June 26, 2007

Foundation Seeks Your Advice on How to Spend Its Money

The Case Foundation announced today that it would ask the public to help decide who should receive some of its grants.

It’s a big move for a private foundation, many of which have been criticized lately for a lack of transparency about their grant making and their operations. The Case Foundation was started by Steve Case, the founder of America Online, and his wife, Jean.

Individuals and local nonprofit groups can send the foundation ideas. Judges will narrow the list to 100 possibilities and solicit more-formal proposals for consideration. —Erin Strout

Comments

1. The only PROVEN educational “system” that teaches all four basic kinds of learners, plus left and right brain for each type, is Bernice McCarthy’s 4MAT. Fund the teaching of teachers this, and fund schools that adopt it.

   — William Allin Storrer    Jun 26, 03:49 PM    #

2. Fund the undocumented students of 1st generation graduateds from High School that are not able to go on to community colleges, because of the lack of immigration reforms to support them or their continuing undergraduate and graduate work.
   Look at NCLR for possible answers and grant support.(National Council of La RAZA)

   — Prof. Arturo Vazquez Jr.    Jun 26, 04:00 PM    #

3. Fund a project to analyze and consolidate experiences of new college-based program for Autsim Spectrum students and to provide a model which would be presented at national conferences; included would be professional consultation to colleges and universities wishing to implement/adapt the model

   — Renee Lewis    Jun 26, 05:36 PM    #

4. Making progress is difficult but sustaining development is even more challenging. A better trained community of lifelong learning citizens is a key for that achievement. However, a powerful teacher training program is the bedrock for this kind of community. Any investment into the research which makes our teacher training programs more effective should be most rewarding. Check CEHD at University of Minnesota.

   — Sam Song    Jun 26, 05:52 PM    #

5. Assist a proven international service-learning program provide scholarships to students who cannot afford to go abroad. This allows them to have an overseas experience, study in another country, engage in chaitable work, and build their international knowledge and intercultural skill. We need young people with the kind of overseas experience that includes exposure, at a very personal level, to social issues in various societies as well as gaining an educational experience in another environment. Check IPSL.org.

   — Margaret Pusch    Jun 26, 06:32 PM    #

6. Partners sought for teacher training program to devlop innovative teachers of future creative leader-citizens.

   — Professor Stan Wollock    Jun 26, 09:17 PM    #

7. Lasting community change is incremental. Funds should go to assist CBOs that work to develop members and participants leadership skills and commitment to community service and development. I personally benefited from participating in a leadership program sponsored by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and have continued my involvement and support of this program. Watching high school and college age youth experiencing the Check the LULAC.org website for more information

   — Renato de los Santos    Jun 27, 12:37 AM    #

8. Governing boards can improve the 260 North American accredited graduate theological schools s educating tomorrow’s ministers, preists and religious leaders. But they must understand the impact of their decisions on their school’s capacity to pursue its mission with integrity and economic vitality.

   — Dr. Christa R. Klein    Jun 27, 09:34 AM    #

9. Give to the Human Fund – thanks – a 501c3po organization.

   — George Costanza    Jun 27, 10:57 AM    #

10. Funding should be given to my university through the Multicutural Center to create a mentorship program for domestic minority students/ first generation students and to assist these students in traveling abroad for academic study with our already established study abroad programs in London, Spain and Australia. Also, funding for a new centrally located Center for the Study of Ethnic Culture would provide this central midwestern area (Indiana) with an agent of change in an region where ethnic race prejudice still exists in a strong yet covert way.

    — Dr. Derick Virgil    Jun 27, 11:10 AM    #

11. Fund the organizations that try hard at helping immigrant minorities and immigrant uneducated people find their way and know their rights in this society. Also fund Community Colleges that cater to minority students at all levels and ages. My Community College:SFCCNM is operating at some levels, especially the basic ones like Elementary Adult Education, with a shoe string and with teacher volunteers only! Also promote bilingualism and multiculturalism. The country as a whole needs better awareness of what goes on in the rest of the world, especially the “Developing nations” in Latin America, Africa and Asia. We also have a “Developing world” here in the US, that of Native American communities that are poor and marginalized.
    Thank you for your great initiative and clarity!

    — Consuelo O. Walker    Jun 27, 12:19 PM    #

12. Give free Internet access to all public schools. Who better than AOL!

    — Janis Spivey    Jun 27, 02:28 PM    #

13. Offer a grant to each State Treasurer’s office to duplicate the program of the Delaware Treasurer’s Office fostering financial literacy in the State of Delaware. See www.delawaremoneyschool.com

    I am not a resident of Delaware nor associated with this prgram in any way. But I believe Delaware Moeny School is the best financial literacy program for the general population that I have found in the U.S. this far and should be duplicated.

    And, the fact that it came out of the vision of a state treasurer gives a way to facilitate its duplication.

    — Carolyn Fausnaugh PhD, CPA    Jun 27, 04:19 PM    #

14. The FYLIP organization, Foster Youth Life Investment Partners, based in Corpus Christi, Texas helps young adults emerging from foster care. The organization helps these individuals transitioning into adulthood providing a support system to encourage their success in higher education. Your investment in this worthy organization will help many young adults in becoming responsible, productive citizens. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

    — Santos Martinez, Ed.D    Jun 27, 05:14 PM    #

15. I must agree with Mr. Martinez (response #14). Foster Youth Life Investment Partners (FYLIP) is a non-profit that assists as children age out of foster care at age 18. Many of these young adults are unable to go back to their families and have no one to depend on. There is not a mentor or adult showing them how to apply for jobs, apartments and college. FYLIP assists these young adults with college text books so they can make a better life for themselves. FYLIP assists with medical needs, groceries, start up rent and they seek other resources from the community to partner with. The young adults FYLIP works with must be working or attending school to get the assistance. We also have support groups for the young people and offer our own support. There are guidelines they must follow for the assistance – our goal is to empower not enable the young person. Your genoristy would greatly be appreciated.

    — Donna Lamontagne    Jun 28, 08:59 AM    #

16. I suggest you fund or design a special program for ethnic diversity in southern states to bring a greater awareness of the various cultures that exist in communities which will help the youth better understand and accept diverse cultures. Another suggestion is to fund a program for children and youth whose parents are incarcerated to help them avoid falling into the same pitfalls.

    — Peggie Johnson    Jun 28, 10:55 AM    #

17. Suggestion #16 hits an area that the 36 Appalachian College Association members recently identified as a priority—helping our 40,000+ students across central Appalachia learn more about the diverse populations with which they will need to interact in the future.

    — Alice Brown    Jun 28, 11:30 AM    #

18. I suggest any donation that would help former foster youth attend college. S.N.A.P.S.(Showing New Alumni Positive Success) an organization for former foster youth at Texas A&M Univ.-Kingsville has been trying to set-up an endowment with the University Foundation for scholarships for students who have “aged out of foster care”. They only need $25,000 to start a Scholarship endowment but the students have only been able to raise $500 through small fund raising events. SNAPS was started three years ago to assist former foster youth by a few students(former foster youth) and two adult advisor who noticed that this population had academic problems. The problem was found to be the fact that this population was trying to work 2 to 3 jobs and attend college full-time. With scholarship help these students can work 1 job and concentrate on college and graduating. SNAPS has had success by having three former foster youth graduate within the last two years. These young adults need scholarships to help lift some of the financial burdens they face. These burdens are FOOD,SHELTER, BOOKS and WARM Cloths, not items of luxury. Without college many former foster youth who “age out” of care become homeless. Please help youth become successful adults with college educations. I do want you to NOTE: FYLIP mentioned in response #14 has assisted SNAPS members with some college expenses since they are near our college. Please contact me for more information if necessary.

    — Renee A. Brown Financial Aid Counselor/SNAPS Adult Advisor    Jun 28, 12:29 PM    #

19. A suggestion to where The Case Foundation should spend their money is to students who are transfering from community colleges. I feel that there are not as many scholorship oppertunites open to transfer students as there are to students just out of highschool. I am aware of the Trustee Scholorship that many universities have, however they are only given to a limited number of people. I dont think transfer students are looked at with enough value as first year freshman are. The universities need to make it easier for transfer students to come to their school and funding would help in many ways, tuition, books, room and board. I’d take whatever I can get. Being a transfer student I have had a heck of a time looking for scholorships or ways to minimize the cost of a university.

    — Meredith A. Barton    Jun 28, 07:17 PM    #

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