Taking it to the next level. 1 2006 ANNUAL REPORT Inspiring people. Making a difference. The McCormick Tribune Vision Foundation Team: We strive to be the distinctive leader in Grantmaking programs strengthening our free, democratic society, Citizenship with a focus on children, communities Communities and country, committed to programs and Education services that: Journalism • Improve civic health Special Initiatives • Deliver impact by creating value and positive outcomes Parks and Museums • Continue the philanthropic legacy of Cantigny Park and Gardens Col. Robert R. McCormick Cantigny Golf Cantigny Youth Links Values Robert R. McCormick Museum We believe how we achieve results is as First Division Museum important as the results themselves. These Colonel Robert R. McCormick values guide our actions in everything Research Center we do: CONTENTS McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum M Mission focused Message from the President 3 T Teamwork The Future of Our… Mission F Forward thinking Children 6 We are committed to our mission— Communities 12 to advance the ideals of a free, democratic L Loyalty Country 18 society by investing in our children, D Diversity Our Fund Partnerships 22 communities and country. R Respect Summary of 2006 Grants Paid 26 S Service Seeking a Grant? 31 H Humility 2006 Financial Highlights 32 I Integrity Board of Directors 33 P Professionalism 2 1 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Philanthropy is a commitment to improving the lives of others. It is about vision and service. For the McCormick Tribune Foundation’s 200 employees, philanthropy is about fi nding solutions for the societal problems that affect so many children, and endanger the civic health of our communities and country. As such, we are focused on empowering individuals and communities to: • Deliver basic human needs • Provide safety and security • Inspire civic engagement and service • Ensure physical and mental well-being • Make quality education accessible • Foster recreation in people’s lives The stories told in this annual report highlight some of the ways the McCormick Tribune Foundation invested its resources in 2006. It is our vision that a stronger, free democratic society is possible. We can ensure positive outcomes for our children, communities and country by continuing the legacy of Col. Robert R. McCormick. We strategically invest in programs and services that improve civic health. 2006 was a signifi cant year for us. We capped the celebration of our 50th anniversary with the opening of the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum— designed to help youth understand their First Amendment freedoms and the responsibilities of citizenship. We achieved a milestone with the passage of Illinois’ Preschool for All bill, and we proudly hosted a naturalization ceremony for 200 immigrants at our benefactor’s estate, which is now one of Chicago- land’s most beautiful parks serving the people of Illinois. This is just the beginning. United by purpose and our values, the McCormick Tribune Foundation team is committed to excellence, and to taking our service to the next level. McCormick Tribune Foundation Executive Team at the new McCormick Tribune David L. Grange Freedom Museum. Pictured left to right: Donald A. Cooke, senior vice president of philanthropy; David L. Grange, president and chief executive offi cer; Victoria Shire President and Chief Executive Offi cer Dinges, vice president of external affairs; Louis J. Marsico, Jr., senior vice president of operations. 2 3 Stimulating thought, understanding, creativity and confi dence. The new McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum in Chicago engaged more than 6,000 middle school and high school students in 2006. 4 5 THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN Today’s child is tomorrow’s teacher, community leader or parent. That’s why the McCormick Tribune Foundation annually commits more than half its resources to initiatives for children and youth, from civic engagement to early childhood education. We believe that investments in children lay a strong foundation today, for our nation’s future civic health. Inspiring Students to Think about Freedom In 2006, the McCormick Tribune Foundation marked its 50th anniversary with the grand opening of the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum in Chicago. The museum creates interactive opportunities for visitors, especially middle school and high school students, to better understand and appreciate the role the First Amendment plays in protecting their freedom. It challenges visitors to defi ne freedom for themselves: “What happens when freedoms clash? Where does my freedom end and yours begin?” Visitors balance individual freedoms with protecting the common good by weighing in on key issues and Supreme Court cases through deliberative polls. The museum also provides teachers and students with curricula, online activities and distance-learning opportunities. In its fi rst year, the museum engaged more than 6,000 students to make choices, explore their limits and record their thoughts on the meaning of freedom. The museum stimulates our youth to think about what their freedoms mean, and what they can do to preserve these essential liberties. Exploring Student Expression in the Digital Age New media technology, including social network sites and blogs, affords young people nearly infi nite opportunities for personal expression. When these communications seem offensive or inappropriate, families, schools and communities are often unsure of how to respond. In October, the Foundation’s journalism program and the Freedom Museum, in partnership with Ball State University’s J-Ideas, hosted the conference Free Speech in Schools. The purpose: help students and administrators explore what constitutes free speech in the digital LAYING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR OUR CHILDREN age, while encouraging better understanding of the responsibilities that accompany those rights. At a time when only one in a thousand Americans can name the fi ve First Amendment “Preschool for All is a fundamental right for all children. freedoms, participants examined how new media impacts these freedoms, and how it gives It empowers them with the desire and confi dence to acquire 1 the cognitive and intellectual skills to be successful in life.” young people a greater voice in the direction of their communities and country. The results are documented in Free Speech 3.0: Student Expression in the Digital Age, a resource guide —Hertha Ramirez, State Pre-K Teacher at Belmont-Cragin Early Childhood available on the Internet: www.McCormickTribune.org. Demonstration Center and 2006 Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Award winner. Achieving Preschool for All Pictured: Preschooler at Belmont-Cragin Early Childhood Demonstration Since 1993, early childhood education has been a cornerstone of the McCormick Tribune Center, a center that is part of the Preschool For All program. Foundation’s commitment to children. The Foundation has distributed $78.5 million in grants 6 1 2006 McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum survey. The fi ve First Amendment 7 freedoms are religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. to build public awareness, change public policy, and improve the quality of programs, curriculum and teacher training. Our investment is driven by the positive impact early childhood education has on our nation’s civic health. Research reveals that every dollar spent on early childhood education saves up to $17 in public expenditures, and children who are successful in school are much more likely to succeed in life.2 In May, the Foundation’s public policy grantees worked together to convince the Illinois Legislature to approve an additional $45 million to begin funding Preschool for All. This positions Illinois as the fi rst state in the country to commit to offering free, high-quality early childhood education to 01 02 03 all children ages 3 to 5. Preschool for All is a powerful national model for both comprehensive early childhood education and private philanthropy aimed at progress in public policy. Although Preschool for All is a victory, much work remains, and early childhood education remains high on our roster of funding priorities. Providing Hands-On Military History Education In 1918, Col. Robert R. McCormick, the Foundation’s benefactor, commanded an artillery battalion of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division at Cantigny, France. Today, the First Division Museum honors his legacy and brings to life our nation’s military heritage through the history of the “Big Red One.” 04 05 06 Operated by the Cantigny First Division Foundation, the museum helps visitors, especially school children and teachers, better understand our military and its place in our democracy. This helps build trust between citizens and soldiers, an important facet of our free, democratic society. The History Trunk program is a special feature of the museum’s educational efforts. Trunks bring to the classroom a hands-on experience in military history using actual helmets, uniforms, rations, letters and personal gear from U.S. confl icts stretching from the Civil War to Desert Storm. The History Trunk program has earned energetic praise from teachers for helping thousands of students improve their understanding of our military heritage. The History Trunk program is just 07 08 09 one component of the museum’s outreach efforts, which also include lesson plans, teacher symposia and conferences. 2006 CHILDREN HIGHLIGHTS Enhancing School Curricula 01 Inspired more than 6,000 students to better understand the role the First Amendment plays in A “staff ride” is a military term for a trip to an historic battlefi eld to analyze military leadership protecting their freedom. 02 Convened nearly 50 students, teachers, First Amendment scholars, and the dynamics of battle. Last summer, in conjunction with the Canadian Battlefi eld Foundation, lawyers and administrators to address student expression in the digital age. 03 Supported efforts to the Cantigny First Division Foundation funded a 10-day staff ride for three teachers from pass Preschool for All, giving 10,000 more children ages 3 to 5 a chance to attend high-quality DuPage County in northern Illinois. Along with 19 Canadian teachers, they visited WWI and preschool.