Quality Youth Mentoring in Minnesota

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of sitting in on a member-initiated briefing on youth mentoring, co-sponsored by the Travelers Foundation and the Carlson Family Foundation.

Coming into the program, I already solidly believed in the importance of the subject matter, as I can recall more occasions than I can count on two hands when a teacher or tutor has made the difference between passing and failing. Even now, in my college years, I am extremely grateful to have math tutors available to help me get through my microeconomics and finance classes­. For me, the one-on-one encouragement, attention and accountability remain crucial.­

So how do we pinpoint what makes a mentorship experience effective?

The resounding reason for attending the program given by most of the grantmakers was the desire to learn more about a new online program assessment tool called the Quality Mentoring Assessment Path, or QMAP. QMAP is presented by the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM) and based on the latest policies, practices, experience and research for youth mentoring.

During the program, grantmakers were shown a video demonstration of how QMAP works, along with next steps available after an assessment is completed. One of these steps includes a follow-up visit from an MPM staff member to help design an individualized improvement program and provide additional resources.

These steps help answer the big question provoked by undergoing the QMAP assessment: “Based on results, what is the plan for improvement of your mentoring program?”

Why Assessment Is So Important

As powerfully put by Saint Paul Public School Foundation’s Karen Woodward, “Literacy is life or death.”

In today’s competitive age of information and technology, in order for kids to have the best chance at success, tutoring and mentoring have proven time and again to be key components. Involvement in these helps students socially, emotionally, psychologically, as well as academically. The research has shown it, youth can attest to it.

So, why the big push for quality now? Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn from Youth Community Connections explained: “Just bringing kids together and giving them a safe place to study is not enough.” Not all tutoring and mentoring experiences are created equal and can actually do more harm than good if they are not of quality. But different ideas of what constitutes “quality” pose a challenge, which is where the QMAP assessment system comes into play. The initiative to shift the field to more accountable quality using tools such as QMAP is meeting a serious need.

Use of the QMAP system may further inspire both volunteers and grantmakers to invest their support in programs they know are dedicated to a higher quality standard.

Graham Hartley of MIGIZI Communications elaborated on a metaphor Woodward used during the discussion to explain that high quality will have several looks: 

 “It’s a fruit salad of organizations, not a fruit smoothie. Programs participating in the QMAP process do not lose their individual flavor.”

In other words, each program that actively participates in the QMAP process will not lose its uniqueness and become a cookie cutter version of every other program, but rather enhance its way of practice, so that parents and students can depend on its quality.

 Image CC Sam Pac

-McKenzie Mackintosh, MCF Communications Intern

MCF Welcomes Chris Oien, New Web Communications Associate

We are pleased to welcome aboard Chris Oien, who just joined MCF as our Web Communications Associate. Chris has five-plus years of experience in website management, email marketing, and using social media and other online tools to communicate with an organization’s members and other key stakeholders.

Chris holds a Masters of Library and Information Science degree from St. Catherine University, and a B.A. in Mathematics from Macalester College. Most recently, he was the Communications & Accounts Manager for the Lake Street Council in south Minneapolis. Chris also serves on the board of the Twin Cities chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, whose mission is to provide and promote opportunities for the development of young nonprofit professionals.

MCF Welcomes Communications Intern!

The Minnesota Council on Foundations welcomes McKenzie Mackintosh as its new communications intern for the summer.

McKenzie is a senior at the University of Iowa, where she is majoring in communication studies, minoring in fine arts and earning a certificate in entrepreneurship.

During her time at Iowa, McKenzie has volunteered at the Johnson County Crisis Center Food Bank, helped coordinate various fundraising events for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa, served on the executive board of the only student-run advertising group on campus, and is an active member of the Chi Omega fraternity. McKenzie will graduate in May 2012 with the hope of working in the nonprofit sector in Minnesota.

At MCF, McKenzie will:

• Develop and update a comprehensive media contact database for the dissemination of news on MCF research and programming.
• Conduct research on the Twin Cities, outstate and national media, in order to update and include new media contacts in MCF’s database.
• Put her writing skills to use on the Philanthropy Potluck blog, Giving Forum, online program descriptions and follow-up articles on MCF-coordinated programs.

Thanks to McKenzie for lending us her skills for the summer!

A Minnesota Innovative and Engaged Philanthropist Earns Award

“John Larsen has made significant contributions in advancing the issue of equity across Minnesota,” says Carleen Rhodes, president and CEO of Minnesota Community Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation.

“John’s strategic, multi-faceted and outcome-oriented approach to philanthropy exemplifies the work of an engaged philanthropist,” adds Brad Brown, executive director of Social Venture Partners Minnesota (SVP).

For his work, John Larsen will receive the 2011 Engaged Philanthropist Award, a joint effort of Minnesota Community Foundation and SVP Minnesota that recognizes the most innovative and effective engaged philanthropists. The award, launched in 2010 with the late Winston Wallin receiving the inaugural recognition, will be presented at SVP Minnesota’s annual Engaged Philanthropy Conference on June 16, 2011, in Minneapolis.

Larsen is an original funder and a visionary behind Project 515, an organization with a mission to ensure that same sex couples and their families have equal rights and considerations under Minnesota law.  Project 515 has approached the issue of full equality for same sex couples through multiple avenues, including business outreach, education, research, advocacy and media.

Larsen serves as trustee and administrator of the John Larsen Foundation, a member of the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF). The foundation is a private grantmaking organization with a mission to better the lives of individuals and families, both traditional and non-traditional.  Program priorities derive from the active, passionate involvement of family board members in their own communities. Primary areas of focus are arts and humanities, community enhancement, education, environment, human rights and human services.

Larsen was a six-year member of MCF’s board of directors, is a current member of the strategic planning committee, and a leader of MCF’s LGBT Funders network. Larsen also serves on the board of directors for Project 515 and has volunteered with the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, Headwaters Foundation for Justice and Together Minnesota. Earlier this year, Larsen was recognized with PFund Foundation’s First Annual Power of Philanthropy Award.

– Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

What Diversity Looks Like: Stories of Grantmakers Engaged in the Work

The Minnesota Council on Foundations just released its Spring issue of Giving Forum, which reveals key results of our ambitious research study to paint a comprehensive picture of the diversity demographics, policies and practices of Minnesota grantmakers.

Are grantmakers hiring and retaining diverse staff and boards? Do they have diversity and inclusion policies in place, and are they followed? Are grantmakers going the extra mile to build capacity in minority-led nonprofits that can truly make a difference in their communities?

The data in Working Towards Diversity IV answers many of these questions. To bring the data to life, we also gathered stories from Minnesota grantmakers about their engagement in diversity and inclusion work, where they’ve been, where they are now, where they want to be, and how they envision reaching their goals.

Among those we interviewed is Patrick Troska, executive director of The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Minnesota. Here’s more:

Grant Recipient Connections Guide Funding Decisions

“Good grantmaking is about being a good listener,” says Patrick Troska, executive director of The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Minnesota. So, it is critical that funders actively seek out direct connections with constituents. “At our family foundation, we build our knowledge by asking good questions, trying to understand the nuances of particular issues, and not approaching situations as the experts with the best solutions.”

Listening and learning stretch the foundation’s comfort zone, but yield much more impactful grantmaking. “Honestly, it would be easier if we only funded what we know or are comfortable with,” Troska admits. “When you seek diversity and inclusivity, such as exploring an issue that is not part of our own personal lived experience, the grantmaking can be much more complex.”

In the early 2000s, through work with East Side Neighborhood Services (ESNS) in Minneapolis, foundation trustees became aware of female genital mutilation in the Somali community. Troska was tasked with learning more and determining if there was an education initiative the foundation could fund. After developing a connection with ESNS, an ESNS contact brought together a group of Somali women willing to discuss the topic. “This issue isn’t even discussed between Somali men and women, much less between a white male and Somali women, many of whom don’t speak English,” Troska notes.

Despite being an uncomfortable situation, the group talked for three hours with the help of a translator. “I just listened to them tell their stories and asked only a few questions,” he recalls. “We learned that female genital mutilation was culturally embedded and that, for the most part, women make the decision, not men. A small grant was not going to make a big difference in changing cultural norms, but information could be provided to women about the medical and physical aspects of the practice.”

This led to a grant to ESNS for Somali Women in Minneapolis (SWIM) focusing on support groups for Somali women. Troska explains, “The focus was not to say female genial mutilation is wrong, but rather to provide a safe place to learn and share, so that women could make decisions informed by medical, as well as cultural, knowledge.”

Troska emphasizes that only reading about this cultural practice would not have been sufficient to make an impactful grant. Fully understanding the practice by learning directly from those affected honed in on a focus for foundation funds that was not immediately obvious and underscored that successful grantmaking requires engagement with constituents.

Visit Giving Forum online to read more Giving Stories based on interviews with Minnesota grantmakers and MCF members, including General Mills Foundation, Grotto Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Marbrook Foundation, Minnesota Community and The Saint Paul Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Travelers Foundation and West Central Initiative.

Join the conversation: Have you, as a Minnesota grantmaker or a nonprofit working with a grantmaker, had success in diversity and inclusion work? Or has your organization been involved in the work, but not had the hoped-for outcomes? What were the challenges? What was accomplished? Will progress continue? What did you and/or your organization learn? We invite you to share your stories.

– Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

Learning About the Philanthropic Landscape Can Help You Be a More Effective Grantmaker

Up-and-coming grantmakers face steep learning curves – becoming experts in the issues their organizations support, connecting with stakeholders, learning internal grantmaking processes, and more.

Most hit the ground running without an opportunity to gain a deeper context for their work – the wide-ranging insights about the field of philanthropy that will help them be more effective grantmakers.

The Minnesota Council on Foundations is offering this catch-your-breath opportunity to learn about the grantmaking landscape to all grantmakers in the region. Join us for Essential Skills and Strategies (ESS). We’ve extended the early-bird discount to April 7.

• Gain knowledge through a comprehensive curriculum developed by two renowned national organizations – the Council on Foundations and the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers.
• Explore proven concepts and real-life examples on such topics as: Navigating Legal and Ethical Issues; Making Sound Funding Recommendations; Maximizing Grant Impact; and others. Learn from highly regarded philanthropy experts and trainers Kerrie Blevins and Mary Pickard, who used their combined 60 years of experience to customize this program specifically for grantmakers in our region.
• In a comfortable, beautiful retreat setting, build invaluable professional relationships with colleagues for future support and sharing.

Essential Skills and Strategies for Grantmakers will be held April 14-15, 2011, at the beautiful University of St. Thomas Gainey Conference Center in Owatonna, Minn.

For more info and to register, visit the MCF website.

– Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

Brights Spots Amidst the Gloom

Our governor presented his budget earlier this week (no, that’s not him in the photo). The word “gloomy” doesn’t even begin to describe the overwhelming feeling of dread that lies ahead as our elected officials start searching for a solution to fix a $6.2 billion deficit.

We all know the status quo is not acceptable and things need to change. Yet, how can we create the change we need (or “be the change we want to see” – to borrow from Gandhi) when change is so hard?

At the closing plenary of MCF’s 2010 Annual Convening last fall, Chip Heath (yes, that’s him in the photo), co-author of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, engaged grantmakers in a lively illustration of the dynamics of change – featuring a logical, rational rider atop a massive elephant, which symbolized the power of our emotions. If we humans can balance logic and emotion, then the chance for change is good.

In directing the rider, Heath says, seek out the bright spots: Look for what’s working and do more of that. Even if the bright spots seem small, they represent positive, incremental change. Bright spots are different than best practices, which often mean “be more like them.” Strategy is about fit, he emphasizes, and highlighting bright spots is a call to “be more like me when I’m at my best.” His challenge to Minnesota: Can you scale your bright spots?

So, amidst the gloom of the current budget crisis, take a look at the bright spots we’ve highlighted in the Winter 2011 issue of Giving Forum:

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation: Reaches Beyond Health Care to Reduce Health Inequities
• Blandin Foundation: Leaders Expand Opportunities, Enhance Community
• Frey Foundation: Collaborating to End Homelessness
• Miller-Dwan: Spearheads Campaign for Mental Health Center
• Stevens Square: Seeds Innovation in Elder Issues
• Northwest Minnesota Foundation: Bands with Executives on Economic Drivers
• Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation: Eyes Workforce Needs
• Wells Fargo: Employees Coach and Mentor to Combat Disparities
• Sauer Children’s Renew Foundation: Strives to Break Cycle of Child Abuse

– Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

Legislative Leader Shares Perspectives on Foundations and Nonprofits

Our state faces unprecedented challenges – and opportunities – to tackle some extraordinary issues facing our communities. Minnesota grantmakers know they must play a role in the search for solutions. How does the new legislative leadership view philanthropy’s role?

We asked Sen. Amy Koch (R-Buffalo), the new senate majority leader. She authored an article, “Perspectives from the Minnesota Legislature,” for our latest issue of Giving Forum.

She draws parallels between the legislature and philanthropy:

“Foundations are not dissimilar to the legislature; we have responsibilities to constituencies, the fundamental tenets of which have a variety of aspects, not the least of which is fiscal accountability. Foundations and state government must balance the needs of our constituencies with the effective allocation of limited resources – and maximize the impact of each dollar spent.”

To read more of Sen. Koch’s perspectives on creating a leaner government, balancing constituency needs with fiscal accountability, and developing a more efficient tax policy to maximize dollar impact, check out the Winter 2011 issue of Giving Forum, which focuses on how grantmakers are deploying creativity and boldness – in addition to resources – to take on some of the worst disparities and community crises we’ve faced.

– Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate