a magazine for friends of the GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION Game changer Is philanthropy impacting outcomes in the classroom? (Yes!) Volume 1 Issue 1 Spring 2016 A MAGAZINE FOR FRIENDS OF THE GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION VOLUME 1 :: ISSUE 1 :: SPRING 2016 SPRING 2016 PRESIDENT & CEO Ellen M. Gilligan VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Laura Porfilio Glawe EDITOR Photo by Caroline Roberts Becca Mader EDITORIAL TEAM Make a Lorna Dilley, Janel Hines, 17 Difference Generosity Sharon Loxton, Mary Kay Mark, Andrea Ogden, Jeremy Podolski, Damian Buchman and 25 at Work Aileen Rogers, Lamont Smith The Ability Center are creating a conversation The region’s most CREATIVE DIRECTOR & DESIGNER and a movement around prestigious prize for Paula J. Perez the need for greater individual artists, Literacy accessibility in the the Mary L. Nohl and greater Milwaukee area. Fund Fellowships PHOTOGRAPHER 13 Jim Moy for Individual Artists Learning Program is shaping the Milwaukee Former educator work of local artists and ON THE COVER: 5 Succeeds Marie Weiss’ boosting the profile of Third grader from Milwaukee passion for Milwaukee’s arts scene. French Immersion School With nearly five years education serves as under its belt, and more Ready driving force behind than 300 partners, 9 to Read her philanthropy. CONTACT INFORMATION Milwaukee Succeeds is Greater Together is published biannually bringing the community A new comprehensive by the Marketing and Communications together to achieve long- literacy program in 3 President’s message Department of the Greater Milwaukee term results in education in Milwaukee schools shows 4 Foundation news Foundation. Please submit correspondence early gains and plenty and address changes to the editor, Becca Milwaukee. Grantmaking at a glance | of promise for the city’s 15 Education Mader, at Greater Milwaukee Foundation, young readers. 16 Vital Signs | Education 101 W. Pleasant St., Suite 210, Milwaukee, WI 53212 or send an e-mail to bmader@ Profile in philanthropy | 19 Richard Franz greatermilwaukeefoundation.org. 21 Profile in philanthropy |Steve and Wendy Lewensohn 23 Giving Smarter | Michael G. May greatermilwaukeefoundation.org 414.272.5805 24 In their own words | William S. Martin 29 Throwback | Emil Blatz Fund 29 Snapshot | Mequon Nature Preserve 30 Partners in philanthropy | Civic Centerpieces ©2016 Greater Milwaukee Foundation 1 Greater Milwaukee Foundation Spring 2016 GREATER together 2 Foundation News Foundation News Spring 2016 PRESIDENT'S Message t’s no coincidence “community” and The Foundation can have this impact I“communicate” share their first seven because for generations, many generous letters. With that in mind, welcome to people have shared our belief that Board of Directors the first issue of Greater Together, the education is key to young people Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s new reaching their full potential and have Thomas L. Spero, Chair magazine. It shares the story of how your chosen the Foundation to carry out David J. Lubar, Vice Chair vision as generous donors, combined their wishes. Our donor Marie Weiss on Wendy Reed Bosworth with the Foundation’s insights into Page 13 demonstrates this as she gives Peter W. Bruce community needs and its work with both her time and treasure to serve David J. Drury partners, are indeed creating a more kids. Because of smart and kind donors Ness Flores vibrant region. like her, the Foundation was able to Janine P. Geske provide more than $6.5 million in grants One example and the theme of our first Cecelia Gore supporting education last year. Greater Together issue is our quest for all Jacqueline Herd-Barber Milwaukee children to have educational The beauty of a community foundation Paul J. Jones success, cradle to career. Since the is that we are designed to help donors, David J. Kundert COMMUNITY benefits from Foundation launched Milwaukee no matter what their interests, to Gregory S. Marcus Succeeds in 2011, the communitywide support the causes they care about, Cory L. Nettles record year of generosity partnership is making a difference, as now and for the future. I hope you see Marie L. O’Brien you can read on Page 5. Test scores and yourself in these pages, because in this More than other measures show the strategies community, we are not parallel lines. We OTHER ARTS & CULTURE $3,031,000 of Milwaukee Succeeds work. We are interwoven threads. We are Greater $4,650,000 also hear of personal successes, like a Together. $44.8 CHILD/YOUTH/FAMILY kindergartener at Forest Home Avenue million in grants $2,306,000 Thank you for your continued School recently proclaiming to his partnership in philanthropy. teacher, “I’m really getting smarter and 2015 was one for the history books. Not COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT smarter!” only did it mark the Greater Milwaukee $3,885,000 Foundation’s 100th year of service to the community, making it just one of a few Grants by Ellen M. Gilligan community foundations in the country that President & CEO program area Greater Milwaukee Foundation have reached that milestone, it marked its largest grantmaking year as well. HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES EDUCATION The Foundation and its donors provided $18,108,000 $6,537,000 more than $44.8 million in grants to support a broad cross-section of interests and invest in strengthening important EMPLOYMENT/TRAINING community organizations that are working $1,448,000 ENVIRONMENT to help meet community needs. $4,904,000 We were able to reach this incredible milestone “ due to the generosity of our donors. It also is made possible by our community’s collective dedication to making greater Milwaukee a more vibrant and successful region. Thomas Spero ” Greater Milwaukee Foundation Board chair 3 Greater Milwaukee Foundation Spring 2016 GREATER together 4 Helping all children succeed requires a “ communitywide response. John W. Daniels Jr., former Greater Milwaukee” Early indicators reveal Foundation Board chair creating new collaborations, When the Foundation launched such a pivotal role in introducing developing new strategies and Milwaukee Succeeds, it was a this new approach.” changing mindsets. new way of thinking in a city Milwaukee Succeeds is among Milwaukee that had been a testing ground Five years ago, those a handful of partnerships within for educational reforms. Many accomplishments seemed Strive’s 65-member network initiatives had been tried. There elusive. Now they are realities. with a community foundation as was reticence around yet another its backbone. That relationship It took a community to get there. education attempt that could fall Succeeds provides powerful advantages, short. is working “Milwaukee’s work has modeled namely resources, longevity and the perseverance and tenacity By virtue of being a community expertise, said Jackie Herd-Barber, that communities have to foundation, the Foundation was a Foundation Board member and magine uniting an entire have to do this work,” said in a unique position to spearhead Milwaukee Succeeds co-chair. Jeff Edmondson, managing the effort. It knew the community, Icommunity around one goal director of StriveTogether, a had invested millions in education that could impact generations. national network of educational over the years and had taken a partnerships that helped develop broad-based approach toward Milwaukee Succeeds’ framework. addressing a complex issue. When Milwaukee Succeeds, an educational President & CEO Ellen M. Gilligan partnership the Greater Milwaukee Results have not happened brought the idea with her from Foundation launched in 2011, overnight, but the momentum Cincinnati, Strive’s birthplace, the has done just that. The collective is accelerating, partners say. Foundation Board recognized an impact of that communitywide effort Milwaukee Succeeds has six opportunity to make a bigger has taken hold and is reporting staff members and hundreds investment. progress. Many philanthropists of volunteers dedicated to joined in the efforts and are aligning closing the achievement gap “Helping all children succeed their grantmaking. More than in four areas: kindergarten requires a communitywide 300 organizations are collectively readiness, school readiness, response,” said John W. problem-solving to create better career readiness and social and Daniels Jr., who served as outcomes for Milwaukee’s kids. emotional health. Several pilot Foundation Board chair Overall, 10 of the 11 educational programs underway are showing when the partnership benchmarks it tracks are moving in a promising results. As a testament began. “Milwaukee Succeeds positive direction. to the partnership’s future, five embodies the Foundation’s local funders recently committed commitment to education, Nearly as important and impactful a total of $5 million over the next rooted in 100 years of history. I’m is the partnership’s influence on four years to support it. proud of the fact it has played Student from Milwaukee French Immersion School Student from Hawley Environmental School 5 Greater Milwaukee Foundation Spring 2016 GREATER together 6 The Foundation’s leadership and education because we focus on Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Participants say the sense of MILESTONES the partnership’s approach — the kids.” Herb Kohl Charities and Bader urgency on behalf of Milwaukee’s uniting diverse groups around a Philanthropies, has fueled pilot kids and the acknowledgement July 2011 Development of the partnership’s single purpose, identifying best programs around literacy that are that such an approach can work — four goal areas and strategies Greater