problems The need for more early child care slots is acute in Detroit. Only requires that we change behaviors, 22 percent of children from birth to age 5 have access to high-qual- markets and policy using grants ity care centers. Many centers, like Development Centers, are and investments.” accommodating as many families as they can, says Director of —Kimberlee Cornett, The Kresge Foundation Development Sally Bond.
To expand that access, Kresge seeded IFF’s Learning Spaces program, which provides micro- track record that shows community impact and According to U.S. Department of Commerce grants of $5,000 to $15,000 to the probability of repayment. Minority Business Development Agency data, metro Detroit-based providers black and Latino residents face large disparities who have positive quality evalua- “Boston Community Capital is a highly creative, in access to financial capital. Minority-owned tions from the State of Michigan. well-led, well-capitalized organization,” Cornett businesses are more likely to be denied credit, are explains. “Kresge had a prior investment with less likely to apply for loans for fear of having their BCC that was fully repaid, so we are pleased to applications denied and pay higher interest rates be in their roster of investors again.” than white counterparts when loans are granted.
Unconventional Financing Cooperatives like those financed by the Another Boston-area recipient of a Kresge Cooperative Fund of New England are also a Community Finance loan was the Cooperative Fund of New England. It will use a $1 million loan to continue financing projects that are owned After the Affordable Care Act was passed, Kresge created its Healthy and directed by stakeholders – workers and Futures Fund to fill gaps in care. The $200 community members, for instance – rather than million fund was crucial in developing the outside investors. Brockton Neighborhood Health Center.
Only 22 percent of children under 5 have access to quality day care in Detroit.
Monica Duncan, IFF’s director of early childhood services, says IFF divvied up the initial $150,000 grant among 10 child care providers. One center used the funds to upgrade windows; another replaced a leaky roof.
This program is one result of a $20 million, 5-year initiative called Kresge Early Years for Success (KEYS): Detroit. It was launched in 2016 to improve the quality of Detroit’s early childhood system.
KEYS: Detroit uses grants and social investments to support
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solution when outside investors refuse to lend in with Boston Community Cooperatives in 2007 to facility improvements, early neighborhoods where returns are often smaller, form Seedpod, a 12-bedroom, cooperative living childhood practitioners and a slower or both. space in the city’s Dorchester neighborhood. civic leadership and planning Besides enjoying more affordable, group equity- process called Hope Starts Here, Kresge has long supported community based housing, Seedpod’s residents – 12 adults, among other priorities. development finance institutions (CDFIs) like two children and two cats – enjoy a community- the Cooperative Fund of New England. These focused living environment. Residents share food After a successful pilot, Kresge’s private financial institutions are solely dedicated and meals, have a collective chore system and Detroit Program contributed an to delivering responsible, affordable lending to meet weekly to make consensus decisions about additional $1 million to Learning help low-wealth and other disadvantaged people house operations. Spaces to spread it to other and communities become part of the economic centers, Duncan says. And a mainstream. In lending situations where other The Cooperative Fund of New England is program-related investment of banks may see risk, CDFIs see both financial currently partnering with Boston Community $3 million allows IFF to provide opportunity and social reward. Cooperatives to close on a second cooperative sizeable low-interest loans to housing community, The Canopy, also in qualified child care centers for “Co-ops are nontraditional business models Dorchester. It will focus on accommodating expansion and more substantial that are owned by a lot of different people in a adults with children. renovations. democratic manner. A lot of conventional lenders don’t really know how to finance cooperatives “This is a very exciting step for us, and we are within their regulatory environment,” says Micha excited about the wide range of groups and Josephy, program manager at the Cooperative individuals who are interested in being part of Fund of New England. BCC’s next house,” says Jennie Msall, who has lived at Seedpod for seven years. “We believe In the expensive, quickly gentrifying Boston cooperative housing can play a substantial housing market, the Cooperative Fund partnered role in stabilizing neighborhoods, conserving resources and creating social spaces in an increasingly distracted, isolating world.”
Boston's Dorchester neighborhood is home to new cooperative living spaces and the Fostering Collaboration Dorchester Food Co-op, an initiative to build a Kresge believes it isn’t enough simply to invest community- and worker-owned grocery store money in creating opportunity in cities. For Kresge's KEYS: Detroit Program that will make healthy food accessible. supports child care facilities through grants.
“Using grant and social invest- ment dollars together allows us to push at one specific change that we want to see – improved early childhood facilities – from multiple fronts,” says Kresge Detroit Program Officer Neesha Modi.
At Development Centers, class- rooms that needed updating are now bright and child-centric.
“Environment is incredibly important,” Bond says. “It allows children to come into a place that is safe, warm and welcoming."
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capital to be absorbed and put to its best use, projects. “If you want it to soak into the ground research has shown it takes healthy cooperation instead of just running off, you have to know across private, public and nonprofit sectors. what’s in the soil – what kinds of collaborations are present and how to foster them.” “Capital is like water,” says Robin Hacke, a former Jethro Charlestin restocks senior fellow at The Kresge Foundation who This was the rationale behind the Working Cities produce at Vicente's Supermarket's researched and incubated a capital absorption Challenge, a landmark initiative of the Federal Pleasant Street location. It's a favorite practice to improve the ability of cities to attract Reserve Bank of Boston that was funded in part among local residents of Cape Verdean descent. and leverage capital for investment in public by Kresge. After studying and working with the
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city of Springfield, Massachusetts, from 2008 to desire to engage community members; use of 2011, the Boston Fed identified 25 U.S. cities that evidence to track progress toward a shared goal; had struggled economically after the decline and commitment to work to improve the lives of of manufacturing and industrial businesses. low-income residents by changing systems. Among the 10 post-industrial cities that had experienced revitalization, the common thread “We’re hoping that this effort is an inspiration was not a city’s capital investment, geographic and a model for other reserve banks to partner position or industry mix. Rather, it was leaders’ in this way with philanthropic and state and commitment to collaboration across sectors for community efforts,” says Prabal Chakrabarti, the long-term success of all. senior vice president and community affairs officer at Working Cities Challenge. So the Boston Fed did something no reserve bank had ever done. With financial support from Behind a $1.5 million grant from Kresge in 2016, Kresge, it put out a call in 2013 for collaborative the Working Cities Challenge is now receiving a and ambitious economic development strategies second round of submissions in Massachusetts to improve the lives of low-income people in small and has launched inaugural competitions in and midsize Massachusetts cities bruised by the Connecticut and Rhode Island. Connecticut departure of industry and manufacturing. has one of the largest wealth disparities in the country, with many formerly thriving These “working cities” are collectively home to manufacturing cities now suffering economically. 1.5 million Bay Staters – more than twice the Meanwhile, Chakrabarti sees the state’s population of Boston. Winning proposals were small size as being Rhode Island’s greatest The Canopy cooperative housing selected for their pledge to lead collaboratively opportunity. community is accommodating adults across public, private and nonprofit sectors; with children in Dorchester.
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“We're hoping that this effort is an inspiration and a model for other reserve banks.” —Prabal Chakrabarti, Working Cities Challenge
Flexible capital is helping stabilize housing to improve the lives of people in cities bruised by the departure of industry and manufacturing.
“(In a small state like Rhode Island), you can get Entrepreneurs, previously denied access to state policy more closely aligned with what’s financing for their small businesses, are seeing happening in the cities. There are only two their dreams realized. Families on the verge of workforce boards in Rhode Island, and only one foreclosure are being stabilized. Long-blighted community college,” he says. “They happen to properties are seeing new life and promise. Leaders have an energetic governor who’s been doing a from multiple sectors are meeting face-to-face, lot to bring in some companies and businesses in some cases for the first time, to collaborate to the state. creatively for the betterment of their cities.
"Linking into that energy is important.” “Anyone who thinks this is simple has never tried,” says Boston Community Capital’s Cherry. “It Opening the Gates requires flexible capital, understanding the From Providence to Brockton to Boston and community and bringing various stakeholders throughout New England, Kresge’s Social together – exactly the kind of systems change Investment Practice is opening the flow that Kresge believes in.” of capital to parts of the region hit hard by economic distress.
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Capital Access and Deployment Plosko calls the process collabo- of health. Both companies offer rative, not competitive. Some 40 a technology solution that helps Investment Meets percent of Village Capital’s fund- address common health-relat- Innovation ing goes to women-led companies; ed issues faced by low-income 21 percent is awarded to firms patients, namely challenges Putting capital to work in unlikely places founded by people of color. with connecting to health care providers and community- and “We’re stripping the power home-based resources. Village Capital uses a unique With a grant from Kresge, Village dynamic away in who and how we formula to connect investment Capital operated venture develop- fund,” Plosko says. “It’s not what LivWell Health in San Francisco money with innovative health care ment workshops for early-stage school you went to or where your offers web-based systems to pro- enterprises that benefit people entrepreneurs with ideas and headquarters are. Part of our goal viders who care for older people with low incomes. business models that address is to democratize the process.” and those in senior living centers. the social determinants of health. Many innovations in medical care Entrepreneurs participated in Iowa-based Certintell enables focus on improving clinical pro- three in-person workshops over “We put the investment patients with chronic illnesses to cesses, rather than addressing the the course of several months to decision in the use their smartphones to connect social determinants of health, such develop their business plans. hands of a group of with community-based health as education, income or access to care providers, decreasing ER entrepreneurs.” quality providers. Village Capital Allyson Plosko, Village Capital’s visits among app users. Although invests in firms that bridge this gap. sector manager for health, says —Allyson Plosko, telemedicine is a rapidly growing Village Capital entrepreneurs undergo rigorous field, Certintell founder Benjamin “It is notoriously difficult to de- group training to be considered Lefever says companies like his termine if a company addressing for funding. Upon conclusion, are overlooked by investors who health issues for complicated and program participants vote for two In 2016, startups LivWell Health mistakenly think there will be no high-risk patients is going to be fellow entrepreneurs to receive and Certintell each received returns from projects that focus successful,” says David Fukuzawa, $75,000 each in seed money. $75,000 in investment funding on poor patients. managing director of Kresge’s through a Kresge-sponsored Health Program. “We partner with “We put the investment decision program to fund companies For Lefever and Alex Go, founder Village Capital because it has an in the hands of a group of fellow with technology solutions that and CEO of LivWell, additional intriguing model that is effective.” entrepreneurs," Plosko says. addressed social determinants benefits of the Village Capital sup- port include networking with busi- ness leaders, potential investors and peers in the program. Go’s company plans to partner on a project with another entrepreneur in its training group.
Village Capital’s strategy may be unusual, but its aims are not.
“We’re looking for scalable solu- tions,” Plosko says. “And we want to get positive returns for both social impact entrepreneurs and communities across the country.”
Startups LivWell Health and Certintell received funding for their technology solutions.
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Social Investment Practice Attracting Resources to Accelerate Social Change By Kimberlee R. Cornett Managing Director
he Kresge Board of Trustees gave transactions, Memphis Medical District our Social Investment Practice and Boston Community Capital, are also Tclear marching orders to begin highlighted in these pages. moving capital at new, heightened levels with its 2015 decision to commit They are just a few of our proudest $350 million to impact investing. So, in accomplishments. In 2016, our team also: 2016 we set to work to complement the Closed a $100 million expansion of the foundation’s grantmaking with loans, Healthy Futures Fund guarantees and equity investments in Saw more than $3 million returned innovative – and sometimes uncharted to our corpus through principal and – ways. Our team added new staff, Kimberlee R. Cornett interest repayments allowing for further engagement with Headlined the Mission Investors Kresge’s program teams, and we sought new partners to invest Exchange conference with welcome alongside to further our mission. remarks from our President and CEO Rip Rapson In early 2016, we brought on Aaron Seybert as a social investment Launched capital scans to evaluate solar power, solar storage officer to work with the foundation’s Detroit Program. Aaron and sustainable water resources as well as postsecondary also leads a new investment initiative focused on funding mixed- access and success pathways with our Environment and income, mixed-use projects that improve “HEART” outcomes Education programs, respectively. – health, equity, adaptation and resiliency to climate change, and transit access. Read more about one of those transactions, Increasingly, Kresge is recognized as a leader in the rapidly a $5 million program-related investment to the Port of Greater emerging field of impact investing, giving us a greater opportunity Cincinnati Development Authority, in this report. and responsibility to contribute to an effective and efficient marketplace of impact investors. In 2017, we continue to drive We also launched Kresge Community Finance, which offered toward our core objectives of furthering the foundation’s long-term capital to qualifying community development finance programmatic priorities, using our resources to attract capital institutions and development finance agencies working to from other investors and demonstrating how philanthropy can improve opportunities for low-income people in America’s cities. harmonize grantmaking and social investing to accelerate Through a request-for-proposal process, these entities applied social change. and identified more than $200 million in projects needing capital. A cross-program team of Kresge staff helped our social investing team vet applicants and land on $30 million of projects to finance, the first $14 million of which we approved in 2016. Two KCF Other Social Investment Practice partners and projects highlighted in this report include: Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, page 48 Detroit Home Mortgage, page 73 Memphis Medical District, page 99
The Kresge Foundation Page 21 2016 Annual Report
2016 Social Investments We work to expand opportunity, strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life in America’s cities by providing access to capital.
Investments: 14 / Total Committed: $50,787,121
Boston Community Loan Fund Nonprofits Assistance Fund Boston, Mass. Minneapolis, Minn. $3,000,000 loan $1,500,000 loan
California Community Foundation Northwest Detroit Fund Los Angeles, Calif. Detroit, Mich. $6,000,000 loan $3,757,155 guarantee
Capital Impact Partners Port of Greater Cincinnati Arlington, Va. Development Authority $1,000,000 loan Cincinnati, Ohio $5,000,000 loan Community Reinvestment Fund Minneapolis, Minn. The Reinvestment Fund Inc. $6,000,000 guarantee Philadelphia, Pa. $3,000,000 loan Connecticut Green Bank Rocky Hill, Conn. U.S. Department of Education $3,000,000 loan Washington, D.C. $1,529,966 guarantee Cooperative Fund of New England Amherst, Mass. $1,000,000 loan
Enterprise Community Loan Fund Boston, Mass. $3,000,000 loan
HOPE Credit Union Jackson, Miss. $3,000,000 loan
National Housing Trust Washington, D.C. $10,000,000 equity investment
The Kresge Foundation Page 22 Connecting fragmented players in an area of work to create an organized industry around an issue or challenge. The goal is for the field to operate more effectively and efficiently, to surface best practices and to improve outcomes.
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Field Building
Minneapolis/St. Paul: 44° 56' 56.6016" N, 93° 05' 43.854" W
2 Field Building 2 Field Building 2016 Annual Report
Route 2: Field Building Creative Placemaking Boosts Quality of Life in Minnesota’s Twin Cities
innesota’s Twin Cities faced a dilemma in 2011: How to arts and culture as a core sector of community planning and support residents and businesses during construction development. The Kresge Foundation is a primary funder of Mof the highly anticipated – and disruptive – Green Line ArtPlace, a 10-year collaboration among foundations, federal light-rail service that would eventually connect the downtowns of agency partners and banks that works to advance Creative Minneapolis and St. Paul. Placemaking, a strategy in which arts, culture and community-
“If you lived along the construction corridor, it was messy, noisy and inconvenient,” ArtPlace America Executive Director Jamie Bennett wrote about the development in a 2015 blog post. “Worse, if you owned a business there, it was all of those things, and you were losing customers on top of that as parking disappeared and traffic snarled.”
Enter an ArtPlace-funded, artist-led Creative Placemaking initiative that enlisted hundreds of local artists to stage events and activities like parking lot band concerts, enormous puppets that roamed the business district and a “Light Rail Shuffle” dance number. The initiative helped boost businesses affected by the Green Line construction, changed the “bad news” narrative of the disruptive work and created lasting relationships among community members who may have otherwise never met.
It stands as a successful example of how ArtPlace – through its local partners – boosts communities and strengthens the field of people and organizations working to position
Creative Placemaking is alive and well in Minnesota's Twin Cities, where individuals and organizations are working to position arts and culture as a core sector of community planning and development. Shown here, Jon Reynolds with his Streetcorner Letterpress. Supported by ArtPlace, Springboard for the Arts' ReadyGo project features a roster of mobile art tools and activities.
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Top, culture, art and community come communities recognize that artists have a Field Building together in the Twin Cities' Irrigate role in all community conversations. program. Above, a table tennis trailer Shaping the presented by ReadyGo in Minneapolis. Regina R. Smith, managing director of Kresge’s People of all ages can print postcards Future of with Streetcorner Letterpress. Arts & Culture Program, explains that the foundation is committed to grantees like Public Health engaged design play intentional and integral ArtPlace that strengthen the integration of arts, Supporting visions to roles in planning processes. culture and community-engaged design into redefine roles community development and urban planning. ArtPlace uses three primary field-building Kresge has invested more than $10 million in the To foster community health, strategies: ArtPlace collaboration. the health care system needs Relationship brokering: Formally and local public health officers with informally connecting practitioners in the “Arts and culture are not silver bullets, but are diverse skill sets. fields of art, culture, design, community part of a suite of solutions that residents and development and planning. local officials can use to stabilize neighborhoods Kresge’s Health Program Field broadening: Working with community and expand opportunity for people,” Smith identified an opportunity to development practitioners to incorporate arts, says. “There is a history of adding arts activities help promising teams of public culture and design into their work and providing to community development projects. We health directors and emerging them with case studies, toolkits and support to are increasingly observing urban planners professionals within public health realize Creative Placemaking success. and municipal leaders adopting Creative departments develop knowledge Changing expectations: Creating Placemaking as an approach to equitable and leadership skills through environments where citizens and decision- development – not just an add on.” the Emerging Leaders in Public makers include arts and culture as a core Health initiative. sector in their conception of community. Watering the Garden “This program allows us to This fosters places where artists see In the Twin Cities, ArtPlace awarded local support the visions of health themselves as full citizens with important partner Springboard for the Arts a grant to inject stakes in their neighborhoods, and culture, art and community during the Green
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“There’s creative capacity in every directors as they seek to define new roles for local public health neighborhood. We just need to water departments in communities,” says Kresge Health Program Se- the ideas and creators to flourish.” nior Fellow Dr. Phyllis Meadows. —Laura Zabel, Springboard for the Arts Kresge launched the initiative with a pilot group of 12 pairs. Each developed a concept that would significantly change the role of their local public health Line construction process. They dubbed the created a giant dog puppet that made regular agency. Over 18 months, Kresge initiative the Irrigate Project. appearances in the area and at community provided technical assistance events, and a musician created and recorded a and tailored coaching. “There’s creative capacity in every neighborhood,” song that told the story of the neighborhood. says Laura Zabel, Springboard’s director. “We just need to water the ideas and creators to flourish.” “The goals for Irrigate were always about relationship-building,” Zabel explains. “We The Irrigate Project took a two-pronged asked how we could use the disruption of the approach to surface community voice and light rail to engage the artists who were living creativity. First, it supported and trained artists and working in the affected neighborhoods as in small projects adjacent to the Green Line. creative community catalysts.” Second, it embedded and highlighted working artists in community-building organizations Zabel says the organization discovered that affiliated with the line. “lots of little projects that are homegrown and authentic for the area can be a lot more impactful.” In the end, more than 600 artists took part in programming and more than 200 small All told, the project resulted in long-lasting Healthier Montgomery engages projects were launched. Bands played concerts relationships and earned 50 million positive media citizens in more physical activity. in parking lots, visual artists painted murals on impressions. The area became a destination for walls, a local Vietnamese restaurant started a arts, culture, shopping and dining – enjoyed by Participants in Cohort I included monthly jazz night, the Black Dog coffee shop both existing residents and visitors who attended representatives from the events during construction and returned to the Montgomery County Health area via the Green Line when it opened. Department. Department Director Joey Smith and Health Educator “Rather than teach people to avoid the Jennifer Hamilton collaborated to neighborhood over the two years of construction, develop a hub to collect neighbor- Irrigate filled the corridor with activity, creating hood-level health data that would demand for people to be able to get to and from help agencies understand where the neighborhood,” Bennett explains. to allocate resources. The hub, Healthier Montgomery, allows For ArtPlace, successful Creative Placemaking citizens to access information projects are not measured by how many new to improve their health. It also arts centers, galleries or cultural districts are assesses current health interven- built. Bennett says success is measured by tions and monitors outcomes. assessing how artists, formal and informal arts “Healthier Montgomery isn’t just clicking a mouse," Smith says. "We’re creating a tool that helps identify where we need to add funding for health programs and turns information into measur- Laura Zabel, director of Springboard able action.” for the Arts in the Twin Cities.
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spaces and creative interventions contribute to knowledge, leadership and connectedness In addition to thinking of ways community outcomes. of multiple organizations in a given area to to use and collect data, others maximize the collective impact of their work. thought about new services. That’s why Zabel considers the Irrigate program Laurence Polsky, Calvert County a success. Beyond the many artists who ‘A Better Place’ Health Department health officer, participated and became invested in their own ArtPlace’s field building efforts are evident in and partner Kirsten Forseth, neighborhoods and the Green Line’s launch, other areas of the Twin Cities, where nearly an overdose prevention policy businesses and other groups involved in Irrigate’s a dozen ArtPlace grantees have formed a analyst, developed a sustainable programming say they saw increased visibility, local network to share lessons, promote best model for the health department interest and energy because of the activities. practices and hone skills. In all, the organization to become the county’s provider has supported 11 Creative Placemaking projects of behavioral health services for Irrigate has served as a model to support artists in in Minnesota, from a city artist-in-residence adolescents struggling with men- historic preservation projects, new development program in St. Paul, to setting up art shanty ice tal health and substance abuse. and revitalization in urban and rural communities. houses on the frozen waters of White Bear Lake. For example, Zabel was recently contacted by city developers in Mesa, Arizona, who are looking to Among those projects is Mixed Blood Theatre, upgrade their transit system and want to learn another Twin Cities organization that first from the Green Line’s expansion. started working on a neighborhood-specific health care initiative. Its artistic director, Jack Irrigate also produced a toolkit that Springboard Reuler, invited Zabel to share tips, best practices offers to all types of organizations seeking to and ideas from the Irrigate program and other incorporate art and artists into community Springboard successes with his board and staff. development. By sharing the tool, Springboard hopes to further strengthen the capacity, “One of the bigger things that we’ve done … is to make our Creative Placemaking and our community organizing an (integral) part of the Irrigate launched programming that Organizing a community garden is organization – make it part of the DNA,” Reuler included performance art to help ease a Healthier Montgomery initiative. says. “Everybody in every department is involved the stress on Minneapolis-St. Paul neighborhoods affected by rail line in engagement work in deep and meaningful ways.” “In addition to the grant funding construction. that allowed us to launch the program, the leadership skills I received as part of the program were integral to getting our proj- ect off the ground,” Polsky says. “In the end, scores of students received previously inaccessible health services through the health department.”
"The participants learned skills that could be applied toward achieving ‘real-time’ change in their departments and com- munities," Meadows says. "We believe the work of these leaders will shed new light on the vast capabilities of local public health and shape the future and direc- tion of local public health.”
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Mixed Blood started in 1976 in the Cedar to enable health care providers to better Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis and has serve patients from the neighborhood; been an active participant in the community to help those who don’t live in Cedar Riverside since. The neighborhood is home to more get a more comprehensive view of the than 4,000 residents, many from East African, complexity, nuance and excitement in the Muslim, and Hmong communities, who neighborhood; and collectively speak more than 90 languages. to create an effort that the neighborhood can The theater company goes beyond staging be proud of and that represents what the performances, serving as a community neighborhood looks like. gathering spot and advocating for its neighbors. “Mixed Blood tries to use theater to catalyze a Mixed Blood recently received ArtPlace funding healthy community,” Reuler says. “Healthy com- for its “154 Project (154: Profiles of Health and munities are only in a small part concerned with Belonging).” Its goal is to increase health care health care. It’s also education, transportation and understanding and initiatives through a mix of oral recreation and employment and safety. We’re us- histories involving 154 neighborhood members, ing our work in the neighborhood in all those areas.” along with performances and art installations. “As partners like Mixed Blood and Springboard “We spent 15 years trying to create an audience- continue to share successes, challenges and performance relationship … but learned over time lessons learned with a growing network of like- that doesn’t work,” Reuler says. “We decided that minded organizations, the shared knowledge we can use the skills we have as storytellers and will only make the Creative Placemaking field theater-makers to create change and art beyond stronger and more effective,” Smith says. “We an audience performance.” are committed to helping our partners build their capacity and improve the lives of residents The 154 Project has four goals: in disenfranchised neighborhoods in cities to help the people of Cedar Riverside be better across America. It is gratifying to see Creative advocates for their own health care; Placemaking practices mature.”
Irrigate's Creative Placemaking brought people in the community together for a variety of activities, such as neighborhood bike rides.
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Field Building “People are able to reach out within Western Center on Law & Poverty the network when they’re facing was successful in negotiating a Common Challenges, challenges in the work they’re similar outcome in California. Shared Solutions doing in their states,” Kearney says. Kearney says strategic collabo- Legal Impact Network brings legal aid organizations For instance, when the State of ration and relationship-building from around the nation together California over-issued nutrition would not be happening without benefits by about $20 million, Kresge funding, which includes The Kresge Foundation sees civil challenges – and in turn make the Western Center on Law & supporting regular member legal justice and human services the foundation and the field more as natural allies. effective. “For people with low incomes, the path to
“Our approach is thinking expan- Since 2014, the foundation has social and economic mobility often winds through sively about what human services helped fund the Legal Impact the civil justice system.” organizations are,” says Sandra Network based out of the Sargent —Sandra Ambrozy, The Kresge Foundation Ambrozy, senior program officer Shriver National Center on for Kresge’s Human Services Poverty Law in Chicago, Illinois. Program. "For people with low It’s a network of law and policy Poverty, a Legal Impact Network meetings and even evaluating the incomes, the path to social and organizations from 31 states and member, found itself working on health of the network. economic mobility often winds Washington, D.C., that leverages behalf of low-income Californians through the civil justice system. In- each other’s expertise to address who were being targeted for “By increasing the effectiveness of tegrating civil legal justice efforts poverty and advance justice. repayment. A few years earlier, law and policy organizations to re- with social supports is logical.” another network member, the move barriers to opportunity and Director Gavin Kearney says the New Mexico Center on Law and strengthen the safety net, we help And so the foundation part- fruits of the network have been Poverty, had successfully litigat- make sure that everyone can reach nered with legal aid and policy exciting to witness. ed a similar case. Drawing on the their potential and fully contribute organizations in Colorado, Illinois strategy used in New Mexico, the to our communities,” Ambrozy says. and Mississippi. As that evolved, Ambrozy was stunned to discover that despite facing similar chal- lenges, the groups had no formal mechanism to share information with one another.
“They were operating in isolation,” she says.
No more. Kresge’s Human Services Program is using a field-building strategy to strengthen and support what Ambrozy calls a generative network: organizations coming together to learn and share about their strategies and
Legal Impact Network brings law and policy experts together.
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Arts & Culture Program Integrating Arts & Culture into Development, Urban Planning By Regina R. Smith Managing Director
hriving, safe, healthy communities Our FreshLo – Fresh, Local & Equitable in low-income areas don’t happen – initiative, launched in 2016 in Tby accident. They are products of partnership with our Health Program, is a shared vision and sustained practices an example of this strategy. More than embraced by multiple players committed 500 organizations bid for an opportunity to the same goal: sustainable, equitable to participate in FreshLo’s pioneering community development borne of goal to use food as a platform for authentic local input that reflects Creative Placemaking, health promotion, neighborhood values and priorities. economic development and cultural expression. We can’t wait to see what But where does arts and culture fit in this Regina R. Smith these visionary organizations create. conversation? Answering that question is easier said than done. And it’s why Kresge’s Arts & Culture Program From our grants, we are learning that Creative Placemaking, is increasingly diversifying its portfolio of grants and investments to integrated with other forward-looking methods, can address leverage and strengthen coordination with and among our partners critical but hard-to-measure elements that contribute to – external and internal. long-term community change, including: increased social connectedness among residents; change in community In 2016, we moved forward with clarity and purpose to listen narratives; and favorable physical transformations. and learn from our grantees, contribute to the national Creative Placemaking conversation, further align our activities with We are seeing indications of this in cities across the nation. And in external partners and strengthen our internal efforts. Our goal the summer of 2016, the Kresge Board of Trustees affirmed our is to help grantees and partners integrate arts, culture and Creative Placemaking focus by endorsing minor but important community-engaged design strategies into development and strategy revisions designed to increase transparency and clarify urban planning as part of a suite of solutions to address barriers our purpose. to opportunity for low-income people. Regardless of what an uncertain future brings, Kresge’s Arts & At its core, Creative Placemaking is about behavior change. It calls Culture Program is committed to a path that builds strength, for artists, community development professionals, policy makers equity and better lives for residents of disenfranchised and cultural institutions to break out of their silos and work neighborhoods in America’s great cities. together. You’ll see outstanding examples of that in these pages.
We’re increasingly partnering with Kresge's Health, Human Services Other Arts & Culture Program partners and projects and Environment teams, among others, to leverage our ability to highlighted in this report include: catalyze positive change in America’s urban neighborhoods. We also Pathways to Achievement and Success, page 36 work with our Social Investment Practice to unlock other forms of FreshLo: Fresh, Local & Equitable, page 60 capital for innovative projects that strengthen neighborhoods. Seattle Housing Authority, page 98
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Mass. $500,000 Mixed Blood Theatre 2016 Minneapolis, Minn. $10,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment Arts & Culture Grants Corp. We seek to build strong, healthy cities by promoting the Washington, D.C. $665,000 integration of arts and culture in community revitalization. NewCorp New Orleans, La. $600,000 Grants: 35 / Total Committed: $15,225,000 Nonprofits Assistance Fund* Minneapolis, Minn. $600,000 Alameda County Sheriff's Office East Bay Asian Local Development Oakland, Calif. Corp. People’s Emergency Center $600,000 Oakland, Calif. Philadelphia, Pa. $600,000 $300,000 Arizona State University Foundation Efforts of Grace Inc. Pillsbury United Communities Tempe, Ariz. New Orleans, La. Minneapolis, Minn. $610,000 $600,000 $10,000 Asian Economic Development The Enterprise Center Community PolicyLink Association* Development Corp. Oakland, Calif. St. Paul, Minn. Philadelphia, Pa. $1.500,000 $75,000 $900,000 Riverworks Development Corp.* Athens Land Trust* Enterprise Community Partners Milwaukee, Wis. Athens, Ga. Inc. $75,000 $75,000 Columbia, Md. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors $1,325,000 Broadway Housing Communities New York, N.Y. New York, N.Y. Focus: HOPE* $25,000 $600,000 Detroit, Mich. Smart Growth America* $75,000 Center for Great Neighborhoods Washington, D.C. of Covington* FoodNet Food Bank of Lafayette* $1,095,000 Covington, Ky. Lafayette, La. Sprout Urban Farms Inc.* $75,000 $75,000 Battle Creek, Mich. City of Pittsfield* Fresno Metro Ministry* $75,000 Pittsfield, Mass. Fresno, Calif. The Trust for Public Land* $75,000 $75,000 San Francisco, Calif. City of Providence* Green Opportunities Inc.* $1.600,000 Providence, R.I. Asheville, N.C. Urban Land Institute* $75,000 $75,000 Washington, D.C. Denver Housing Authority Inner-City Muslim Action $250,000 Denver, Colo. Network* Voice of Calvary Ministries* $400,000 Chicago, Ill. Jackson, Miss. $75,000 Dudley Street Neighborhood $75,000 Initiative Local Initiatives Support Corp. – Roxbury, Mass. National Office *Denotes cross-team grant $600,000 New York, N.Y. $860,000
The Kresge Foundation Page 32 Combining two or more programmatic disciplines or fields within one grant or investment to support social change.
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Interdisciplinary
Miami: 25° 47' 40.6464" N, 80° 12' 22.8204" W
3 Interdisciplinary 3 Interdisciplinary 2016 Annual Report
Route 3: Interdisciplinary Connecting the Dots to Promote Health and Well-Being in Miami
redy Garcia leads a youth ministry at St. Joachim Catholic “The kids are dealing with high temperatures, and this impacts Church in Miami, Florida. The parish is in an underserved the families working in the fields,” Garcia says. “They are trying to Farea of the city and many of its parishioners work in understand the impact of climate change and the relationship to agricultural fields harvesting fruits and vegetables. Most of the health, like heat stroke and related illnesses.” adults – Latin American and Haitian immigrants – speak little English. It gets hot doing field work, increasingly so as climate Youth who participate in the St. Joachim ministry attended change makes Florida warmer and wetter. workshops and wrote call-to-action letters to their parents, urging them to help protect the environment for future generations. Next But the connection between climate change and the health of up, they are planning a tree-planting project to provide shade to workers was largely opaque for many until a Kresge-funded help cool the community and act as a buffer against climate change. project by Emerald Cities Collaborative taught the youth ministry members how the hotter and more volatile climate affects their “They want to change the impact on the community they live in health and well-being. and society in general,” Garcia says.
Integrating environmental and health concerns helps to address both in Miami. Catalyst Miami's CLEAR program works to inspire participants of all ages to become advocates and effect policy change.
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An Interdisciplinary Approach the Environment Program’s goal of helping cities The approach – integrating both environmental implement comprehensive climate-resilience Interdisciplinary and health concerns into the same initiative – approaches grounded in equity, while keeping made perfect sense, given the increasingly clear the big picture in mind, says Lois DeBacker, the Taking Aim and troubling connection between the two. program’s managing director. at College Many of the same activities that plague the “A lot of people think climate change is just an Completion health of communities – like air pollution environmental issue,” she says. “It is so much in Newark produced by burning fossil fuels, vehicle more. It has implications for public health, the emissions and the destruction of forests and economy and the energy systems and food Arts and education join green landscapes – also accelerate climate sources we depend upon.” to support students change. Add to the equation more record-high temperature days, extreme weather events and DeBacker notes that creating integrated How can cities encourage flooding, and the health threats to communities solutions is helpful in myriad ways. more low-income students to grow exponentially. pursue and attain postsecondary “When we can help communities address their degrees? Addressing issues in an integrated manner health concerns, slow the release of pollution and Newark, New Jersey, offers one that breaks down traditional sector silos is perhaps also provide a greenspace that includes example. That’s where Kresge increasingly common at The Kresge Foundation. cultural amenities and art in the same initiative, works with Rutgers University to It’s an interdisciplinary approach that advances we’ve provided multiple benefits,” DeBacker says. combine arts and education in a “Each is good. Together they help build a whole college access program that sup- that is larger than the sum of its parts.” ports high school students – and benefits the entire community. The Anchors for Resilient Communities (ARC) project by Emerald Cities Collaborative works to Jaiden and Kaitelyn Oliver are among participants of the CLEAR children's engage public and nonprofit health institutions program in Miami. to advance climate resilience at the community
Giana Cook is building college readiness in Newark's PAS program.
Together, Kresge’s Education and Arts & Culture programs provid- ed a $422,000 four-year grant in 2016 to support the Pathways to Achievement and Success (PAS) program, part of the Newark City of Learning Collaborative.
The program provides educa- tional support and mentoring to about 150 sophomores in New- ark to help them apply to and
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level. Health institutions and their clients have business community, neighborhood groups, much to gain from mitigating air pollution, artists and culture organizations, nonprofits and eventually complete degrees at heat strokes, vector-borne diseases, deaths developers, to name a few. two- or four-year colleges. Stu- and injuries from extreme weather and other dents also attend workshops at climate-change impacts. That is happening in Miami, where ARC is working the recently renovated Hahne’s with the local chapter of the Service Employees building, a 50,000-square-foot At the same time, health institutions bear International Union (SEIU), the largest local arts space that houses local responsibility for serving vulnerable populations union representing health care workers. Together, artists and creative services, unprepared for climate risks. ARC focuses on they collaborated with the University of Miami including video production and leveraging the mission and assets of health Hospital (UMH) on a needs assessment of low- 3-D printing studios. institutions to serve as catalysts in building income communities of color to help the hospital Nancy Cantor, chancellor of community resilience and driving investments determine how it will reinvest in the community. Rutgers University-Newark, that address climate vulnerabilities in low- says the signature of the PAS income communities. “This labor union is made up mostly of people of program is its emphasis on using color … who actually live in the communities that creative arts to energize and The project is administered in three climate- UMH serves,” Fairchild says. engage students, who are given impacted communities that face extreme the opportunity to participate environmental and socioeconomic challenges: Working together, ARC and SEIU persuaded in activities such as filmmaking San Francisco East Bay (Oakland and Richmond), hospital management to recognize climate or 3-D modeling while also com- California; Bronx, New York; and Miami. impact and how it makes communities pleting SAT prep and academic vulnerable. The union also conducted enrichment. “About 70 percent of health problems have community surveys, community education and less to do with genetics than with social and outreach to include resident voices in UMH’s environmental factors,” says Denise Fairchild, community health needs assessment. Emerald Cities Collaborative president. “Increasingly, those environmental factors, “It was helping the hospital redefine what particularly in low-income communities of color, health is – not about illness, but about are correlated to conditions that also contribute wellness,” Fairchild says. “And it was helping the to climate change.” community understand that health care is not just about health services. It is about primary To overturn this reality, Kresge is incentivizing its preventive approaches to health care and the partners to consider the full range of community role of the environment in this.” assets that may be brought to bear on a problem or series of problems – anchor institutions, the Hundreds of people – including St. Joachim Students engage in creative arts parishioners – received training on health as part of Newark's PAS program. and climate resilience. An artist worked with another church youth group to create art about “It’s a real melding of creative environmental preservation. Training sessions voice and education attainment,” were held with high school students and adults Cantor says.
in the Latino, African American and Haitian This aligns with Kresge’s mission communities. to increase postsecondary ac- cess and success for underrepre- Ultimately, the work is expected to benefit sented students, says William the hospital and the community members it F.L. Moses, managing director employs and serves by creating better individual of Kresge’s Education Program. It also provides a physical, eco- nomic and educational anchor institution for the community and serves as a model for other
In Miami, Emerald Cities Collaborative universities and programs. sponsored an artist to help children write letters encouraging their parents to get involved in environmental causes.
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health outcomes and enabling neighborhoods to help tenants reduce risks associated with extreme
New Jersey is among states with be more resilient to climate change impacts. heat. The program will also encourage property the highest college attainment owners to help lower building energy costs rates. But in Newark, one of the ECC is implementing localized approaches through energy efficiency retrofits. nation's poorest cities, college across the three project sites. In California, ECC attainment is just 17 percent. has partnered with another Kresge grantee, Engaging in the Conversation Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) to focus After Kresge grantee Catalyst Miami saw the “In this knowledge economy, on leveraging the purchasing power of Kaiser impact of climate on health and well-being, the educational opportunity is the Permanente – an integrated managed care Florida human services nonprofit sought ways key to economic mobility, so it’s consortium – and other anchor institutions to to teach community members about climate important not just for students, increase health, wealth and climate resilience for resilience and give them a voice to effect change. but also for their families and the communities of East Oakland and Richmond. neighborhoods,” Cantor says. The project team is working to build a local For example, in low-income neighborhoods, some sustainable food economy as a way to adapt to people can’t afford to pay their electrical bills. That extreme drought by localizing food production means their air conditioners stay off and windows “In this knowledge and improving farming technologies. It also will are opened, paving the way for mosquitos to economy, educational help ensure healthy food access and affordability enter homes and spread illnesses like Zika, says opportunity is the key for low-income households. Catalyst Miami CEO Gretchen Beesing. to economic mobility, so it’s important not In the Bronx, ECC and its partners analyzed Combining traditional human services work with just for students, but Montefiore Medical Center emergency room data climate resilience and policy issues was natural. to identify buildings that generate repeat asthma also for families and patients. The data is being used to engage staff to “Our mission under the Kresge grant program neighborhoods.” develop a green and healthy buildings program to is to engage low-income communities in the —Nancy Cantor, Rutgers climate resilience conversation, and to ensure University Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in that local policy about climate resilience has Kansas rebuilt after a massive 2007 incorporated local voices,” she says. tornado with a 100 percent renewable wind energy system. Health Care Without Giana Cook, a fellow in the pro- Catalyst Miami built a climate leadership Harm works to reduce the environmental program called CLEAR, which stands for Climate gram and a sophomore at Paulo footprint of the health care sector. Freire Charter School, applied because it offered an opportu- nity to prepare for college and further her goal of becoming an advocacy lawyer. She says she has enjoyed the photography and 3-D printing workshops, but also values the lessons in college readiness.
“The instructors stress hard work and consistency,” she says. “I know those are key attributes and tools I’m going to need when I get into law school and when I go to college. They prepare you for the real world.”
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Leadership on the Environment, Advocacy “Historically, the big green sector and the and Resilience. The 12-week program draws environmental justice community have had participants from low-income neighborhoods different approaches to climate concerns,” and includes a parallel children's program. Gallegos says.
“We talk about climate policy, the latest science In 2013, leaders from across the U.S. and we provide seed money for participants to participated in a retreat to identify ways to complete a community project,” Beesing says. help three distinct communities – grassroots “Our goal is to inspire them to become advocates organizations, national environmental groups and effect policy change.” and philanthropy – work together more productively. BEA formed as a result. A fellowship program allows CLEAR graduates to earn stipends to complete their community “Our mission was to contribute to the project. Plans are to build a resident advisory development of a much stronger, unified council to be a collective voice for the environmental movement,” Gallegos says. “And community in policy discussions. because there is a disparity in philanthropy between the funding allocated to big greens and Catalyst Miami also works with the Miami the grassroots, we decided to try to get more Climate Alliance to distribute hurricane/disaster resources to the grassroots so they can fully preparedness kits. They collaborate with fulfill their role.” government officials to ensure that underserved communities are heard. BEA distributes case studies about the effectiveness of grassroots organizations and “What Kresge helps us do is focus on work that provides trainings. It held a national meeting in is central to our mission,” Beesing says. “They're November 2016 to bring all the players together. very responsive to what we need and quick to provide connections and support (from “We can't win unless all of these groups are with intersecting fields).” us,” Gallegos says. “We absolutely need their participation and expertise." Empowering at the Grassroots Level Community-level engagement combining BEA also aspires to channel at least $10 million in environmental health and climate resilience is new philanthropic funding to grassroots efforts. critically important, as residents understand best the assets their communities possess, the risks “The Kresge grant is extremely important on they face and the solutions that would benefit several levels,” he says. “In part, it’s helping them most. While grassroots leaders fight for to resource our research on the grassroots cleaner energy and healthier neighborhoods, landscape, so we know exactly where the groups their voices can be overshadowed by national are, what they're doing and what their needs are.” environmental groups with different agendas. The Greening of Health Care Kresge grantee Building Equity and Alignment for People trust doctors and nurses to take care of Impact (BEA) is working to change that by better their health. Health Care Without Harm wants aligning the priorities and strategies of grassroots to harness that power by encouraging health and national organizations, says Bill Gallegos, care professionals to advocate for a cleaner who serves on BEA’s steering committee. environment and, ultimately, better health. Their goal is to effectively merge climate resilience Grassroots environmental advocates active in work with greener health care. BEA help low-income and minority communities become empowered, effective voices in the “Our mission is to reduce the environmental movement for a cleaner environment. footprint of the health care sector worldwide and to position health care providers as anchors for
The Kresge Foundation Page 39 2016 Annual Report
“There are a lot of foundations that fund either climate change or health. Kresge is ... funding the intersection.” —Gary Cohen, Health Care Without Harm
Partners Healthcare's new Assembly Row facility in Boston incorporates energy-efficient technologies, hosts a 1.25 MW solar array on the rooftop of its parking garage and is a LEED Gold Version Four candidate.
sustainability and as advocates for environmental Health and Human Services, with checklists and health and justice,” says Gary Cohen, president of case studies about hospitals that are redesigning Health Care Without Harm, noting that the health operations to prepare for climate change. Part of care industry represents 18 percent of the U.S. the Kresge grant covered implementation training. economy. “We are trying to leverage that sector to lead the transition away from fossil fuels, toxic The grant was also used to expand the Health chemicals and industrial agriculture.” Care Climate Council, a leadership body of 17 of the largest health care systems in the The nonprofit also wants to improve the country. The council is focused on helping communities' climate resilience. members reduce their carbon footprint, being more resilient in the face of climate change and “People around the world experience climate building advocacy muscle. change through the health of their families,” Cohen says. “There will be extreme weather “There are a lot of foundations that fund either events and climate-related disasters, and health climate change or health," Cohen says. "Kresge care needs to be prepared.” is one of the only foundations that is funding the intersection, and the power of this intersection Kresge funds helped produce a climate resilience is extremely important.” toolkit published by the U.S. Department of
The Kresge Foundation Page 40 2016 Annual Report
Interdisciplinary huge success for our clients,” Nearly half of the support will be Focusing on Kids and Yousif says. “It’s an honor for us committed to the Flint Kids Fund. to take this journey with them, CFGF also plans to allocate funds Families in a Water Crisis to empower them to have the life to local nonprofits that are work- Grant helps Flint foundation expand its work they dream of having.” ing to address social, educational, health and environmental needs in The Nurse Family Partnership, the wake of the water crisis. Fund- administered by Hurley Medical ing will also be used for project Adriana Glenn didn’t want a nurse turned out, the visits by registered Center in Flint, is the kind of evaluation to ensure that current coming into the home she was nurse Brandi Yousif became both prevention program Kresge hopes programs are effective. sharing with her mom and hus- a comfort and blessing. to foster with a $2 million grant band, and where she was suffering to the Community Foundation from terrible morning sickness. “I did not know what I was doing or of Greater Flint (CFGF). In 2016, “We knew there was an how to handle the situation when CFGF, through its Flint Kids emerging fund trying At the same time, like so many I found out I was pregnant,” says Fund, provided the visiting nurse to mitigate the effects other families in the crosshairs of Glenn, a 25-year-old Flint native. program with $74,000 to expand Flint, Michigan’s infamous water services in the community. of lead on children from lead poisoning crisis, they were Yousif helped Glenn in myriad multiple angles, so we using bottled water to drink, cook ways, from monitoring her health Kresge is committed to grantees wanted to help jump- and bathe. during pregnancy to developing that take holistic, interdisciplinary start that effort.” approaches to the challenges they a birthing and feeding plan and —Phyllis Meadows, Despite Adriana’s reluctance, making sure the family had the are tackling. In that vein, the CFGF The Kresge Foundation her mom and husband, Mark, right equipment when the baby grant will touch many aspects of convinced her to sign up with the arrived. Yousif still visits to share the lead crisis – from remediating Nurse Family Partnership. As it positive parenting skills – and to homes with lead paint to identify- “Our vision for the Flint Kids play with the baby, Kalayna. ing and helping children who have Fund is – really from day one Mark and Adriana Glenn of Flint special learning needs. ¬– families will have available to with 1-year-old Kalayna and nurse “What seems small is really a them the best resources to sup- Brandi Yousif. port children’s development and well-being,” says CFGF President Kathi Horton.
The Kresge interdisciplinary grant is intended to boost access to healthy food and nutrition edu- cation, improve access to health care for children and pregnant women, and increase literacy education and social supports for families. The Nurse Family Part- nership is one of those initiatives.
“Our goal is to strengthen preven- tion efforts on the ground,” says Phyllis Meadows, a senior fellow at The Kresge Foundation. “We knew there was an emerging fund trying to mitigate the effects of lead on children from multiple angles, so we wanted to help jump-start that effort.”
The Kresge Foundation Page 41 2016 Annual Report
Environment Program Cities’ Leadership is More Urgent Than Ever By Lois R. DeBacker Managing Director
n 2016, The Kresge Foundation’s The equity and justice implications of Environment Program continued climate change remain profound. I to elevate the perspectives and The international consensus on leadership of low-income people the need to reduce greenhouse gas and communities of color in urban emissions to levels that will safeguard climate-resilience efforts. We helped life on this planet still holds. build momentum for leading-edge Cities continue to provide strong, energy efficiency and renewable bold, and – in many cases – visionary energy approaches in cities, hosted leadership on climate change productive convenings and peer-learning Lois R. DeBacker mitigation and adaptation. opportunities, and developed a new Many private sector players strategy for our grants and social investments in support of acknowledge the reality of climate change and have begun to climate-resilient and equitable water systems, among many other plan for it in their business strategies. signals of progress. The renewable energy industry is growing rapidly as prices of solar panels and battery storage decline. At the same time, we witnessed a significant setback for the work Community-based organizations, including those in low- we support in the election of a new president whose platform is income communities and communities of color, increasingly indifferent, and in many cases hostile, to the realities of climate understand the relevance of climate change to the people and science, the imperatives of action on climate change and to places they care about and are advocating for solutions. environmental protection. Philanthropic engagement on climate change issues remains strong. The new administration signals a fundamental change in the context for our work and that of our grantees and allies who rely In our view, city-level leadership on climate change is more critical on federal partnerships and support. now than ever, as is the need to build a more inclusive movement for equitable action on climate change. Our commitment to The Kresge Board of Trustees and staff carefully considered how advance those goals stands strong. the Environment Program’s strategy should respond to this new context. After much deliberation, we determined to largely stay the course in our work to help cities implement comprehensive climate-resilience approaches grounded in equity.
We reached this decision by considering not only what had changed at the national level, but also what had not changed in Other Environment Program partners and projects the surround for our work. The following are clear to us: highlighted in this report include: The urgency of climate action is undiminished. The next several Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, page 63 years are critical for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Puget Sound Sage, page 91
The Kresge Foundation Page 42 2016 Annual Report
EcoDistricts 2016 Portland, Ore. $57,000
Environment Grants Emerald Cities Collaborative Inc.* Washington, D.C. We help cities implement comprehensive climate-resilience $650,000 approaches grounded in equity. Environmental Grantmakers Association New York, N.Y. Grants: 44 / Total Committed: $15,771,867 $152,306
Foundation for National Progress San Francisco, Calif. Alliance for Water Efficiency NFP Center for Social Inclusion Inc. $150,000 Chicago, Ill. New York, N.Y. $40,000 $275,000 George Mason University Foundation Inc.* American Geophysical Union Clean Energy Group Inc. Fairfax, Va. Washington, D.C. Montpelier, Vt. $300,000 $250,000 $850,000 Geos Institute American Public Health Clean Energy Group Inc. Ashland, Ore. Association Inc.* Montpelier, Vt. $80,000 Washington, D.C. $55,000 $500,000 Global Philanthropy Partnership Cleveland 2030 District Chicago, Ill. American Rivers Inc. Cleveland, Ohio $760,000 Washington, D.C. $185,000 $300,000 Global Philanthropy Partnership Common Market Chicago, Ill. Carpe Diem West Philadelphia, Pa. $200,000 Sausalito, Calif. $100,000 $200,000 Green Diversity Initiative Communities for a Better Washington, D.C. Catalyst Miami Environment $250,000 Miami, Fla. Huntington Park, Calif. $660,000 $500,000 Health Care Without Harm* Reston, Va. CEC Stuyvesant Cove Inc. Community Initiatives $2,500,000 New York, N.Y. Oakland, Calif. $350,000 $90,176 Innovation Network for Communities Center for American Progress Earth Island Institute Tamworth, N.H. Washington, D.C. Berkeley, Calif. $100,000 $238,000 $200,000 Institute for Market Center for American Progress EcoAdapt Transformation Inc. Washington, D.C. Bainbridge Island, Wash. Washington, D.C. $20,000 $675,000 $350,000
The Kresge Foundation Page 43 2016 Annual Report
Local Government Commission Social and Environmental Sacramento, Calif. Entrepreneurs Inc. $40,000 Calabasas, Calif. $150,000 Movement Strategy Center Oakland, Calif. The Solutions Project $250,000 Oakland, Calif. $100,000 Movement Strategy Center Oakland, Calif. University of Notre Dame Du Lac $125,000 Notre Dame, Ind. $798,845 Oberlin College* Oberlin, Ohio UPROSE Inc. $200,000 Brooklyn, N.Y. $300,000 Pacific Forest Trust Inc. San Francisco, Calif. U.S. Water Alliance $125,000 Washington, D.C. $366,000 THE POINT Community Development Corp. *Denotes cross-team grant Bronx, N.Y. $660,000
Puget Sound Sage Seattle, Wash. $660,000
River Network Portland, Ore. $554,300
Second Nature Inc.* Boston, Mass. $405,240
The Kresge Foundation Page 44 Investing in organizations that offer innovative solutions, often with the goal to scale up regionally or nationally.
Route
Investing in Innovation
Chicago: 41° 48' 9.7056" N, 87° 37' 29.5932" W
4 Investing in Innovation 4 Investing in Innovation 2016 Annual Report
Route 4: Investing in Innovation Families Gain Control by Taking Pathways Out of Poverty
umu Itsifu is the mother of a toddler, working as she CEO Kirsten Lodal. “We believe that families are the experts in pursues a college degree. The Chicago resident is on her their own lives and should be the chief architects of their futures. Hway toward a bright future, buoyed by her engagement Our job is to respond to that through relationships and through with LIFT, a results-driven nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., the infrastructure we’ve built.” that confronts poverty as a multigenerational challenge. The LIFT model is shaped by research that shows a link between LIFT is shaking the power structure of the social services arena, parents’ well-being and their children’s success. The organization letting families decide for themselves what they need for a better works as a “connector” that hitches its partners – from food life and then connecting them to the people and networks needed banks and preschool educational programs to pro bono lawyers to reach their goals. and youth leadership initiatives – with families who need them. LIFT staff and volunteers are part of this formula, too. “Some of the most revolutionary aspects of the LIFT model are those that are the most simple and straightforward,” says LIFT Parents in the program receive support to help with their daily
Supported by LIFT, Humu Itsifu of Chicago was able to finish school, pay down debt and land a full-time job. Parents in the LIFT program receive assistance with everything from food and transportation to child care and other needs.
The Kresge Foundation Page 47 2016 Annual Report
expenses including food, transportation and “Yes, I’m driven,” Itsifu says, acknowledging her child care, needs which might otherwise block tenacity, “but the guidance from LIFT helps if I Investing in Innovation their progress if left unmet. However, Lodal says don't have the resources or know where to go or social capital is the program’s most valuable to look.” Innovation in currency for keeping families stable. Through LIFT, Itsifu found $3,500 in scholarship Neighborhood Itsifu knows well how one snafu can trigger a funds. She assembled a work wardrobe thanks to Revitalization cascade of setbacks. Last year, there was a LIFT’s connection to Dress For Success. And LIFT mixup with her state paperwork and she lost her helped her stay on track to pay down $5,200 in Investments in extended-hour child care assistance. Working two debt and land a full-time job with benefits. development create jobs, she faced the prospect of having to leave better outcomes in Cincinnati one and abandon her social work degree program Investing in Ingenuity at Chicago State University. Kresge grants enable LIFT and social service nonprofits, such as Family Independence Urban flight and disinvest- The young woman persuaded her employer Initiative and Venture Philanthropy Partners, ment have left neighborhoods to let her bring her daughter to the tutoring to serve as accelerators for people trying to across the country blighted and sessions she taught. A professor allowed her to move out of poverty. In searching for efforts distressed as vacant homes are make up the evening classes she missed. But a that are sustainable, scalable and replicable, the vandalized or fall into disrepair. turning point came when LIFT staff connected foundation is supporting actionable solutions In Ohio, Kresge has partnered Itsifu with a peer-group meeting. One of the that translate into economic mobility. with the Port of Greater Cincinnati other parents in the group had experienced the Development Authority on an same problem and knew how to fix it. “What’s driving the work of these organizations? innovative initiative to reverse They have a deeply inherent trust and belief in “What we’re really Humu Itsifu of Chicago with her looking for is a daughter, Sameea. revitalization of the business districts into a thriving and contributing part of the neighborhood ecosystem.” —Susan Thomas, Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority
that trajectory that is focused on resident outcomes. Kresge made a $5 million program-related investment to the port authority, a public, mission-driven economic development agency. The invest- ment supplements the organiza- tion’s new DREAM (Driving Real Estate to Accelerate Microen- terprise) loan fund. Through the fund, the port authority will rehab or construct new mixed-use build- ings in key commercial corridors
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The Family Independence Initiative in Oakland, California, aims to change the way investment is made in low-income communities and families. the ability of people to find success,” says David families. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Fukuzawa, managing director of Kresge’s Health the initiative has launched programs in northern and Human Services programs. “And that has California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Boston, not always been something that people in the Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; and New social services sector believed. Orleans, Louisiana. Cincinnati, Ohio, is next on the list. “The bigger message is that everyone is born with an innate capacity to be successful and Families involved in the initiative recruit one achieve and move forward with their lives, but another, then peer groups are established to circumstances can prevent people from doing share resources, ideas and advice — and to hold that. These organizations help people navigate each other accountable. the barriers that stand in their way.” “Families set their own direction and take action Family Independence Initiative (FII) describes as they determine,” says Jesús Gerena, FII itself as a “learning” organization that aims to CEO. “We believe that, collectively, families have build a movement to change the way investment the knowledge, initiative and capacity to lead is made in low-income communities and themselves.”
in targeted neighborhoods. These The initiative focuses on attracting commercial corridor investments neighborhood-serving business- complement the port authority's es such as grocery stores, small previous housing investments in businesses and arts and cultural these neighborhoods. organizations to disinvested areas.
The initiative aligns with Kresge’s “What we’re really looking for is a re- mission to expand opportunities in vitalization of the business districts America’s cities and support social into a thriving and contributing part investment in mixed-income, mixed- of the neighborhood ecosystem,” use projects, says Aaron Seybert, a says Susan Thomas, executive vice Kresge social investment officer. president of the port authority. “That means they provide places for “It’s about tying investment to res- people to work and increased safety, Before and after: The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority will ident outcomes such as economic rehab or build new commercial mixed-use buildings to complement its previous services and products.” mobility,” he says. investments in housing, as shown here.
The Kresge Foundation Page 49 2016 Annual Report
The initiative is already yielding ects with just one of the strategies positive results in the Evanston neigh- employed, Seybert says. borhood, where the port authority More immediately, the initiative has rehabbed and sold 19 previously addresses disinvestment in neigh- vacant properties. Gail Paul, port au- borhoods and growing demand for thority vice president of communica- housing options close to urban cores. tion strategy, says real estate prices in the neighborhood have increased. “We can carefully manage this,” says port authority CEO Laura If successful, the initiative could pro- Brunner, “so we’re investing in those vide a model for redeveloping mixed- communities, creating opportunities use districts nationwide. It could also for legacy residents to participate in help determine whether projects the wealth creation that’s going to that creatively combine residential come and, at the same time, creating and commercial strategies generate Before and after: Real estate prices go up in neighborhoods where investments demand for the businesses as well as are made in both homes and businesses. better outcomes for the people who for the homebuyers.” live in those neighborhoods than proj-
The organization puts money directly into upward swing, with many of the families tapping families’ hands and logs outcomes. Case funds in the organization’s Resource Hub. This managers monitor the progress of families, but capital (which averages $1,390 per family with do not provide direction or advice. a cap at $5,000) can be channeled to family businesses through microloans or grants, but “They just listen and sometimes ask questions it can also be devoted to education, health and to gather stories and deepen our understand- fitness, home ownership, transportation, debt ing,” Gerena says. reduction or other areas deemed important by the enrolled families. At enrollment, a family of four typically earns an annual income of $24,000, which is 3 percent Gerena says the initiative is currently working below the federal poverty threshold. After two with 2,000 households. That will jump to 3,500 years, that income level usually rises more than by the end of 2017. Because FII uses an online $8,000. Entrepreneurship often drives that platform, “we do not need to add staff if we take
Family Independence Initiative is currently working with 2,000 households, but expects to expand to 3,500 by the end of 2017.
The Kresge Foundation Page 50 2016 Annual Report
“We believe that families are the experts in their own lives and should be the chief architects of their futures.” —Kirsten Lodal, LIFT
on more families,” he says. “Instead, we only approach to its work, even going so far as to need to raise more money to support the hub.” identify potential board members for its partner organizations. Investing in ‘Game-Changers’ Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP), another In its most ambitious effort, VPP has anchored Kresge partner in Washington, D.C., facilitates youthCONNECT directly into Suitland High structured partnerships among nonprofits School, a Maryland public school just outside to improve education and employment D.C. The project jointly leverages the resources opportunities for vulnerable youth. Through its of five nonprofits to ensure students are youthCONNECT program, Venture Philanthropy graduating from high school – and are ready for Partners has served more than 21,000 young the next step in life. people since 2011. The nonprofits include a peer-influence initiative “For us, it was about looking at organizations that that deploys university-bound high school had been around for a while. We wanted to make students to help other students get ready for sure the leaders were strong and had aspirations college, a multicultural youth organization, a for growth,” says Venture Philanthropy Partners nonprofit that connects youth in poverty to CEO Carol Thompson Cole. work and scholarships, a one-year program that prepares students for internships, and Urban A number of Kresge Foundation She says donors want to be involved with Alliance, which identifies mentors and lines up initiatives, including LIFT (pictured here), capacity-building investment in initiatives that paid internships for students. are focused on helping families find their way out of poverty. are “game-changers.” VPP applies a business
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LIFT's approach is to empower families to decide for themselves what they need for a better life and then connect them to the people and networks needed to reach their goals.
With economic development planned for the and provide support to them,” Gerena says. “And Maryland county where the high school is located, we become the beneficiary of the aggregate of Cole says one goal is to prepare Suitland High that information, which allows us to be able to students so they “can stay in their community change that narrative around the working poor.” and live and work and make a difference.” LIFT also collects feedback from its families Tracking Progress through short surveys that it analyzes before VPP and Kresge’s other human services brainstorming with the families about how to innovators collect data on the results of their make improvements. The feedback covers programs and then use that knowledge to progress on family goals, along with less- deliver services with more effective results. For tangible issues such as whether phone meetings example, VPP developed a framework that all are preferable to face-to-face meetings and of its Suitland High School partners can use to whether LIFT should expand current networks or track outcomes. pioneer new interventions.
FII repurposed a data management platform “Many ideas have come from families,” Lodal says. used by hedge fund managers into a real-time, “This allows us to be constantly innovating.” cloud-based system through which families log monthly into a journal. They record details Back in Chicago, Itsifu can often be found at on income and savings, health, education and the computer at Educare, an early childhood skills, housing, their connections and even how education partner in the LIFT network. There, they are feeling about life issues that could she emails her academic adviser or prints impede their economic progress. FII pays the coupons for disposable diapers. She puts $2 families so it can access this rich treasure trove from every paycheck into a savings account and of information. another $2 into a college fund for her daughter. While child care remains a juggling act, she gets The online journaling system is tied to a social help from another LIFT parent, one of the peer media site where families advise and encourage connections in her network. one another and where crowd-sourced funding, loans, scholarships, mini-grants and other And she credits LIFT and its partners for helping resources are available. her create a better future for herself and her child.
“The families are the beneficiaries of this data. “They are empowering me,” she says. “That's why They track their progress online and learn from I’m so motivated, because of them.” it. They can also see what inspires their peers
The Kresge Foundation Page 52 2016 Annual Report
Investing in Innovation “We meet them at health institu- helped test the model’s sustain- tions where they’re going anyway.” ability. During that time, DNA recovered $1.1 million from scam Taking Legal Services to Trained health professionals, case- artists who prey on the elderly workers and receptionists screen the People and underserved; put 52 families patients for legal needs. Typical into secure housing; helped 148 Program combines law with health care to serve cases revolve around domestic families receive public assistance the Navajo Nation violence, eviction and benefits ap- totaling $4.6 million of household peals for food assistance, disability resources; and attained special and other noncriminal needs. The Navajo Nation, a Native Ameri- Náhiiłna be Agha’diit’ahii, which education services for can territory, covers 27,000 square translates to: attorneys who work 30 children. miles across Utah, Arizona and for the economic revitalization of “People will never get A second three-year grant is being New Mexico. But the breathtaking The People) has been provid- better until we address used to replicate the model to landscape of the painted desert ing help to tribal members and the social determinants serve Native Americans in other belies the fact that more than residents. While the work was of health.” areas including territories in Alas- 40 percent of its 300,000-plus rewarding, it wasn’t enough; few ka, Oklahoma and Nebraska. residents live below the poverty residents knew help was available —Isabelle Williamson, DNA People’s Legal Services “This work is helping to set line. Few have basic amenities like or had the means to gain access the standard for administering running water and electricity. to it. In 2009, DNA attorney Matt medical-legal partnerships in VanWormer formed a medical-legal “The Navajo Nation is exceptional- underserved communities,” says partnership with Northern Navajo “Patients who need legal assistance ly poor with a high unemployment Stacey Barbas, senior program Medical Center, a hospital and get referred to an on-site attorney rate and extreme disparity,” says officer of the foundation’s Health outpatient facility that serves more who can help them while they are Isabelle Williamson, medical-legal Program. “DNA has created a than 80,000 Native Americans. at the clinic,” Williamson says. “In- partnership project director for model that can bring medical and tervening here provides access to DNA People’s Legal Services. “It “It’s a different, pioneering way legal services to more communi- more people in a timely manner.” has a massive impact on its fami- to reach clients,” Williamson says. ties that need them.” lies and the Nation as a whole.” That approach has been highly DNA People's Legal Services DNA’s expansion of services also successful. An initial 2011 grant For 50 years, DNA (an acronym Attorney Heather Hoechst talks with caught the attention of AmeriCorps. for the Navajo phrase, Dinébe’iiná a client in Shiprock, New Mexico. through Kresge’s Health Program With an AmeriCorps grant, DNA will recruit 14 attorneys to provide services for 14 communities.
“We’re excited about the future,” Williamson says. “We want to continue to grow and continue to look for new legal aid partners. We believe we can expand our services in a massive way.”
While the organization hasn’t collected medical data, Williamson believes it's making a difference in residents' health and well-being.
“If you’re not safe at home, how can you make ends meet?” she asks. “It’s hard to apply for public benefits if you’re living in crisis. People will never get better until we address the multifaceted social determinants of health.”
The Kresge Foundation Page 53 2016 Annual Report
Human Services Program Using Integrated Approaches to Achieve Better Outcomes By David Fukuzawa Managing Director
he Human Services Program We see a similar movement toward introduced a revised strategy in health and human services integration T2016 to accelerate innovation in by nonprofits. For example, our grant to the sector to achieve better outcomes for the Nonprofit Finance Fund supports the people with low incomes. Our adjusted design and demonstration of a platform program addresses opportunities for to integrate business and intervention the sector at the regulatory and policy practices among actors within the health level, supports leading innovators in the and human services sectors. field and will develop integrated human services ecosystems in cities. We have David Fukuzawa Innovation is focused on person- already begun to see early successes and centered and outcome-based gather initial lessons from our partners. approaches. These innovators take a relational approach to delivering supports with an intense focus We are seeing public agencies and nonprofit organizations across not just on helping clients, but on coaching or mentoring them the nation begin to accelerate the adoption of more integrated to self-agency. Such organizations go beyond focusing on social approaches to serve clients with a clear focus on achieving better services to moving individuals toward a firm pathway of economic outcomes. The human service delivery system comprises a self-sufficiency. This report highlights the impressive work of complex array of regulations and policies coupled with a funding just a few of our innovative partners including LIFT, the Family method that is often conflicting and siloed. Independence Initiative and Venture Philanthropy Partners.
The sector’s response is increasingly to disentangle the During times when a sector is evolving, it is also important to complexity by integrating across programs or coordinating consider how we communicate about our work. Our grant to the funding around the person or family. In public systems, this is National Human Services Assembly explored how sector leaders evident in the increased number of state, county and city human could reframe the conversation about human services to improve services departments that are merging with health or public public understanding of the field’s work. In turn, this increases health departments. public support for the policies and programs necessary to improve the effectiveness of human services. Our grant to the American Public Human Services Association will thus offer intensive technical assistance to 13 public agencies We look forward to further evolving these approaches in 2017. to move them up the human services value curve. It’s a model that moves agencies beyond multisystem integration toward “ecosystems” of supports and services centered on achieving the highest outcomes for clients and families. Other Human Services Program partners and projects highlighted in this report include: Legal Impact Network, page 30 Opportunity Nation, page 86
The Kresge Foundation Page 54 2016 Annual Report
Harvard University 2016 Cambridge, Mass. $50,000
Human Services Home by Hand Inc.* New Orleans, La. Grants $70,000 Human Services Council of New We support the advancement of human services to accelerate social York City and economic mobility for people with low incomes in America’s cities. New York, N.Y. $300,000
Institute for Alternative Futures Grants: 38 / Total Committed: $15,924,033 Alexandria, Va. $473,618
ACCESS Center for Employment Institute for Alternative Futures Dearborn, Mich. Opportunities Alexandria, Va. $800,000 New York, N.Y. $56,000 $1,000,000 Alliance for Strong Families and Michigan League for Public Policy* Communities Colorado Coalition for the Lansing, Mich. Milwaukee, Wis. Homeless $600,000 $50,000 Denver, Colo. $216,200 The National Alliance for Hispanic American Institutes for Research Health* Washington, D.C. Compass Working Capital Washington, D.C. $500,000 Boston, Mass. $1,000,000 $500,000 American Public Human Services National Coalition for Asian Association* Council for a Strong America Pacific American Community Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Development* $568,000 $500,000 Washington, D.C. $750,000 America’s Promise Alliance Family Independence Initiative* Washington, D.C. Oakland, Calif. National Human Services $50,000 $900,000 Assembly Washington, D.C. Asian & Pacific Islander American The Forum for Youth Investment $100,000 Health Forum* Washington, D.C. Oakland, Calif. $600,000 National Human Services $350,000 Assembly The Full Frame Initiative Inc. Washington, D.C. Be the Change Inc.* Greenfield, Mass. $49,215 Boston, Mass. $500,000 $560,000 National Low Income Housing Georgia Justice Project Coalition and Low Income Atlanta, Ga. Housing* $400,000 Washington, D.C. $105,000
The Kresge Foundation Page 55 2016 Annual Report
New Venture Fund Shriver Center Washington, D.C. Chicago, Ill. $400,000 $56,000
NNA Fund Thread Washington, D.C. Baltimore, Md. $50,000 $500,000
One Degree Urban Institute San Francisco, Calif. Washington, D.C. $500,000 $500,000
Poverty & Race Research Action Urban Institute Council* Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. $30,000 $340,000 *Denotes cross-team grant Rhode Island Legal Services Inc. Providence, R.I. $400,000
Roberts Enterprise Development Fund San Francisco, Calif. $800,000
ROCA Inc. Chelsea, Mass. $900,000
SA 2020* San Antonio, Texas $400,000
The Kresge Foundation Page 56 Bringing together a group of individuals who share a common concern, practice or interest to impart ideas, create new knowledge and advance innovative ways of collaborating to bring about systems-level change.
Route
Learning Networks
Austin: 30° 16' 50.4336" N, 97° 43' 57.0252" W
5 Learning Networks 5 Learning Networks 2016 Annual Report
Route 5: Learning Networks Doing What it Takes to Build Student Success in Austin and Beyond
lex Moon-Walker knows what he will be doing after “As valedictorian in high school, I thought college would be a graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017. breeze,” he says. “I realized I needed to make some changes.” A Having studied biochemistry and microbiology, he has been accepted to Harvard University’s virology Ph.D. program. His Moon-Walker came to UT from Jack E. Singley Academy, a public goal is to become a research professor. high school in the Dallas suburb of Irving. It’s a designated Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (T-STEM) school. But the path wasn’t always so clear for the young Dallas-area According to U.S. News & World Report, the academy has a total native. During his first year at UT, Moon-Walker found himself minority enrollment of 91 percent (75 percent Hispanic) and 69 struggling to keep up with his studies. percent of students are economically disadvantaged.
As a member of UT’s University Leadership Network (ULN), Moon-Walker was able to receive the mentoring help he needed to get back on track academically. As part of the class of 2017, he was among the first cohort of 500 students to participate in the incentive-based scholarship program, which provides members with leadership and academic guidance to help them succeed. Those selected receive an annual $5,000 scholarship that is contingent on continued participation and good academic standing.
While Moon-Walker had received a few smaller scholarships, he knew those would quickly run out, so being selected to the ULN provided welcome financial support. But he didn’t realize how much he would come to appreciate the ULN’s other benefits, too.
“The main thing about this program has been the support network,” Moon-Walker says.
In addition to demonstrating financial need, students are identified based on historical characteristics that predict it might be a struggle for them to make it to graduation.
The Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color works to improve opportunities for young men of color. Alex Moon-Walker is studying to become a research professor.
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“The most significant predictor “The UIA is exciting because there Learning Networks of college completion is really was no other collective or parental income,” says David focused approach to improving MEMBERS: A Fresh Laude, senior vice provost student success among four- Arizona State University for strategic initiatives and year institutions when they Approach to a key developer of the ULN. Georgia State University developed this partnership.” Food Access “Programs like (this) work Iowa State University with students coming from Michigan State University UIA Executive Director Programs use food economically disadvantaged The Ohio State University Bridget Burns says Kresge’s as a creative platform for neighborhood backgrounds to address the Oregon State University involvement as a founding underlying challenges they partner has been critical to the revitalization Purdue University experience.” organization’s success. University of California Riverside When fresh produce is avail- Entering college, the first “Their support has encouraged able in low-income communities, University of Central Florida student cohort had a 33 other funders to come in,” she the economic and health bene- The University of Kansas percent predicted chance says. “Kresge has also given us fits are significant. But multiple The University of Texas at of graduating in four years the flexibility to shift when our barriers – high costs coupled Austin based on historical data. After work needed to be adapted.” with low incomes, transportation participating in the program, issues and a lack of store owners 65 percent were on track to The UIA connects members willing to sell perishable goods graduate four years later. like UT via liaisons and a fellows’ program – can keep healthy products out to facilitate sustained collaboration and of reach. ULN’s success has not gone unnoticed by peer conversations. institutions, in part thanks to the institution’s membership in the University Innovation “Campuses share with each other and gain from Alliance (UIA). each other,” Burns says. “UT is a good example of that.” A Collective Approach That’s where The Kresge Foundation’s Education Strengthening Networks Program comes in. It helped establish the UIA, Texas is one of Kresge’s Education Program a coalition of 11 public four-year universities focus states. It's ripe for opportunities to working to improve low-income students’ improve college attainment and graduation educational attainment and economic rates – especially among underrepresented and prospects. The alliance brings together leaders low-income students. from member institutions to share ideas and FreshLo recipients are using their solutions, including how to use data analytics to “Texas will soon have a majority of people of color, awards to create neighborhood improve student success. and a lot of the new majority will not be from projects. communities with high college attainment rates,” To help solve that problem, 26 The UIA also goes to the heart of Kresge’s Moses says. “So it’s critically important that organizations and coalitions method of bringing together disparate Texas focus on getting more of its population to across the country each received individuals who share a common interest or successfully complete college degrees.” $75,000 planning grants to devel- goal. Together, they build strong relationships, op food initiatives in underserved foster innovative and creative thinking and bring College attainment is more imperative than ever neighborhoods. Dubbed “Fresh- about systems-level change, says William F.L. due to a job market in which openings increasingly Lo” for Fresh, Local & Equitable: Moses, managing director of Kresge’s Education require at least an associate or bachelor’s degree. Food as a Creative Platform for Program. The Austin Chamber of Commerce January 2017 Neighborhood Revitalization, Job Posting Report, for example, cites about the initiative is jointly supported “We focus on three areas: providing pathways 34,000 job openings. However, more than 60 by Kresge's Arts & Culture and through college; building the capacity of percent of them require a postsecondary degree Health programs. FreshLo recip- institutions that focus on the students we want or certificate, according to Gilbert Zavala, vice ients are using their awards to to reach; and strengthening and aligning urban president of education and talent development at plan neighborhood projects that education ecosystems,” Moses says. “One of the the Austin Chamber of Commerce. integrate creative placemaking, most effective ways to disseminate innovative community development, equity ideas is to get like-minded people to share those Zavala oversees the chamber’s FAFSA (Free and access to healthy foods. ideas and those experiences and then move Application for Federal Student Aid) completion forward together. program, coordinated in partnership with 40
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“Kresge has given us the flexibility While it is rare for foundations to fund cross-disciplinary projects, to shift when our work needed to community organizations are already working this way.
be adapted.” “As we started to get to know —Bridget Burns, University Innovation Alliance our cohort, we learned that many of our grantees were already approaching this work with a cross-disciplinary approach,” says Stacey Barbas, Austin-area high schools. Filing a FAFSA is Pathways and Capacities senior program officer with the key step toward determining eligibility for Meanwhile, the Texas Education Consortium Kresge’s Health Program. college aid, and most students – about 90 for Male Students of Color, under the auspices percent – who fill out the FAFSA go on to college. of UT’s Division of Diversity and Community Va-Megn Thoj, executive Wanting to boost those completion numbers, Engagement, is leading the way in improving director of the Asian Economic Kresge, with grantee partner National College educational opportunities for boys and young Development Association Access Network, introduced the FAFSA Cities men of color, primarily for Latino students, (AEDA), isn’t surprised.
Completion Challenge and invited more than statewide. The consortium falls under the “FreshLo is a great fit for us,” 100 cities to apply with their plans to improve umbrella of Project MALES, which includes a he says. “This planning grant is FAFSA completion by at least 5 percent for the national research agenda with 25 faculty research helping us identify a way to work graduating class of 2017. affiliates around the country and a mentoring together collaboratively and effort in Austin middle and high schools. leverage our community assets The chamber was one of 22 national recipients to address food justice.” that received a grant of up to $55,000 to Kresge is supporting the consortium’s ongoing execute FAFSA completion activities for the member efforts to spread ideas across FreshLo partners also benefit 2016-17 school year. The 22 winning cities also campuses and educational sectors. from sharing with and learning have formed their own network to share insights from fellow grantees. Represen- on what’s working and learn together via “We realized early on that we needed to have a tatives of the 26 organizations monthly conference calls. strategy to bring together partners,” says Victor came together at a convening to Sáenz, Ph.D., associate professor and executive kick off their planning year, and “What we’ve heard over and over from our director of Project MALES. “There was clearly a have stayed in touch through participating cities is that the regular learning demand and a need for us to have the space to “virtual” lunches and visiting opportunities are really a game-changer,” says bring institutions together that have this as a each other’s projects. Sara Melnick from NCAN. “We know the grant priority.” FreshLo grantee Inner-City funds of course are making their work possible, Muslim Action Network (IMAN) but they tell us the chance to hear how other The consortium’s work is gaining recognition has long worked to bolster healthy cities are tackling the same problems they’re nationally as Sáenz and his team are being food options in Chicago’s neigh- facing in their backyards deepens the experience asked to conduct site visits at institutions in borhoods. IMAN Senior Organizer and gives them new ideas and insights to try.” other states. Shamar Hemphill participated in a panel at the convening, reminding To achieve higher completion in Austin, Zavala “There’s great appeal to what we’re doing across fellow grantees that community- and his team work with high school leadership the country,” Sáenz says. “This is exactly what the based organizations must serve – high schools typically host the completion impetus was to develop a statewide consortium.” as advocates and ambassadors. events – as well as with other community “We have to be the ones at the partners and businesses to support the events Building strong learning relationships with city level, at the state level, and provide rewards to schools with the most centers around the country is also a key aspect helping to really incentivize the students who complete the FAFSA. to the work of the Austin-based Texas Success process, educate our legislators, Center (TSC). It was established at the Texas our city council folks, about what “To us, it doesn’t matter where you file,” Zavala Association of Community Colleges in 2013 and is needed and what is happening says. “The important thing is that we’re is one of 13 centers across the country working around the issues,” Hemphill coordinating a regional effort and connecting at a state level to instruct community colleges parents and students to the resources they need.” on best practices such as how to incorporate
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Kresge awarded grants in 22 cities Central to the center’s work is looking at ways nationally to execute programs that says. “And being ambassadors, to make degree paths more efficient. With a encourage FAFSA completion. we have to be the folks who live three-year grant from Kresge, the center is it, breathe it, and digest it every building curricula for and conducting institutes day. We’ve got to walk the walk.” that focus on building capacity for community colleges to design and implement structured IMAN used its grant to conduct student data to improve student outcomes. academic and career pathways. strategic planning for its farmers' Texas is home to 50 community college districts market on Chicago’s Southwest with 700,000 students currently enrolled. “It’s a huge commitment for a community college side. Its Corner Store Connection to be a part of this,” Farrell says. “You have to aims to build relationships “We’re a significant population,” TSC Executive look back at everything you do from the time between store owners and resi- Director Cynthia Farrell says. “Half of all you first meet a student, or even reaching back dents. IMAN also surveyed more undergraduate work in Texas is at community to high school, and helping their counselors do a than 500 people about food, colleges.” better job informing students about career and location and infusing art and available college paths.” culture into how residents shop. Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit that The lessons learned in Chicago builds educational and economic opportunities Thirty-eight community colleges have signed on. can translate elsewhere. for underserved populations in the U.S. (and another Kresge grantee), runs TSC's program. “The organizations we work with are all doing “This initiative has provided re- fantastic work individually, but there is always sources directly to neighborhoods “JFF brings us together twice a year and helps room to learn from what others are learning, that are often overlooked,” Barbas us orchestrate a conversation about the things always ways to grow and improve,” Moses says. says. “By funding a diverse group we’ve identified as most important,” Farrell says. “We’ve found that our partners are eager for of projects across the country, those opportunities to help them do just that.” we’re hoping grantees will have a TSC has focused on guided pathways, which direct impact on the food system.” help students identify educational goals early and plan course loads that will set them on a road to achieve them.
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Learning Networks green infrastructure projects. that the jobs created and benefits Such projects might include rain that come to the community are Building Climate gardens, pervious pavements, equitably shared among everyone, stormwater bumpouts and including traditionally underrepre- Resiliency in Cities bioswales – all designed to capture sented populations,” White-New- Collaborating on green stormwater or slow down stormwater. some says. “The wonderful thing infrastructure initiatives about the exchange is that it’s the Kresge funding will help the ex- only network of actual practi- change host additional workshops, tioners on the ground who are At a Green Infrastructure Leader- on the front lines of mitigating support research, offer training trying to increase the uptake of ship Exchange workshop in Novem- the disasters climate change is and accelerate and measure the green infrastructure. ber 2016, a handful of municipal bringing to their communities with progress of the projects, says Ex- managers took a deep dive into solutions that are environmentally change Coordinator Paula Conolly. “The other thing is, when you talk the world of green stormwater and economically sound – and about leading by example, cities infrastructure. often, pretty. “Green stormwater infrastructure are the incubators of solutions brings economic, environmental that work.” Climate change-driven warmer A $200,000 Kresge grant helped and social benefits beyond just temperatures are leading to more launch the Philadelphia-based water quality and remediation,” frequent and more intense rains, exchange in its efforts to support she says. “When you talk which trigger floods that strain peer-to-peer learning opportuni- about leading by aging infrastructure. In older cities ties like the workshop. Represen- Encouraging environmentally example, cities are the like Detroit and Philadelphia, where tatives from four of the exchange’s sound, workable projects that sewer systems capture both storm 35 member cities – New Orleans, benefit low-income communities incubators of solutions runoff and sewage on their way to Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Los and create jobs is Kresge’s goal that work.” the treatment plant, the burden Angeles – spent a few days sharing in supporting efforts like the ex- —Jalonne White-Newsome, is even greater. Increased storm ideas with their counterparts from change, says Jalonne White-New- The Kresge Foundation runoff ends up in basements, on other cities and focusing on the some, senior program officer with streets and ultimately, in streams, financial challenges of maintaining Kresge’s Environment Program. rivers and lakes. The ideas that grow out of the A "green roof" is among infrastruc- “We want communities to become forums and workshops will help ture projects in Philadelphia designed Members of the exchange are to decrease stormwater runoff. more climate resilient, and ensure inspire water utilities to move away from pipe and pump projects and embrace natural infrastructure.
“The overall goal is to make water healthy, affordable and safe for everyone, particularly low-income communities,” White-Newsome says.
Jennifer Larmeu, New Orleans’ green infrastructure program manager, came away from the workshop with ideas for financing green infrastructure projects in her city.
“Every city doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel,” Larmeu says. “If you can reach out to people who’ve been through the same thing, you can move forward more efficiently."
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Education Program Working in Cities to Improve College Enrollment By William F. L. Moses Managing Director
t’s no newsflash that most low- We believe an affordable, quality income students don’t travel across education is the best way to help low- Ithe country to go to college. Those income people move into the middle who matriculate to the post-secondary class. And aligning colleges and city world typically enroll close to home – systems to better serve students can often in a community college or a public- help do that. As grantmakers, we know regional university, many in urban areas. that programs that succeed in one community can often successfully And while nearly any community would transfer to another, but it is not a given: say it values higher education and wants William F. L. Moses San Francisco’s challenges are very a better-educated workforce, a look at different from those in Detroit or Atlanta. graduation rates for low-income populations finds very few places achieving those results. Still, we have learned plenty. We have seen remarkable interventions, like FAFSA completion efforts, that we know In 2016, we implemented a new strategy to support cross-sector, improve both postsecondary enrollment and attainment for low- citywide work that will strengthen and align what we call the income students in a variety of settings. Urban Higher Education Ecosystem. This ecosystem includes K-12 schools, higher education institutions, businesses, government, In 2017, we are focusing on scaling successful interventions. human services organizations, college access programs, Remembering where low-income students come from and philanthropy and housing and transit agencies, among others. choose to study, we will use cities as a delivery mode as often We believe that if we are able to better align the efforts of these as possible. We believe getting more communities, institutions, various actors, local college attainment rates will increase. government agencies and organizations to scale what works is the most effective way to improve opportunities for low-income With that in mind, Kresge's Education Program spent the year people. We are proud to work with some of the world’s most identifying partners to support stronger and better aligned innovative educational leaders to ensure this happens. ecosystems in cities. One example: We supported the National College Access Network to work with 22 cities to increase the number of students completing the FAFSA, the application for federal student financial aid. (Read about FAFSA on page 74).
We focused on FAFSA because, unlike virtually every other Other Education Program partners and projects featured educational intervention, communities can dramatically increase in this report include: their FAFSA completion rates. Detroit, for example, saw its FAFSA Pathways to Achievement and Success, page 36 completion rate increase from 54 to 70 percent in just one year. Seeding Success, page 74 UNITE-LA, page 101 A Decade in South Africa, page 118
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Institute for College Access and 2016 Success Inc. Oakland, Calif. Education Grants $100,000 Institute for Higher Education We promote postsecondary access and success for low-income, first- Policy generation and underrepresented students living in cities in the United Washington, D.C. $150,000 States and South Africa. Institute of International Education Inc. New York, N.Y. 48 $15,824,500 Grants: / Total Committed: $250,000
John N. Gardner Institute for Achieving the Dream Education Trust Inc. Excellence in Undergraduate Silver Spring, Md. Washington, D.C. Education $360,000 $300,000 Brevard, N.C. $470,000 Achieving the Dream Families in Schools Silver Spring, Md. Los Angeles, Calif. Living Cities $120,000 $200,000 New York, N.Y. $20,000 Association of Governing Boards Florida Philanthropic Network of Universities and Colleges Tampa, Fla. MDC Inc. Washington, D.C. $425,000 Durham, N.C. $1,025,000 $350,000 Foundation for California Civic Nation Community Colleges MDRC Washington, D.C. Sacramento, Calif. New York, N.Y. $250,000 $300,000 $255,000
College for All Texans Foundation The Foundation for Maine’s Michigan Association of State Austin, Texas Community Colleges Universities $300,000 South Portland, Maine Lansing, Mich. $810,000 $300,000 Communities Foundation of Texas Dallas, Texas Governors State University Michigan College Access Network $450,000 University Park, Ill. Lansing, Mich. $450,000 $60,000 Delaware State University Dover, Del. Grantmakers for Education Michigan College Access Network $150,000 Portland, Ore. Lansing, Mich. $37,000 $17,500 Education Commission of the States iMentor National College Access Network Denver, Colo. New York, N.Y. Inc. $25,000 $350,000 Washington, D.C. $1,600,000
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National College Access Network Unite-LA Inc. Inc. Los Angeles, Calif. Washington, D.C. $500,000 $1,000,000 University Enterprises Inc. National League of Cities Institute Sacramento, Calif. Inc. $50,000 Washington, D.C. $500,000 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pa. New America Foundation $375,000 Washington, D.C. $100,000 University of South Florida Foundation New Jersey Council of County Tampa, Fla. Colleges $275,000 Trenton, N.J. $150,000 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas The New Press Inc. $400,000 New York, N.Y. $143,000 University of Virginia Charlottesville, Va. New Profit Inc. $500,000 Boston, Mass. $750,000 University of Wisconsin-Madison* Madison, Wis. New Profit Inc. $200,000 Boston, Mass. $50,000 Washington Monthly Corp. Washington, D.C. PeopleFirst Partnership $75,000 Memphis, Tenn. $350,000 Young Invincibles Washington, D.C. Public Agenda $35,000 New York, N.Y. $550,000 *Denotes cross-team grant
Rutgers University-Newark* Newark, N.J. $422,000
Say Yes to Education Inc. New York, N.Y. $250,000
Tides Center San Francisco, Calif. $25,000
The Kresge Foundation Page 66 Providing training and other operational and management assistance to grantees. The goal is to enhance the effectiveness of organizations and their individual leaders to better solve local problems and challenges in their own communities.
Route
Local Problem-Solving
Detroit: 42° 25' 35.994" N, 82° 57' 24.678" W
6 Local Problem-Solving 6 Local Problem-Solving 2016 Annual Report
Route 6: Local Problem-Solving Empowering Leaders and Partnerships in the Neighborhoods of Detroit
hen Sandra Turner-Handy asked a group of seniors with Denby to create a program that engages students in at Detroit's Denby High School to write a paragraph neighborhood revitalization projects. Wdescribing their city to an outsider, she was shocked at the depictions. Originating as a senior capstone class in 2013, the program has been so successful it will become four-year curriculum for “Ninety percent of the writings said, ‘Don't come to the city. I can't incoming freshmen beginning in 2017 with support from The wait till I get out. I'm never coming back,’” says Turner-Handy, Kresge Foundation. herself a Detroiter. “These were the stories students were telling to this imaginary person outside of Detroit, and it literally broke In 2016, MEC was one of 21 grantees of Kresge Innovative my heart.” Projects: Detroit, a three-year, $5 million initiative funding projects by Detroit-based nonprofits in neighborhoods across the city. However, those students were just beginning a program designed to empower them to solve problems in their neighborhoods. The backbone of MEC's work at Denby is Detroit Future City, a Turner-Handy is the community outreach director for the Michigan detailed, long-term strategy for Detroit's revitalization developed Environmental Council (MEC), a nonprofit that partnered by numerous city stakeholders and largely funded by Kresge.
Kresge's Detroit Program is committed to expanding opportunity so that Detroit's neighborhoods benefit from the same energy that is refueling revitalization in other parts of the city. Sandra Turner-Handy of the Michigan Environmental Council works with students at Detroit's Denby High School.
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Turner-Handy and Denby staff guide students Some graduates of the program even return to in identifying and implementing solutions to mentor younger students. For instance, Hakeem Local Problem-Solving problems in their neighborhood. Weatherspoon, who was involved in the first capstone class, returns to Denby at least once a Tackling That work has resulted in major improvements year to speak to students working with MEC. for the neighborhood, most notably the Blight in renovation of a 6-acre park adjacent to Denby. “It's amazing to feel that some kids do look up Memphis Once dilapidated and unmaintained, Skinner to you when they're younger than you are," Park now features basketball courts, raised Weatherspoon says. “That makes me feel good.” Academy develops garden beds and other amenities. Students local leaders designed the park and were engaged in cleanup Building Bridges, Rebuilding work to prepare for its transformation. Similar Neighborhoods As in many cities, older class “legacy projects” in the works involve Young Detroiters are similarly instrumental in the neighborhoods in Memphis, transforming an abandoned building across work of Kresge Innovative Projects: Detroit grantee Tennessee, have experienced from the school into a botanical garden, and Young Nation, a nonprofit dedicated to youth high levels of blight and vacancy. working with area universities to renovate vacant development in Southwest Detroit. A $150,000 structures in the neighborhood. grant in 2016 funded renovation of a building that will house Young Nation's offices, provide space for The program's greatest legacy, however, may be its programs and allow it to rent space to tenants the way it cultivates Denby students as future whose values align with the nonprofit. community leaders. Erik Howard co-founded Young Nation in 2002 when he was just 19. As he grew up in what he calls an “intense” area of Southwest Detroit, Howard experienced the tension between what he describes as “porch culture” (the strong Students at Denby High School designed renovations at Skinner Park and community among neighbors) and “corner Memphis is an example of what helped prepare for its transformation. culture” (equally strong communities organized can be accomplished when people come together to address blight.
But a promising approach may give blight fighters – here and in other communities across the country – a new tool. Kresge is supporting Memphis Neighbor- hood Preservation Inc. (NPI) in the establishment of a Strategic Code Enforcement Academy with the University of Memphis School of Law.
The program provides manage- ment training and professional development resources to policymakers, senior managers and municipal attorneys who lead their communities’ housing and building code departments and blight elimination activities. Participants learn to better use
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around less lawful activities). Both cultures offer supports development without displacement, young people opportunities to build a reputation, is important to us,” he says. “Being a space local data to make strategic deci- build relationships and express themselves. where unlikely relationships are formed is of the sions. Kresge funding supported utmost importance to us.” design and development of the “A young person will get what they're looking curriculum as well as two pilot for, whether it is in a way that builds them up and Clearing the Air training sessions for 70 people. the people around them, or a way that exploits Kresge Detroit program officer Bryan Hogle “By changing the approach them and the people around them," Howard says. says the overarching goal of Kresge Innovative from reactive to strategic, Projects: Detroit is to enable residents of any code enforcement can be more Howard's work with Young Nation is founded age to improve their own communities. The responsive, more efficient and on the idea of building bridges between those initiative’s ability to develop and empower more sensitive to neighborhood two cultures and leveraging the constructive young leaders is an important collateral benefit. and community priorities,” says assets in each. The clearest representation “These folks, young and old, have the best Joe Schilling, senior researcher of this philosophy is in the Alley Project, a perspective on what the biggest challenges and at the Urban Institute and senior “walking gallery” featuring street art spread opportunities are for their neighborhoods, and faculty member at the academy. across an entire city block's worth of garages what can make the biggest difference in moving and other surfaces in a Southwest Detroit their neighborhood forward,” he says. residential alley. The initiative allows young people the creative expression of street art Take, for example, the nonprofit Southwest without the typical gang associations. Detroit Community Benefits Coalition, which recently took a neighborhood air-quality study Situated around the corner from the art-filled to the next level with Kresge support. Southwest alley, Young Nation’s new building project will Detroit is particularly subject to high emissions help expand the Alley Project's footprint. Young from sprawling industrial complexes and Nation is also in the process of redeveloping an adjacent vacant lot as a public cultural plaza, seizing what Howard calls an “opportunity to Erik Howard of Young Nation with Freddy Diaz, an artist-mentor and board rebuild the corner, figuratively and literally.” member with The Alley Project, and A public art installation in a Nyasia Valdez, Young Nation's programs Memphis community learning garden. “The redevelopment of that corner, in a way that and partnerships manager.
The academy is part of a larger revitalization effort in Memphis. NPI recently led the creation of a charter to address blight in the city and Shelby County.
“Memphis is evolving as a leading example of what can be done when a coalition of people comes from different points in the community to strategically deal with blighted properties and neighborhoods,” says Kermit Lind, clinical professor emeritus at Cleveland State University and academy senior faculty.
The project supports Kresge’s efforts to invest in people and institutions that make change
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heavy truck traffic on I-75 traveling to or from education and action around an issue that many the Ambassador Bridge, which crosses the previously accepted as a fact of life. possible, says Chantel Rush, Detroit River to Windsor, Ontario. Area resident a program officer of Kresge’s and benefits coalition project director Simone “You get used to things, and you don't always American Cities Practice. Sagovac recalls asking attendees of a community know how you can make a difference on issues “We believe in cross-sector meeting if their families had problems with that affect you and your family,” Sagovac says. collaboration,” she says. “We asthma, and one mom responded that all five of “That's what we're trying to do together.” believe in using data. We believe her children had asthma and hearing problems. in engaging communities. And More Innovative Partnerships we believe in thinking about As bad as the emissions problem may be, it's Kresge Innovative Projects: Detroit was announced what the impact of change in a likely to get worse. The planned Gordie Howe in 2014 as an important evolution in Kresge's neighborhood is on residents.” International Bridge, a second Detroit-Windsor grantmaking with its support for a large number crossing, will also be located in Southwest Detroit, of nonprofits seeking transformative changes The project could serve as a model roughly 2 miles from the Ambassador Bridge. to neighborhoods across Detroit. But Kresge’s for training and engaging local Detroit Program has long invested in a wide array leaders to reclaim abandoned There's no halting the new bridge project, but of neighborhood-focused efforts and continues to homes and revitalize communities. Sagovac and her organization have taken do so today, often working with partners to design Says Schilling, “My hope is that aggressive action to analyze the community's air new tools to address problems at hand. this academy will become insti- quality to establish a baseline for understanding tutionalized and gain national changes to come. Kresge’s grant provided for For instance, in 2016, Kresge's Detroit Program prominence." the purchase of four portable air monitors. They and Social Investments team forged an innovative will be rotated through homes to measure black carbon, an indicator of diesel emissions.
Sagovac hopes that having comprehensive air- The Southwest Detroit Community quality data for the community may yet shape Benefits Coalition is tracking air quality to planning and policy work on the bridge. But the establish a baseline to measure impact of CBC's main goal is to engage its community in future developments in the area.
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Damon and Ashley Dickerson acquired mortgage financing through the Detroit Home Mortgage program.
partnership with local banks to create a new Detroit Revitalization Fellows Director Asandi mortgage product intended to help kick-start Conner oversees both initiatives. She describes Detroit's moribund single-family mortgage market. the goal as threefold: preventing “brain drain” by The 2008 recession coupled with decades of retaining those who might otherwise move out of disinvestment and population loss in the city have Detroit; luring back professionals who have left; left homes undervalued; low appraisals make and attracting fresh, out-of-town talent. Through it difficult for would-be homeowners to get a Kresge Mayor’s Fellows, the foundation continues mortgage that covers a realistic purchase price, to invest in a select group of revitalization fellows not to mention needed renovations. while strengthening municipal government’s ability to transform itself and benefit residents. Detroit Home Mortgage, managed by the Minneapolis-based Community Reinvestment Jerrell Harris is an example of the talented Fund, is designed to address that situation with individuals introduced to Detroit through this first mortgages above appraised values and fellowship program. After working in urban second mortgages of up to $75,000 to take care planning and affordable housing in Florida and of needed repairs. Washington, D.C., Harris was intrigued by urban revitalization work in Detroit and New Orleans. In addition to traditional grant funding, Kresge The Detroit Revitalization Fellows program sealed provided CRF with a $6 million guarantee to the deal on his choice of Detroit. protect borrowers’ second mortgage in the case of short sales prompted by extenuating He completed a two-year revitalization fellowship circumstances. with Detroit nonprofit Focus: HOPE, a major provider of social services, job training and “We wanted to make sure we were creating a workplace development. As a Kresge Mayor’s product that was not predatory,” says CRF Fellow, he is director of restructuring and CEO Frank Altman. CRF wanted to offer some transformation for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. protection for homeowners with mortgages that would be under water until appraised values Despite previous work in the public sector, increase – a key goal of the program. Harris says his fellowships have ingrained in him a more holistic perspective toward solving a In another forward-looking collaboration, community's problems. Kresge joined peer foundations to provide grant funding to three cohorts of Wayne State “The decisions we make affect every Detroiter,” University's Detroit Revitalization Fellows. That he says. “No matter where you are in the city of program places mid-career professionals Detroit, you should be feeling the benefit and in two-year fellowships with prominent city receiving the benefit that is coming from the organizations. A related initiative, Kresge redevelopment and revitalization of the city.” Mayor’s Fellows, launched in 2015, put three seasoned revitalization fellows in two-year mayoral staff assignments.
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Local Problem-Solving Setting the Table for College Access Seeding Success aims to increase postsecondary participation
Mark Sturgis admits there's a Sturgis acknowledges that it is not steep hill to climb when it comes to a single organization’s responsi- improving higher education access bility to boost college completion. and attainment in Memphis. That's why Seeding Success has convened two community In America's 24th-largest city, action networks. One brings only 36 percent of residents have school districts and community and universities to create a Graduate Memphis and the Memphis Area College Presidents Council hosted a college degree, nearly half of all organizations together to focus data-driven, early-warning system a Higher Education Forum. high schoolers do not enroll in any on expanding access to college. A so that students at risk of dropping kind of postsecondary education second unites colleges, universities out can be identified and provided program and graduation rates at and community organizations to support. Sturgis wants to emulate Caroline Altman Smith, deputy community colleges sometimes focus on improving postsecondary the for-profit sector’s focus on director of Kresge's Education don’t top 10 percent. As executive education outcomes. leadership development and using Program, says Seeding Success is director of Seeding Success, Stur- best practices. truly unique in setting the table for gis has plans to change that. Seeding Success has only existed college access and success. since 2013, but it can already count Kresge awarded the Memphis major victories. The organization “There's not a huge infrastructure nonprofit a $350,000 grant in led a community campaign to in- of organizations that provides the The Free Application for Federal 2016 for its efforts to promote crease FAFSA applications among kind of connective tissue between Student Aid (FAFSA) is the collaboration and best practices Memphis high school students. efforts the way that Seeding Suc- form high school seniors fill out among the city’s higher educa- FAFSA completion rates rocketed cess does,” Smith says. to tap into billions of dollars tion institutions. from 65 percent to 86 percent in available in federal support just the first year of that campaign. The goal is for 55 percent of for postsecondary education. Memphis residents to earn a post- Seeding Success supports Memphis Data show many students who colleges in collaborating to improve Seeding Success is currently secondary certificate or degree by could receive funding do not higher education access. working with Memphis colleges 2025. Beyond that, Sturgis hopes file a FAFSA, leaving billions the higher education ecosystem in unclaimed that could support Memphis will sustain itself. their higher learning goals. One estimate by financial site “Our goal is that maybe one day NerdWallet.com put that figure we’re not a necessary piece of the at $2.7 billion. puzzle, and institutions have the capacity to manage this work on their own,” he says. “But in lieu of “We just turn people loose into the that, we're really providing the con- social sector and say, ‘Go improve nectivity for all these systems.” college access. Go improve post- secondary attainment,’ but with no real methodology behind support- ing them to do that,” he says.
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Detroit Program The Next Step: Bringing Recovery to Neighborhoods By Wendy Lewis Jackson and Benjamin S. Kennedy Managing Directors
here is perhaps no other topic that evokes more passion about Detroit’s long-term potential Tfor revitalization than the future direction of its neighborhoods. So, years from now when we look back, the Kresge Detroit Program team wants 2016 to be recognized as the year we brought Detroit’s neighborhoods into greater focus by deepening our commitment to their healthy and inclusive recovery. Neighborhoods provide Detroit its character and definition, but more importantly, they are the places where Wendy Lewis Jackson Benjamin S. Kennedy generations of Detroiters have placed their bet on the future and made an investment for the long term.
We’re committed to expanding opportunity so Detroit’s Our Kresge Arts in Detroit initiative – through the College for neighborhoods benefit from the energy that has transformed the Creative Studies – saw another successful year supporting an arc downtown and Midtown areas. We’ve refreshed our strategies of artistic careers. We also renewed our three-year commitment to to double down on the building blocks of neighborhood 66 arts and culture-related institutions and organizations. revitalization by strengthening systems that galvanize early childhood development, support arts and culture and empower This will also be known as the year we began to ensure that children community development in neighborhoods across the city. We are not left out of the turnaround. Kresge Early Years for Success: are unwavering in our belief that residents across the city, their Detroit (KEYS: Detroit) reimagines the city’s neighborhoods block clubs and their community organizations, are the key to by putting building blocks in place to support the development shaping what comes next. It is imperative that renewal in city of young children and prepare them for educational success. neighborhoods be robust, far-reaching, equitable and inclusive of Most important was the listening that shaped these initiatives. residents’ visions and aspirations. Community meetings arranged by partners across the city gave us new insight into their work and ours, influencing the latest In these pages, you’ve read about our deepened commitment iterations of existing initiatives and guiding efforts still coming. to neighborhoods through the advancement of key initiatives such as Kresge Innovative Projects: Detroit, our three-year, We’re passionate about supporting Detroiters and the places they $5 million pilot to invest in the creative energies of nonprofits live. Our 2016 experiences have informed us and will inspire us engaged in neighborhood-based projects across the geography. through 2017 and beyond. In 2016, we brought our tally of planning and project grants to nearly 40, and collected just shy of 70 new applications for the final round of grants in 2017. Since the initiative’s first call for Other Detroit Program partners and projects highlighted applications in 2014, we’ve gained new insight into the supports in this report include: that neighborhood-based organizations need to bring about Kresge Early Years for Success: Detroit, page 14 transformative changes.
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Kresge Arts in Detroit
Kresge Artist Fellowships honor 18 artists or arts collaboratives annually. Photographer Leni Sinclair was named Kresge's 2016 Eminent Artist.
he Kresge Foundation sees arts and culture as a key The Eminent Artist program annually awards a $50,000 prize to element in the revitalization of cities. Kresge's Detroit a Detroit-area artist to honor exceptional, lifelong contributions TProgram supports that vision in a number of ways, to their art form and to the community. The 2016 Eminent Artist including direct, unrestricted awards and other supports for was Leni Sinclair, best known for her striking photographic artists through Kresge Arts in Detroit (KAID). With this initiative, documentation of Detroit's music and political scene in the 1960s. Kresge has invested more than $4 million in metropolitan Detroit artists since 2008. Kresge Artist Fellowships annually honor 18 artists (or artist collaboratives) displaying creative vision and commitment to Annually, KAID celebrates a single Kresge Eminent Artist as well excellence in a variety of disciplines with awards of $25,000. as a class of Kresge Artist Fellows. Since 2015, Kresge has also Fellows also receive professional development through a recognized emerging artists with the Gilda Awards, named for program presented by Creative Many Michigan. Members of esteemed Detroit artist-teacher-mentor Gilda Snowden. The the 2016 class ranged from rock musician Danny Kroha to poet- Gilda Awards were made a permanent fixture of KAID's artist performance artist jessica Care moore to traditional Mexican awards in 2016. dance troupe Corazon del Pueblo.
“Kresge Artist Fellowships and the Gilda Awards enable individual The Gilda Awards provide $5,000 unrestricted prizes to two early- artists to advance and deepen their artistic practice,” says Richard career artists who have demonstrated a commitment to breaking Rogers, president of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, from the conventions of their discipline. The 2016 awards went to which administers KAID on behalf of the foundation. “These stop-motion animator Ellen Coons, and dancer and self-described artists provide great benefit to the larger community by bringing “ethnochoreologist” Marsae Mitchell. new work to the public and enriching our cultural discourse.”
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Community Development 2016 Advocates Detroit Detroit, Mich. Detroit Grants $30,000
We use a comprehensive investment strategy in our hometown Community Development Advocates Detroit to advance opportunities for people to thrive. Detroit, Mich. $250,000
Community Development 164 / $30,668,719 Grants: Total Committed: Advocates Detroit Detroit, Mich. $5,000 826michigan Campaign for Black Male Ann Arbor, Mich. Achievement* Community Foundation for $200,000 New York, N.Y. Southeast Michigan $50,000 Detroit, Mich. Allied Media Projects $1,700,000 Detroit, Mich. Capital Impact Partners $45,000 Arlington, Va. Community Foundation for $500,000 Southeast Michigan* American Civil Liberties Union Detroit, Mich. Fund of Michigan Capital Impact Partners $1,700,000 Detroit, Mich. Arlington, Va. $300,000 $14,260 Creative Many Michigan Detroit, Mich. Arise! Detroit CEL Education Fund $245,000 Detroit, Mich. Oakland, Calif. $100,000 $20,000 CultureSource Detroit, Mich. Arise! Detroit Center for Community Progress $335,000 Detroit, Mich. Flint, Mich. $250,000 $100,000 DataArts Philadelphia, Penn. Arise! Detroit Charles H. Wright Museum of $135,000 Detroit, Mich. African American History $25,000 Detroit, Mich. Data Driven Detroit $15,000 Detroit, Mich. Arts League of Michigan Inc. $100,000 Detroit, Mich. College for Creative Studies $150,000 Detroit, Mich. Detroit Economic Growth $1,881,800 Association Black Family Development Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. College for Creative Studies $100,000 $90,000 Detroit, Mich. $150,000 Detroit Economic Growth The Brightmoor Alliance Association Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $25,000 $25,000
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Detroit Employment Solutions The Friends School in Detroit LifeBUILDERS Corp. Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $62,250 $6,350 $250,000 German Marshall Fund of the Mack Avenue Community Church Detroit Hispanic Development United States* Development Corporation Corp. Washington, D.C. Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $325,000 $150,000 $25,000 Gleaners Community Food Bank Marygrove College Detroit Regional Chamber of Southeastern Michigan Detroit, Mich. Foundation Detroit, Mich. $575,000 Detroit, Mich. $250,000 $700,000 Marygrove College Global Detroit Detroit, Mich. Detroit Regional Chamber Detroit, Mich. $1,500,000 Foundation $25,000 Detroit, Mich. Metropolitan Organizing Strategy $650,000 Goodwill Industries of Greater Enabling Strength Detroit Detroit, Mich. Detroit Strategic Framework Inc. Detroit, Mich. $25,000 Detroit, Mich. $750,000 $800,000 Michigan Advocacy Program Grandmont Rosedale Ann Arbor, Mich. Detroit Strategic Framework Inc. Development Corp. $120,000 Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $1,786,000 $10,000 Michigan Community Resources Detroit, Mich. Downtown Detroit Partnership Inc. High Scope Educational Research $147,750 Detroit, Mich. Foundation $100,000 Ypsilanti, Mich. Michigan Community Resources $15,000 Detroit, Mich. Eastside Community Network $250,000 Detroit, Mich. IFF* $25,000 Chicago, Ill. Michigan Environmental Council $680,000 Lansing, Mich. Eastside Community Network $150,000 Detroit, Mich. IFF – Detroit $1,000,000 Detroit, Mich. Michigan Environmental Council $1,070,000 Lansing, Mich. EcoWorks $12,500 Detroit, Mich. Invest Detroit Foundation $25,000 Detroit, Mich. Michigan Environmental Council $45,000 Lansing, Mich. Focus: HOPE $200,000 Detroit, Mich. Jefferson East Inc. $25,000 Detroit, Mich. Michigan Nonprofit Association $500,000 Lansing, Mich. Focus: HOPE $250,000 Detroit, Mich. Jefferson East Inc. $150,000 Detroit, Mich. Midtown Detroit Inc. $325,000 Detroit, Mich. Forgotten Harvest Inc. $650,000 Oak Park, Mich. LifeBUILDERS $90,000 Detroit, Mich. $150,000
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Midtown Detroit Inc. Southwest Detroit Business Wayne State University Detroit, Mich. Association Detroit, Mich. $150,000 Detroit, Mich. $159,946 $70,000 Midtown Detroit Inc. Wayne State University Detroit, Mich. Think Detroit PAL Detroit, Mich. $225,000 Detroit, Mich. $303,586 $25,000 Motown Historical Museum Inc. Wayne State University Detroit, Mich. U SNAP BAC Non-Profit Housing Detroit, Mich. $160,000 Corp. $250,000 Detroit, Mich. National Academy of Sciences $25,000 Woodbridge Neighborhood Washington, D.C. Development Corp. $50,000 United Community Housing Detroit, Mich. Coalition $25,000 National Park Foundation Detroit, Mich. Washington, D.C. $115,000 Young Nation $265,000 Detroit, Mich. University of Detroit Mercy $150,000 National Trust for Historic Detroit, Mich. Preservation $25,000 Washington, D.C. *Denotes cross-team grant $200,000 University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, Mich. New Detroit Inc. $30,000 Detroit, Mich. $250,000 University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, Mich. New Museum of Contemporary $250,000 Art New York, N.Y. University of Detroit Mercy $15,000 Detroit, Mich. $200,000 Non-Profit Enterprise at Work Inc. Ann Arbor, Mich. University of Detroit Mercy $50,000 Detroit, Mich. $70,000 People for Palmer Park Detroit, Mich. Urban Neighborhood Initiatives $25,000 Inc. Detroit, Mich. Ponyride $150,000 Detroit, Mich. $150,000 Urban Strategies Inc. St. Louis, Mo. Ser Metro-Detroit, Jobs for $100,000 Progress Detroit, Mich. Vanguard Community $25,000 Development Corp. Detroit, Mich. Social Finance Inc.* $50,000 Boston, Mass. $200,000 Wayne State University* Detroit, Mich. $94,277
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Detroit Arts Support
ince 2007, The Kresge Foundation has provided more than $24 million in operating support to metro Detroit organizations of all sizes in the performing, visual and literary arts, as well as Sto institutions engaged in arts service, arts education and arts broadcasting. In 2016, Detroit Arts Support awarded $5.1 million to 66 of these organizations. More than half of the organizations supported are based in the city of Detroit; others are located elsewhere in Wayne County, and in Oakland The Kresge Foundation supports and Macomb counties. Approximately 50 percent of the funding supports small- to medium-size metro Detroit organizations of all sizes in the performing, visual and literary arts, organizations. In 2016, most grants were awarded over a period of three years in response to grantee along with other arts service, education feedback indicating that longer grant periods would be more conducive for planning and stability. and broadcasting institutions.
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Detroit Arts Support Dearborn Symphony Orchestra Eisenhower Dance Ensemble Dearborn, Mich. Southfield, Mich. 826michigan $15,000 $15,000 Ann Arbor, Mich. $22,000 Detroit Artists Market Far Conservatory of Therapeutic Detroit, Mich. and Performing Arts ACCESS $30,000 Birmingham, Mich. Dearborn, Mich. $40,000 $180,000 Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings Great Lakes Chamber Music All The World’s A Stage Southfield, Mich. Festival Operating Corp. Clinton Township, Mich. $60,000 Southfield, Mich. $10,000 $30,000 Detroit Children’s Choir Inc. Allied Media Projects Detroit, Mich. Grosse Pointe War Memorial Detroit, Mich. $15,000 Association $45,000 Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. Detroit Educational Television $15,000 The Art Center Wixom, Mich. Mount Clemens, Mich. $125,000 The Henry Ford $30,000 Dearborn, Mich. Detroit Educational Television $210,000 Arts and Scraps Wixom, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $210,000 Heritage Works $60,000 Detroit, Mich. Detroit Historical Society $60,000 Arts League of Michigan Inc. Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $120,000 Holocaust Memorial Center $60,000 Farmington Hills, Mich. The Detroit Institute of Arts $55,000 Birmingham Bloomfield Art Detroit, Mich. Center Inc. $210,000 InsideOut Literary Arts Project Birmingham, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $75,000 Detroit International Jazz Festival $135,000 Foundation Chamber Music Society of Detroit Harper Woods, Mich. Jewish Ensemble Theatre Farmington Hills, Mich. $110,000 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. $35,000 $65,000 Detroit Public Library Charles H. Wright Museum of Detroit, Mich. Living Arts African American History $30,000 Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $90,000 $225,000 Detroit Repertory Theatre Detroit, Mich. Macomb Community College College for Creative Studies $75,000 Warren, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $75,000 $75,000 Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc. Marygrove College Cranbrook Educational Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Community $225,000 $30,000 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. $135,000 Detroit Zoological Society Matrix Theatre Company Inc. Royal Oak, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $190,000 $75,000
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Michigan Opera Theatre The Scarab Club YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $210,000 $36,000 $45,000
Michigan Science Center Signal-Return Young Nation Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $135,000 $15,000 $45,000
Michigan State University Southwest Detroit Business East Lansing, Mich. Association, Inc. $45,000 Detroit, Mich. $19,000 Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit Detroit, Mich. Sphinx Organization Inc. $150,000 Detroit, Mich. $195,000 Motor City Brass Band Southfield, Mich. Stagecrafters $15,000 Royal Oak, Mich. $25,000 Motown Historical Museum Inc. Detroit, Mich. Teen HYPE $40,000 Detroit, Mich. $54,000 Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit Theatre Ensemble Detroit, Mich. Rochester, Mich. $125,000 $30,000
Music Hall Center for the Troy Historical Society Performing Arts Inc. Troy, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $19,000 $195,000 VSA Michigan Oakland University Detroit, Mich. Rochester, Mich. $15,000 $15,000 Wayne State University Pewabic Society Inc. Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $15,000 $135,000 Wayne State University Power House Productions Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $90,000 $15,000 Wayne State University PuppetART Detroit, Mich. Detroit, Mich. $90,000 $15,000 Wayne State University Rackham Symphony Choir Detroit, Mich. Grosse Pointe, Mich. $35,000 $15,000
The Kresge Foundation Page 82 Oakland: 37° 49' 26.9616" N, 122° 16' 38.2008" W
Funding research, backing education campaigns and supporting organizations involved in grassroots organizing and outreach to support policies that create opportunity for low-income people.
Route
Policy Change
7 Policy Change 7 Policy Change 2016 Annual Report
Route 7: Policy Change Advancing Successful Program Models to Create Lasting Change
hen it comes to health in low-income communities, The organizations that advance efforts to spread successful program Kresge Foundation recognizes that the path toward models and policies that address the social determinants of health, Whealth equity is greatly influenced by policy. such as Causa Justa::Just Cause, the Fair Food Network and the Moving Forward Network. “Your ability to lead a healthy life shouldn’t be determined by your income or the neighborhood where you live,” says David Fukuzawa, Housing and Health managing director of the Health and Human Services programs. Oakland, California-based Causa Justa::Just Cause, which “One way we can help create healthier communities and foster champions the right to decent, affordable housing, takes a opportunity for people is by supporting policy change." holistic approach to creating equitable communities by building grassroots support to address housing issues. Housing can A person's health is strongly influenced by where they live, and serve as a platform for residents of low-income communities to low-income neighborhoods are disproportionately affected by achieve a healthier quality of life. However, in the San Francisco pollution, inadequate housing, displacement, lack of access to Bay Area, the housing crisis and sky-high rents hit low-income fresh foods and many other factors. The Health Program supports communities hard.
A street dance party is part of Bike to Work Day in Oakland. Causa Justa::Just Cause in Oakland successfully advocated for an ordinance to strengthen rent control rules and expand protections against eviction.
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Policy Change Closing the Opportunity Gap Index that measures opportunity expands to metropolitan areas
Some people face an oppor- tunity gap. That’s what happens when race, income, English fluency, family situations and other factors negatively affect educational and employment potential.
Besides working to change policy, “In low-income communities, 60 to 70 percent of Causa Justa helps clients deal with the residents are renters,” says Stacey Barbas, renters' rights issues. senior program officer for Kresge's Health Program. “When rents increase and people are displaced, this has an enormous impact on an In recent years, as rents have increased and the individual's or family's health, and ultimately, tech boom continues to attract more workers, the their pathways to opportunity." ability of these tech workers to pay inflated rents in Oakland tends to motivate landlords to favor Causa Justa has already scored several them over lower-income tenants. Consequently, policy wins. It helped get a Tenant Protection Opportunity Nation's Opportunity these lower-income tenants are often forced to Ordinance passed in Oakland in 2014, making Summit brings stakeholders together. live in unhealthy, substandard housing. it easier for tenants to fight against landlord intimidation and defend themselves against Opportunity Nation, a multisec- What appealed to Kresge was how Causa Justa's unjust evictions. The ordinance explicitly tor coalition of 330 businesses model addresses the public health impacts of prohibits 16 types of landlord harassment, and civic, human services, displacement for Oakland residents and the including failure to make repairs, threats to educational and other commu- potential for its work to serve as a national model. report tenants' immigration status, removal of nity organizations, is working to property and physical abuse. strengthen the American Dream Kresge initially allotted $200,000 for Causa by closing the opportunity gap. Justa's Strategic Healthy Homes program, a In 2016, Causa Justa was successful again, this One way that the coalition tracks partnership with the Alameda County Health time advocating for the passage of Measure JJ the nation’s progress toward this Department that advances equitable housing in Oakland, which strengthens the city's rent- goal is through an Opportunity policies, strengthens code enforcement, control rules and expands protection against Index that measures 16 indica- bolsters renter protection and preserves healthy, eviction. Winning 75 percent of the popular tors of economic, educational affordable housing for low-income tenants in vote, the measure requires landlords to petition and community life at the county East and West Oakland neighborhoods. The the city's Rent Board for any cost increases and state level, including unem- program was so successful that Kresge awarded that surpass the inflation rate. It expands the ployment rates, poverty levels, a second, two-year grant of $400,000 for Causa number of housing units that must comply with Justa to continue this work. “just cause” eviction rules. And it strengthens
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“Your ability to lead a healthy preschool enrollments, internet life shouldn’t be determined by your access, availability of health care and access to healthy food. income or the neighborhood With a two-year, $560,000 grant from Kresge’s American Cities where you live.” Practice and Human Services —David Fukuzawa, The Kresge Foundation Program, Opportunity Nation will enhance national and local conversations to drive policies and practices that increase ac- cess to opportunity. The funding requirements for landlords to report data on Meanwhile, Causa Justa is working with state will support staff, research and rent increases and evictions, while also making and local government on housing issues, communication functions to that data more accessible to tenants. including code enforcement. This encompasses strengthen their activities. educating residents about how to advocate on
Together, these policy wins represented a their own behalf. significant development in the fight for tenants’ rights that led to the advancement of healthy With Kresge's help, Causa Justa's work will housing for low-income communities in Oakland. continue to ensure that residents are housed in safe, stable environments and that community “Thousands of tenants come into our office who development includes strategies to maintain face bed bugs and other infestations, mold affordability and protect cultural and social that led to their kids developing asthma, lack elements of the community. of running water and other uninhabitable conditions,” says Lorraine DeGuzman, Causa Housing can serve as a platform Justa development coordinator. “With the tenant for low-income residents to achieve a Kresge's support has helped protections, we can stop this.” healthier quality of life. Opportunity Nation expand.
This grant also provides resourc- es to create an Opportunity Index for 13 metropolitan areas across the country, including De- troit, Baltimore, Phoenix, Seattle, Des Moines and Boston.
“Where you are born should not dictate your destiny,” says San- dra Ambrozy, a senior program officer with Kresge’s Human Services Program. “Opportunity Nation’s work offers evidence for public officials, business leaders and community mem- bers to understand the kinds of investments and policies that contribute to opportunity.”
Kresge’s support has helped Opportunity Nation expand its
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“Healthy homes mean healthy communities,” groups from across the country that works on network and “demonstrate that DeGuzman says. issues at the national level and conducts training multisector collaboration is key workshops for housing advocates. to unlocking effective solutions” Local Success, National Impact for helping everyone achieve Causa Justa's policy wins have become models “Causa Justa’s work impacts renters far beyond economic and social mobility, for other cities in the Bay Area and nationally. their community. We’re able to share the lessons says Stacy Heit, director of learned and success of their work with other communications and events for “Causa Justa’s success in local grassroots grantees working on these types of policies,” Opportunity Nation. The pilot policy work illustrates that it is an important Fukuzawa adds. Metro-Level Opportunity Index strategy to ensure healthy housing regionally will be released in 2018. and nationwide,” says DeGuzman. “CJJC creates Making Fresh Foods Accessible local models that inspire regional-, state- and Another challenge for low-income communities “We hope that this new index national-scale healthy housing policies that is access to fresh, nutritious food. The will provide mayors, city council ensure racial and economic equity.” Michigan-based Fair Food Network addresses leaders and human services that problem with Double Up Food Bucks, an organizations with a way to build Causa Justa led the Regional Tenant Organizing incentive that matches the value of federal data into community plans to Network, which included labor unions, housing- SNAP benefits for the specific purpose of buying assess which programs, policies rights groups and other organizations to pass fresh fruits and vegetables. and initiatives are working, and coordinated tenant protections policies in Bay identify where improvements Area communities. Rent-control measures were The program started in Detroit farmers markets can be made,” Heit says. “We passed in 2016 in Santa Rosa to the north and in 2009 and now reaches low-income families in also hope communities will use San Jose to the south. An eviction-protection 20 states. It’s intended to strengthen local econ- this data to ramp up effective measure succeeded in Mountain View, a Silicon omies by giving priority to locally grown foods. programs and implement smart Valley community best known as a high-tech hub policies that better help low- and that also includes many low-income residents. moderate-income Americans The Kresge Foundation believes that achieve well-being and economic creating healthier communities and Nationally, Causa Justa is an anchor group of mobility.” fostering opportunities for people can Right To The City, an alliance of housing-rights be achieved through policy change.
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In the coming years, Double Up will reach “It has a receptive audience among many types more than one million SNAP recipients, who of people,” says Kate Krauss, chief operating buy healthy food in more than 500 farmers officer of the Fair Food Network. “We can talk markets and 200 grocery stores nationwide. about how it helps local economies and local In fact, the Fair Food Network and its partners, farmers, and it encourages good health and including Wholesome Wave Foundation, were nutrition among low-income people.” instrumental in persuading Congress to include $100 million in the 2014 Farm Bill for the Food Breath of Fresh Air Insecurity Nutrition Incentive, which encourages The air we breathe is just as important as the the consumption of healthy produce and was in food we eat. With Kresge's support, Air Alliance part modeled on Double Up. Houston has begun reducing air pollution around the city's port along the Buffalo Bayou where “Fair Food Network demonstrates how you can many low-income residents live and where increase access to affordable and healthy food asthma rates are high. AAH’s major win was the in low-income communities while encouraging passage in 2015 of an ordinance banning diesel growth in the local economy,” says Chris Kabel, trucks from idling for more than five minutes at deputy director of the Health Program. the port that serves Texas' largest city.
A major selling point of Double Up is that it Ports are problematic because trucks waiting appeals to almost everyone. to collect goods often idle their engines
The Fair Food Network in Michigan sponsors Double Up Food Bucks, an incentive that matches the value of federal SNAP benefits — specifically to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.
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The Ironbound Community Corporation holds a tree planting as part of its Newark (New Jersey) Resiliency Action Plan to increase green infrastructure while mitigating air pollution. Ironbound is a member of the Moving Forward Network. for hours at a time, spewing fumes into the that changes in national policy must be rooted surrounding neighborhoods. in building power from the community up, not from the top down," says Martha Matsuoka, “Diesel emissions are one of the major sources of executive director of the Urban & Environmental pollution,” says Bakeyah Nelson, the executive Policy Institute at Occidental College in Los director of Air Alliance Houston. “Reducing Angeles. The network's national campaigns, she idling reduces asthma” as well as other health adds, "are grounded in local organizing and have problems, including cancer. pushed EPA to recognize the significant issues port communities are facing, particularly deadly The passage of the ordinance (and others like air pollution." it in nearby cities) is just the beginning; now it must be promoted and enforced. Kresge grant The Moving Forward Network is among the few support means Air Alliance Houston can conduct grassroots networks of local groups working neighborhood meetings, distribute bumper nationally to change policies to reduce pollution. stickers to residents near the port and train and manage “civilian cops” who work with the city to “When ordinances and regulations are passed at issue warnings and – if necessary – citations to the local level, like in Houston, this strengthens the drivers who fail to turn off their engines. work of the entire Moving Forward Network," says Fukuzawa. “Each positive policy change at the Air Alliance Houston is part of the Moving local level creates momentum and strengthens Forward Network, a coalition of 44 organizations the network’s ability to keep educating decision- backed by Kresge and dedicated to reducing the makers and community residents.” negative environmental and health effects of the global trade system. These efforts together help advance successful program models and policies that create "As a community-based, community-led national communities where good health is accessible to coalition, the Moving Forward Network believes all residents.
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Policy Change “If we can’t stave off displacement, made possible with a $660,000 we’re increasing carbon output,” Kresge grant awarded by the More Power to says Sage Acting Deputy Director Environment Program's Climate the People Kim Powe, explaining that displace- Resilience and Urban Opportunity ment means more reliance on cars. initiative (CRUO). Bringing low-income people and communities of color to the climate resilience discussion The climate report offers a As Sage and Got Green work to framework for policy strategies implement their plan, they are fo- and action steps for elected cused on elevating and growing an The Puget Sound region of Seattle, color experience climate change. officials, government agencies, intersectional approach to climate Washington, is a climate resilience The research culminated in a 2016 environmentalists and the media. and resilience. That includes add- leader among urban areas. report, "Our People, Our Planet, Our Sage used the findings to develop ing community sustainability and Power – Community Led Research affordable housing to discussions Two nonprofit organizations, Puget in South Seattle," which detailed surrounding flooding, air quality Sound Sage and project partner resident concerns about carbon “We are leveraging the and “urban heat islands.” Those Got Green, are working to ensure pollution, food access, transit resources we have to are locations within cities that low-income populations and peo- options and the region’s ability to build up capacity of are hotter than others due to the ple of color have meaningful roles adapt to climate change. The report others to lead concentration of heat-absorbing in that process. identified the community’s environ- (climate change) work.” surfaces such as roads, sidewalks mental priorities and overwhelm- and buildings, along with an The majority women-led Sage ingly elevated affordable housing —Myani Guetta-Gilbert, absence of cooling vegetation and Puget Sound Sage serves the interests of low-income as a primary issue of concern. Its tree canopy. people, communities of color, immi- conclusion: Climate resilience is grants and refugees. Together with undermined if low-income people a multiyear plan to ensure that the Powe says government planners Got Green – which organizes on and people of color continue to be environmental, health and quality are slowly realizing they need to behalf of environmental, racial and disproportionately displaced from of life priorities identified by the engage different sectors of the economic justice – Sage conducted homes and neighborhoods. community inform and influence community to ensure success. a community-based research how Seattle and King County Sage and Got Green served on project. They interviewed residents implement carbon reduction strat- Seattle’s Equity & Environment Puget Sound Sage works to ensure and organizations in Seattle and egies, and enact other policies Initiative’s Community Partners low-income people and people of King County to determine how and investments that address Steering Committee, a ground- color have a place at the climate low-income people and people of resiliency table. climate change. The work was breaking initiative created to ensure that those most affected by environmental inequities ben- efit from Seattle’s environmental progress.
Besides climate resilience, Sage wants to foster residents’ influence in public discourse. Its Community Leadership Institute prepares grassroots activists of color to interact with or join boards and commissions.
“We are leveraging the resources we have,” says Myani Guetta-Gil- bert, Sage coalition organizer, “to build up capacity of others to lead (climate change) work, sustain that work and grow that work in their respective communities.”
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Health Program Partnering to Promote Health for Low-Income People By David Fukuzawa Managing Director
n 2016, the Health Program continued Moving Healthcare Upstream, led to work through two signature by partners at Nemours and the Iinitiatives, Fresh, Local & Equitable UCLA Center for Healthier Children, (FreshLo) and Emerging Leaders in Public Families and Communities, continues Health, as well as through strategic to identify, support, connect and investments that develop healthy places highlight innovative, multisector and and accelerate community-centered multidisciplinary partnerships that approaches to health. achieve better health outcomes in communities. The initiative works Our team is passionate about David Fukuzawa with more than two dozen pediatric collaborating with internal and external health systems and health-focused partners to ensure that we address the conditions that promote organizations across the country to address health inequities by health, which include safe and affordable housing, fresh and collaborating with community partners and testing innovative healthy food, access to economic opportunities and equitable strategies. These institutions also learn from each other’s transportation. innovative approaches to addressing complex health issues.
We are working with our partners to identify multidisciplinary Throughout this report, you will learn about some of the Health approaches to address the social determinants of health – all Program’s signature initiatives including FreshLo, Emerging Leaders of the factors that influence health such as food, air and water in Public Health and the Moving Forward Network. Each is strongly quality, housing and more. In 2016, we worked with the founding grounded at the local level, while demonstrating how the work can partners of The BUILD Health Challenge to expand the initiative successfully expand to practices and approaches nationally. by attracting more funders and spreading to more communities. We also share stories about grants that are tackling the social Kresge joined other founding partners of BUILD – a national determinants of health with new approaches such as Village awards program supporting communities that take innovative Capital. The common theme I hope you take away from these and collaborative approaches toward health improvement – such examples is the critical importance of community engagement in as The Advisory Board Company, de Beaumont Foundation, addressing the root causes of poor health. the Colorado Health Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with several new regional funders in a commitment to award 15 community-led grants in 2017. BUILD will continue to Other Health Program partners and projects highlighted encourage meaningful local partnerships among health systems, in this annual report include: community-based organizations, public health agencies and Village Capital, page 20 other organizations to improve the overall health of residents. Emerging Leaders in Public Health, page 26 Community Foundation of Greater Flint, page 41 DNA-People's Legal Services, page 53 FreshLo: Fresh, Local & Equitable, page 60
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The Food Trust 2016 Philadelphia, Pa. $2,000
Health Grants Group Health Cooperative Seattle, Wash. We work to reduce health disparities among children and adults $299,706 by addressing conditions that lead to poor health outcomes. Health Leads Inc.* Boston, Mass. $650,000 Grants: 55 / Total Committed: $26,220,110 Human Impact Partners Oakland, Calif. Binghampton Development Corp.* DAISA Enterprises $400,000 Memphis, Tenn. South Hadley, Mass. $75,000 $316,000 La Mujer Obrera* El Paso, Texas Bipartisan Policy Center de Beaumont Foundation $75,000 Washington, D.C. Bethesda, Md. $200,000 $1,200,000 The Morehouse School of Medicine Inc. California Community DNA People’s Legal Services Atlanta, Ga. Foundation* Window Rock, Ariz. $800,000 Los Angeles, Calif. $50,000 $1,000,000 National Academy of Sciences Dream of Wild Health* Washington, D.C. Center for Active Design Minneapolis, Minn. $1,050,000 New York, N.Y. $75,000 $125,000 National Academy of Sciences Elijah’s Promise Inc.* Washington, D.C. Center for Healthcare Research & New Brunswick, N.J. $300,000 Transformation* $75,000 Ann Arbor, Mich. National Association of $425,000 Environmental Health Watch* Community Health Centers Inc. Cleveland, Ohio Bethesda, Md. Community Catalyst Inc.* $75,000 $1,194,972 Boston, Mass. $1,180,000 Fair Food Network National Center for Healthy Ann Arbor, Mich. Housing Inc. Community Foundation of Greater $200,000 Columbia, Md. Flint* $750,000 Flint, Mich. Families USA Foundation Inc. $2,000,000 Washington, D.C. National Housing Conference Inc. $419,137 Washington, D.C. Council of Large Public Housing $165,000 Agencies* Fenton Communications Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. $450,000 $250,000
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National Housing Institute/ Placeful Company Inc.* United Church of Montbello* Shelterforce* New York, N.Y. Denver, Colo. Montclair, N.J. $75,000 $75,000 $525,000 Planting Justice* University of Michigan Neighborhood Reinvestment Oakland, Calif. Ann Arbor, Mich. Corp. $75,000 $165,200 Washington, D.C. $350,000 PolicyLink University of North Carolina at Oakland, Calif. Chapel Hill Nemours Foundation $50,000 Chapel Hill, N.C. Jacksonville, Fla. $1,100,000 $350,088 Project HOPE – The People-to- People Health Foundation Inc. Village Capital* New Venture Fund Bethesda, Md. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. $559,000 $250,000 $25,000 Rainier Beach Action Coalition* West Harlem Environmental New Venture Fund Seattle, Wash. Action Inc. Washington, D.C. $75,000 New York, N.Y. $225,000 $500,000 The Regents of the University of Nonprofit Finance Fund* California, Los Angeles *Denotes cross-team grant New York, N.Y. Los Angeles, Calif. $1,700,000 $347,645
Occidental College RiverStone Health Foundation* Los Angeles, Calif. Billings, Mont. $650,000 $75,000
Omaha Economic Development Sankofa Community Development Corp.* Corp.* Omaha, Neb. New Orleans, La. $75,000 $75,000
Partnership for a Healthier Southeastern Michigan Health America Inc. Association* Washington, D.C. Detroit, Mich. $735,000 $750,000
Partnership for Community Southeastern Michigan Health Action* Association* Albuquerque, N.M. Detroit, Mich. $75,000 $612,554
Pew Charitable Trusts UMRC Foundation* Washington, D.C. Chelsea, Mich. $423,808 $2,500,000
The Kresge Foundation Page 94 Building collaborations among the public, private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors to address complex, multifaceted challenges in America’s cities. Instead of working in parallel, we actively shed predefined roles and look for opportunities to work together for a common good.
Route
Public-Private Partnerships
Memphis: 35° 8' 24.9684" N, 90° 3' 34.2288" W
Public-Private 8 Partnerships Public-Private 8 Partnerships 2016 Annual Report
Route 8: Public-Private Partnerships River of Dreams: Sprucing up the Front Porch of Downtown Memphis
emphis is on the move. That message is reverberating Chief among those are its people, who form a tapestry of cultures throughout the Bluff City, from downtown to Frayser to working to create opportunity in their city. Kresge’s support of MOrange Mound. The message is heard at City Hall, in the a distributive leadership model acknowledges the work already private sector and among community activists. happening across Memphis by city government, nonprofit organizations and private enterprise, all of whom are working to build And The Kresge Foundation is supporting this movement, racial equity, foster business growth and strengthen neighborhoods. applying lessons learned from its revitalization work in Detroit to this historic Southern city. Through its American Cities Practice, Reclaiming a Riverfront Kresge invests in Memphis by strengthening the city’s systems Many Memphians believe a key to progress – and a basis for and neighborhoods so that it can become an accelerator of changing the city’s image and ultimately increasing opportunity – opportunity for people with low incomes. is a long underutilized asset: the riverfront. Memphis is situated atop a bluff over the mighty Mississippi River. On clear evenings, “We look to support places that have need, but also assets,” says the setting sun creates a stunning backdrop to the swift current of Kresge Program Officer Chantel Rush. “Memphis has a lot of assets.” the river that has given the city so much life.
Revitalizing the riverfront is key to progress in Memphis. Innovate Memphis Fourth Bluff Fridays present a pop-up beer garden with free music in Memphis Park, a Reimagining the Civic Commons site.
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“Everything about Memphis came from this river,” by Carol Coletta, senior fellow of Kresge’s Public-Private Partnerships says Benny Lendermon, president of Riverfront American Cities Practice – had the desired Development Corp. But as happened in so many catalytic effect. They led to the creation of a Expanding cities, he adds, industry took precedent over cross-sector taskforce to push forward the next residents on the riverfront. Over time, those stage of Memphis riverfront development. Opportunity industries declined and their facilities fell into in Seattle disrepair. Memphis became a city with its “back The four-day trip, says Lendermon, “has totally turned to the river.” transformed the priority of the riverfront, and Can art and design decision-makers are now very much aware of contribute to the Lendermon’s Riverfront Development Corp. is a how valuable it is.” transformation of leader in the movement to reorient the city and a public housing entice residents to reclaim the riverfront. Attracting Investment, Benefiting development? Neighborhoods Walkways, urban art, stairs and “lots of Using funds from a 2016 Kresge grant, the The Seattle Housing Author- connections” are just part of the story. In August Memphis Riverfront Development Corp. will ity (SHA) is convinced it can. 2016, for instance, Lendermon coordinated a bring together local leaders, architects and And so is Kresge. It has provided four-day trip for Memphis leaders – from the planners to start work on a plan that unleashes support toward Yesler Terrace, a political, development and philanthropic sectors the riverfront’s potential to enhance quality of mixed-income community that – to see waterfront revivals in Chicago, Detroit life for all residents. The riverfront of the near SHA Arts Administrator Jennifer and Philadelphia. The experiences – suggested future is envisioned as a cohesive civic amenity Song says aims to answer the that residents will use in numbers, taking pride question, “What does the human and a sense of ownership. That in turn can attract experience need to have for a investment and development, which will benefit full, successful life?” distressed core city neighborhoods over time. Benny Lendermon is president of Riverfront Development Corp., a “What does the leader in the movement to reclaim the This was the takeaway from the group’s visits Memphis riverfront. to Chicago, where the waterfront has long been human experience need to have for a full, successful life?” —Jennifer Song, Seattle Housing Authority
The three-year, $678,000 Kresge Arts & Culture Program grant supports an ambitious suite of projects for a historic neighborhood that is currently undergoing its own transforma- tion. The 30-acre complex south of downtown Seattle is being re- developed under a long-debated mixed-use plan, resulting in the loss of outdoor meeting space and private gardens.
The grant supports the infusion of arts and artists’ perspectives into the neighborhood trans- formation plan; the expression
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“Inspired by our work in Detroit, we of community voices in public spaces through pop-up art are supporting Memphis as it seeks installations, presentations and performances; major health, to plan and implement an ambitious education and job training ini- tiatives; the layering of cultural future for its riverfront.” heritage and character into —Chantel Rush, The Kresge Foundation community projects; and the incorporation of artistic com- ponents in the “Green Loop” of streets, walking paths and parks that connect the neighborhood. seen as a civic anchor and asset to be developed, commons” can “allow people the opportunity and in Detroit and Philadelphia, where riverfront to come together for civic engagement, create transformations over the past decade are new spaces for new economic integration, help particularly instructive. In Detroit, Kresge was people get to know one another while crossing the lead funder to jump-start a riverfront revival lines of economic segregation and grow together that began in 2003 and is ongoing. as a city,” says Justin Entzminger, CEO of grantee Innovate Memphis. “Kresge’s investments not only resulted in a valued amenity for Detroiters of all income Already, the work in the four-block area levels, but also helped to strengthen the city’s is spreading to branch libraries and parks downtown core and attract business and private throughout the city. development,” Rush says. “Detroit now has a world-class riverfront. Transformation in Progress Another area in which Kresge is investing is the Sculptor and experimental “Inspired by our work in Detroit, our goal is to Memphis Medical District – a 2.5-square-mile designer George Lee at work. support Memphis as it plans and implements an area that sits between midtown and downtown. Sculptor and experimental ambitious future for its riverfront – arguably the designer George Lee, one of city’s richest natural amenity, which can serve It contains several smaller neighborhoods and the artists funded with Kresge as its front porch.” medical and educational anchor institutions support, says preserving and including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the enhancing green spaces was es- Another effort to reinvigorate public spaces in University of Tennessee Health Science Center, pecially important because the Memphis is happening through Reimagining Southwest Tennessee Community College, development plan includes the the Civic Commons. For decades, cities have Methodist Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and loss of some public gathering neglected the public places that once knitted the Southern College of Optometry. places and gardens. Lee spent people and neighborhoods together – the libraries, nine months talking to residents, trails and community centers that can bring While more than 24,000 students, professors conducting art workshops and diverse people together and help communities and medical personnel work or attend school in working with developers on a prosper. A three-year initiative to reinvest in the district, fewer than 10,000 people live there. park plan for Yesler. As a result, these civic spaces in neighborhoods of Detroit, For decades, the area has been plagued by he was able to save a grove of Philadelphia, Akron, Chicago and Memphis is crime and blight. maple, pine, Monterey cypress funded by Kresge in conjunction with the JPB and Western red cedar trees Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight But several years back, leaders of a number of from destruction. Now desig- Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation. the district’s anchor institutions formed the nated as a gathering space, its Memphis Medical District Collaborative. The centerpiece will be a huge table In Memphis, a three-year grant from Kresge collaborative has set out to make the district for block parties. Lee is also is funding a demonstration on four downtown cleaner, safer, more prosperous and generally making interactive sculptures blocks that are home to the Cossitt Library, the more livable. and describes his involvement University of Memphis School of Law, the historic in Yesler’s evolution as Creative promenade and the Memphis and Mississippi A grant from Kresge helped fund market studies River parks. The goal is to show how this “civic showing that the district can support nearly
The Kresge Foundation Page 99 2016 Annual Report “Kresge’s investment helped us make the case to neighborhoods, developers and financing
Placemaking – the intentional institutions that there is a reason to integration of arts, culture and community-engaged design into be excited about the investments development and planning.
Similarly, Sandrine Espie and Es- that are coming.” ther Hong, through their Seattle —Tommy Pacello, Memphis Medical District Collaborative Muses sewing program, are tapping the talents of residents, many from east Africa and Southeast Asia. In a studio clut- 200,000 square feet of retail space and up This includes sharing lessons learned from tered with shears, large spools to 2,600 new residential units over the next Kresge’s work in Detroit, where, Rush notes, five years, says Tommy Pacello, president of higher education, medical and cultural anchor Memphis Medical District Collaborative, adding institutions worked in concert to jump-start the that many of those would need to be available at successful revitalization of the city’s Midtown affordable rates. district.
“Kresge’s investment helped us make the case “Anchor-led revitalization shows what’s possible to neighborhoods, developers and financing when disparate sectors get together and work institutions that there is a reason to be excited collaboratively to unleash their complementary about the investments that are coming,” he says. resources with engaged residents and “But Kresge did not just sponsor a market study – institutions,” Rush says. they are holistically involved in the work.” Challenges still loom large in Memphis, of course
Seattle Muses helps residents – but Memphians have new tools and a new spirit Tommy Pacello is president of the expand their sewing skills. of collaboration across sectors to confront them. Memphis Medical District Collaborative, focused on making the district more of thread and fabric, Espie and livable, prosperous and safe. Hong are helping participants expand their skills so they can find jobs in the burgeoning Seat- tle apparel industry. About half of the students who completed the initial program found jobs.
Other Kresge-backed programs at Yesler include dance, art and story workshops by Pat Graney Company/Keeping the Faith Artist Team; resident portraits by D.K. Pan; and a commission by sculptor and longtime Yesler resident Charles Parrish.
Ultimately, the effort is designed to demonstrate how arts and culture can contribute to resident engagement and community identity, heritage and character.
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Public-Private Partnerships and regional organizations to continue their studies. It's a way create an “aligned urban higher to break outside of traditional Creating a Path to College education ecosystem” — a focus systems and support students area for Kresge's Education more holistically. Aiming for every student to graduate in L.A. Program — that connects colleges and universities with nonprofits, At UNITE-LA, that looks like the businesses, local school districts Student Success Workshop, Students who are homeless, live Organizations such as UNITE-LA, and government agencies. which has representatives of 11 in substandard housing, or can’t af- with Kresge’s help, are focused on campuses participating to pilot ford child care, food or transporta- this issue. UNITE-LA creates and new transfer policies and support tion struggle to persist in college. develops collaborative approaches “With Kresge's support, implementation of the new L.A. to help give young people in Los we've grown our College Promise, which provides And these limitations are Angeles, California, more and one year of free enrollment to programmatic, policy increasingly common, as growing better access to higher education graduates of the Los Angeles Uni- numbers experience food inse- and job training. and systems-change fied School District and charter curity or have no stable place efforts.” high schools. Participants repre- to live. The number of students In 2016, Kresge bolstered the —David Rattray, sent a subgroup of signatories to ages 19-24 receiving assistance organization’s efforts with a UNITE-LA the L.A. Compact, whose mission from the Supplemental Nutrition $500,000 grant. UNITE-LA is is to ensure that all students in Assistance Program (SNAP) dou- using the investment to expand Los Angeles graduate from high bled from 2001 to 2010. A 2016 its capacity to work with city The goal is to align systems so school, have access to and are study published by California low-income students pursuing prepared for college and have State University concluded that postsecondary education who meaningful pathways to sustain- Middle school students perform in nearly 10 percent of its students need employment, housing, able careers. The Student Success Los Angeles, where Kresge supports system-wide – some 46,000 in all efforts to enhance graduation rates transportation, food, financial aid Workshop also unites multiple – had experienced homelessness. and college enrollment. and/or child care can find it and actors in the public and private sectors to integrate financial-aid planning across the city.
“With Kresge's support, we’ve grown our programmatic, policy and systems-change efforts,” says David Rattray, president of UNITE-LA. “The funding, technical assistance and professional development opportunities for our leadership team have positioned us to reach our goals, improve the lives of local students and build a bigger vision for the future.”
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American Cities Practice Accelerating Opportunity by Reinvesting in Our Cities By Benjamin S. Kennedy Managing Director
he American Cities Practice Second, we have worked on multicity became a formal part of The projects exemplified by Reimagining TKresge Foundation in 2016. Key Civic Commons, a $40 million to our work during this inaugural year multifunder investment in public was crystalizing our role within the spaces in Akron, Ohio; Chicago; Detroit; foundation’s commitment to expand Philadelphia; and (as you can read in opportunity in America’s cities. We’ve these pages) Memphis. The question staked our role as leveraging the on the table: Can public spaces be breadth of the foundation’s national revitalized as meeting grounds where Benjamin S. Kennedy grantmaking programs and the depth of we bridge our divides? Can they reignite the foundation’s experience – built from our work in Detroit – to engagement? Can they reduce social and political fragmentation hasten a transformation we believe is possible in communities and promote community? across the country. Third, we have surfaced, seeded and scaled effective We believe deeply that America’s urban centers have the approaches, both new and old, to community development potential to be essential accelerators of opportunity for people work in place – approaches we are putting into practice in New with low incomes, providing residents with access to jobs, Orleans and Memphis. education, housing, human-serving systems, city services and quality public spaces. In New Orleans, for instance, we are working as part of the Greater New Orleans Funders Network to address key issues We pursued this belief in three main ways during the last year. affecting the city, from equitable development to coastal resilience and criminal justice. First, we have facilitated knowledge exchange. One example: We organized a cross-country series of roundtables, It’s hard to ignore the national headwinds that push back at our bringing together some of the best urban policy theorists work in a time when cities have been vilified. and practitioners addressing the problems and promises of our urban areas. From the role of arts to entrepreneurial But we know better. We can be clear-eyed about the challenges of ecosystems, from food systems to equitable land-use cities without giving in to despair or cynicism. We can be optimistic planning, our conversations were frank and informative. These about their promise without being naive. And we can continue to conversations set the table for a large convening in May with navigate between the challenge and the promise with conviction. The Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy at the University of Southern California, exploring the exportable lessons of Kresge’s work in Detroit and aptly named, “Drawing on Detroit.” Other American Cities Practice partners and projects highlighted in this report include: Memphis Neighborhood Preservation Inc., page 70 Opportunity Nation, page 86
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Downtown Housing Improvement 2016 Corp. Raleigh, N.C. American Cities $50,000 Echoing Green Foundation Practice Grants New York, N.Y. $50,000 We seek to expand opportunity by promoting effective and inclusive Enterprise Community Partners community development practices in American cities. Atlanta, Ga. $30,000
Grants: 60 / Total Committed: $12,621,149 Foundation for Louisiana Baton Rouge, La. $140,000
Blue Grass Community CLF Ventures Funders’ Network for Smart Foundation Boston, Mass. Growth and Livable Communities Lexington, Ky. $24,818 Inc.* $30,000 Coral Gables, Fla. Clinton Global Initiative $100,000 Blue Grass Community New York, N.Y. Foundation $280,000 Gehl Institute Lexington, Ky. New York, N.Y. $30,000 Community LIFT $30,000 Memphis, Tenn. Boston Community Capital Inc. $30,000 Global Impact Investing Network Boston, Mass. New York, N.Y. $1,021,000 Congress for the New Urbanism $100,000 Chicago, Ill. The Brookings Institution $85,000 Greater Milwaukee Committee Washington, D.C. Milwaukee, Wis. $50,000 Cook Inlet Housing Development $30,000 Corp. CADCO Foundation. Anchorage, Alaska The Greater New Orleans Charleston, W.Va. $30,000 Foundation $30,000 New Orleans, La. Cook Inlet Housing Development $30,000 Calvert Foundation* Corp. Bethesda, Md. Anchorage, Alaska Greenlight Fund $500,000 $30,000 Boston, Mass. $250,000 The Center for Applied Transect Council of Large Public Housing Studies Inc. Agencies* Innovate Memphis Miami, Fla. Washington, D.C. Memphis, Tenn. $300,000 $70,000 $600,000
Center for an Urban Future The Denver Foundation Invest Detroit Foundation New York, N.Y. Denver, Colo. Detroit, Mich. $200,000 $30,000 $444,444
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Leadership Memphis Net Impact Service Year Exchange Inc. Memphis, Tenn. Oakland, Calif. Washington, D.C. $32,500 $25,000 $900,000
Living Cities New York University South Florida Community New York, N.Y. New York, N.Y. Development Coalition $100,000 $320,000 Miami, Fla. $30,000 Living Cities Next City New York, N.Y. Philadelphia, Pa. U3 Advisors Inc. $3,000,000 $90,000 Philadelphia, Pa. $222,222 Local Initiatives Support Corp. – One Day on Earth Foundation National Office Brooklyn, N.Y. United Way of the Mid-South New York, N.Y. $30,000 Memphis, Tenn. $30,000 $30,000 Opportunity Finance Network Local Initiatives Support Corp. – Philadelphia, Pa. University of Minnesota National Office $30,000 Minneapolis, Minn. New York, N.Y. $200,000 $1, 200,000 Partnership for Public Service Washington, D.C. University of Southern California Low Income Investment Fund $252,000 Los Angeles, Calif. San Francisco, Calif. $164,165 $135,000 Places Journal San Francisco, Calif. Urban Age Institute Miami Foundation $50,000 San Francisco, Calif. Miami, Fla. $75,000 $190,000 Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority Wheeling National Heritage Area Memphis Medical District Cincinnati, Ohio Corp. Collaborative $80,000 Wheeling, W.Va. Memphis, Tenn. $30,000 $35,000 Public Health Institute Oakland, Calif. Youth Policy Institute National Housing Trust $10,000 Los Angeles, Calif. Community Development Fund $30,000 Washington, D.C. Riverfront Development Corp. $150,000 Memphis, Tenn. *Denotes cross-team grant $90,000 National Housing Trust Enterprise Preservation Corp. Rubicon Programs Inc. Washington, D.C. Richmond, Calif. $50,000 $30,000
Neighborhood Preservation Inc. Salzburg Global Seminar Memphis, Tenn. Washington, D.C. $90,000 $325,000
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The Kresge Foundation Page 105 2016 Annual Report
2016 Presidential Discretion Grants
Grants: 9 / Total Committed: $753,000
Civilla Local Initiatives Support Corp. – Detroit, Mich. National Office $250,000 New York, N.Y. $25,000 Grand Valley State University Allendale, Mich. National Council for Science and $35,000 the Environment Washington, D.C. Harvard University $30,000 Cambridge, Mass. $60,000 Oakland Schools Waterford, Mich. Harvard University $5,000 Cambridge, Mass. $200,000 Ponyride Detroit, Mich. Humble Design Inc. $143,000 Pontiac, Mich. $5,000
Ponyride is a workspace for a diverse group of artists, creative entrepreneurs and makers who are committed to working together to make communities in Detroit sustainable.
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2016 Special Initiatives/ Other Grants
Grants: 21 / Total Committed: $8,461,500
Association of Black Foundation Lincoln Institute of Land Policy* Public Allies Executives Inc.* Cambridge, Mass. Milwaukee, Wis. New York, N.Y. $3,000,000 $200,000 $37,500 Low Income Investment Fund* Race Forward Commongood Careers San Francisco, Calif. New York, N.Y. Boston, Mass. $3,500,000 $125,000 $175,000 Management Assistance Group Tides Center Community Wealth Partners Washington, D.C. San Francisco, Calif. Washington, D.C. $168,000 $147,500 $210,000 The Management Center *Denotes cross-team grant CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Washington, D.C. Oakland, Calif. $125,000 $150,000 National CARES Mentoring Council of Michigan Foundations Movement Inc. New York, N.Y. Grand Haven, Mich. $25,000 $15,000 National Committee for Funders’ Network for Smart Responsive Philanthropy Growth and Livable Communities Washington, D.C. Inc.* $135,000 Coral Gables, Fla. $28,500 Neighborhood Funders Group Oakland, Calif. Fuse Corps $15,000 San Francisco, Calif. $100,000 Neighborhood Funders Group Oakland, Calif. Innovation Network $90,000 Washington, D.C. $50,000 Points of Light* Atlanta, Ga. Interaction Institute for Social $40,000 Change Boston, Mass. $125,000
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Board of Trustees
Elaine D. Rosen James L. Bildner Lee C. Bollinger Phillip L. Clay Steven K. Hamp Chair, The Kresge Foundation CEO, Draper Richards Kaplan President, Columbia Professor Emeritus of City Principal, Hamp Advisors Board of Trustees Foundation University Planning, Massachusetts Chair, Assurant Inc., Board of Adjunct Lecturer, Harvard Institute of Technology Directors Kennedy School
Paul Hillegonds Irene Y. Hirano Cynthia L. Kresge Maria Otero Paula B. Pretlow Chief Executive Officer, President, U.S.-Japan Physician Assistant, Cancer Former Undersecretary of Former Senior Vice Michigan Health Endowment Council Care Associates P.C. State, U.S. Department of President, The Capital Group Fund State Chairman, Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan
Nancy Schlichting Rip Rapson Former Chief Executive (Ex Officio) President and Officer, Henry Ford Health Chief Executive Officer, System The Kresge Foundation Trustee listing as of March 15, 2017
The Kresge Foundation Page 108 2016 Annual Report
Foundation Staff
Executive Office
Rip Rapson Ariel H. Simon Chera D. Reid Sharon Zimmerman Jennifer Jaramillo President and CEO Vice President, Chief Director of Strategic Assistant to the President Deputy to the President for Program and Strategy Learning, Research and and Director of the Executive Talent and Organizational Officer Evaluation Office Development
Stephanie Johnson Fred G. Karnas Jessica McKay Jade Smith Program Coordinator Senior Fellow Assistant to the Director Special Assistant to the President
Staff listing as of March 15, 2017
The Kresge Foundation Page 109 2016 Annual Report
Program Operations and Information Management
Marcus L. McGrew Genise T. Singleton Mark Greer II Joyce M. Holliman Ra’mona M. Mayberry Director Program Operations Associate Associate Generalist Manager Finance Information Technology
Amy B. Robinson Sheryl M. Madden Sherry Appleton Eugen N. Safta Almir Jaganjac Vice President, CFO and Controller Staff Accountant Director Network Administrator Chief Administrative Officer
Craig Fields Carla S. Forkin Cheryl L. Taylor Assistant Controller Accounting Manager Administrative Assistant
Staff listing as of March 15, 2017
The Kresge Foundation Page 110 2016 Annual Report
Facilities
Cynthia K. Powors Khalifah Buchanan David Grabowski Danielle McDonald Kevin Pearson Director First Impression Specialist Engineering Manager Records and Office Assistant Building Technician
External Affairs & Communications
Jennifer Kulczycki Christine Jacobs Julie A. Bagley Rebecca Chamberlain- Nathaniel D. DiDomenico Director Deputy Director Multi-Media Assistant Creanga Social Media Specialist Internal Communications Officer
W. Kim Heron Alejandro L. Herrera Krista A. Jahnke Christina M. Karas Hugh C. McDiarmid Jr. Senior Communications Graphic Designer Communications Officer Communications Officer Communications Officer Officer
Jessica McKay Mark D. Whitney Assistant to the Director Content Editor Staff listing as of March 15, 2017
The Kresge Foundation Page 111 2016 Annual Report
Human Resources
Crystal Y. Sewell Heather M. Hacker Heather Kilgore Sonita Martin Hannah Simmons Director of Talent and Manager Payroll and Benefits Talent and Human Resources Talent Acquisition Human Resources Coordinator Assistant Coordinator
Investment Office
Robert J. Manilla John A. Barker Jon D. Gentry Elizabeth A. Goldsberry Donna L. Snider Vice President, Chief Managing Director Managing Director Managing Director Managing Director Investment Officer
Sean Feng Susan L. Shirkey Christopher Chegash Drew Dolan Bradley Garrigues Director Manager Analyst Analyst Analyst
Drew E. Hopper Rebecca Margavich Tor Martinsen Christopher K. Shen Analyst Assistant Analyst Associate
Staff listing as of March 15, 2017
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American Cities Practice
Benjamin S. Kennedy Carol Coletta Chantel Rush Managing Director Senior Fellow Program Officer
Arts & Culture
Regina R. Smith Olivia L. Ewing Michelle D. Johnson Managing Director Program Team Assistant Program Officer Detroit
Wendy Lewis Jackson Benjamin S. Kennedy Bryan P. Hogle Krista C. Lowes Neesha Modi Managing Director Managing Director Program Officer Senior Program Team Program Officer Assistant
Alycia Socia Detroit Fellow Staff listing as of March 15, 2017
The Kresge Foundation Page 113 2016 Annual Report
Education
William F.L. Moses Caroline Altman Smith Bethany Miller Diane J. Vasilko Rebecca C. Villarreal Managing Director Deputy Director Program Officer Program Team Assistant Program Officer
Environment
Lois R. DeBacker Shamar Bibbins Jessica E. Boehland Jill A. Johnson Jalonne White-Newsome Managing Director Program Officer Senior Program Officer Program Team Assistant Senior Program Officer
Health
David D. Fukuzawa Chris M. Kabel Stacey Barbas Katie W. Byerly Laura L. Lamberti Managing Director Deputy Director Senior Program Officer Health Fellow Program Team Assistant
Phyllis D. Meadows Senior Fellow Staff listing as of March 15, 2017
The Kresge Foundation Page 114 2016 Annual Report
Human Services
David D. Fukuzawa Raquel Hatter Sandra McAlister Ambrozy Michael B. Shaw Managing Director Deputy Director Senior Program Officer Program Officer
Social Investment Practice
Kimberlee R. Cornett Kim Dempsey Joe Evans Christina C. Feldermann Aaron Seybert Managing Director Deputy Director Portfolio Manager Program Team Assistant Social Investment Officer
Staff listing as of March 15, 2017
The Kresge Foundation Page 115 2016 Annual Report
The Kresge Foundation Page 116 2016 Annual Report
Credits
President and CEO Design and Production Photography Matthew LaVere Photography Rip Rapson Hour Custom Publishing 826 Michigan Legal Impact Network Troy, Michigan Jonathan Bachman LIFT External Affairs and Ed Peabody Sonia Baez-Hernandez Los Angeles Unified School Athar Kakka Communications Mary Baker, Neighborhood District Jennifer Kulczycki Ken Cendrowski Preservation Inc. Anna Min, Min Enterprises Christine Jacobs Kathy Gibbons Boston Community Capital Photography Julie A. Bagley Sydnee Thompson Boston Community Chuk Nowak Photography for Rebecca Chamberlain- Jon Reynolds Fair Food Network Cooperatives Creanga Robert Gorczyca Saul Bromberger/Sandra Opportunity Nation Nathaniel D. DiDomenico Stephanie Daniel Hoover Photography Julie Pincus W. Kim Heron Anian Trujillo Dominguez Port of Greater Cincinnati Alejandro Herrera Megan Carson Joe Buglewicz Photography Development Authority Krista A. Jahnke Brent Grose D. Ross Cameron Andy Richter Photography Christina M. Karas Sonja Niederhofer Photography Hugh C. McDiarmid Jr. Cooperative Fund of New Paul Rider Photography Jessica McKay Editorial Contributors England Vanessa Rogers Photography Mark D. Whitney Nick Assendelft Rhonda Cosentino, The Doug Schaible Mary Dempsey University of Memphis Seattle Housing Authority Program Operations Patrick Dunn Detroit Children’s Choir Ryan Southen Julie Edgar and Information Detroit Home Mortgage Sphinx Organization Management Steve Holt Family Independence Initiative Steve Swalwell Marcus L. McGrew Julie Landry Laviolette Javier Garcia Genise T. Singleton Dan Mitchell Jake Turskey Photography Matthew Gilson Photography Judy Marchman University of Texas at Austin Finance Amy Nelson Rodolfo Gonzalez Kristen Wendt Carla S. Forkin Kirsten Salyer Photography Maureen White Photography Peter Haakon Thompson Greg Tasker Bronson Worthy, Riverside Stephanie Vozza Amber Hampton, Leadership Development Corp. Memphis Uche Iroegbu Printing Ironbound Community Corp. Clark Graphics Inc. The Irrigate Project Warren, Michigan Steve Jones Photography Aran Kessler Photography The Kresge Foundation J. Kiely Jr., Lightchaser 3215 W. Big Beaver Road Photography Troy, Michigan 48084 Kresge Arts in Detroit 248.643.9630 The Kresge Foundation kresge.org Ray Landry Photography
Minimizing our environmental footprint was a priority as we prepared this annual report. The soy- and vegetable oil-based inks used in printing are 91 percent free of volatile organic compounds. This report was printed on New Page Sterling Premium and Veritiv Endurance papers, which are Forest Stewardship Council® certified.
The Kresge Foundation Page 117 2016 Annual Report
2006-2016 A Decade in South Africa
hroughout the past decade, Kresge’s rand in 2006 to 6.5 million rand in 2010 (equivalent Education Program has helped move higher to an increase of nearly $250,000 today). In 2012, Teducation in South Africa into new, exciting Kresge invited four additional campuses to the territory through two aligned initiatives: one to build initiative – Durban University of Technology, Tshwane stronger infrastructure to increase private donations, University of Technology, University of Johannesburg thereby stabilizing finances for the future; another and University of the Free State – and doubled down to expand the use of data and predictive analytics to on efforts to encourage a culture of giving to higher improve student success. education institutions in South Africa.
In partnership with Inyathelo (the South African In 2014, Kresge launched its second South African Institute of Advancement), the foundation in 2006 initiative, Siyaphumelela, which means “We Succeed” kicked off an effort to build the advancement in Xhosa. The initiative aims to help more low- capabilities at a diverse group of South African income and underrepresented students graduate by universities. With Kresge support, five institutions improving institutional capacity at five universities. – University of the Witwatersrand, University of The initiative helps institutions collect and analyze Pretoria, University of the Western Cape, Cape student data and integrate it with institutional Peninsula University of Technology and Children’s research, IT systems, academic development and Hospital Trust – created strategic fundraising planning and advising to increase student success. plans and added development staff. This increased contributions from individuals, corporations and To observe 10 years of commitment in South Africa, other foundations by threefold. we asked Kresge partners from both initiatives to reflect on the work of the last decade. Read their At the University of Pretoria alone, for instance, stories at kresge.org. Inyathelo helped donations jump from 3.4 million
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