VPP’s Approach to Philanthropic Investment

In the July issue of VPPNews, our Chairman Mario Morino talked about the intellectual and philosophical underpinnings of the VPP investment model. But what does this investment model look like on the ground? How do we put our vision and thinking into practice every day? How do we use our investment model to help organizations bring about social change?

For me, some of the best insights about why and how our model works come from the leaders of our investment partners—the nonprofit organizations who are working daily to improve the lives of children. Their thoughts and observations point to a number of aspects that distinguish and are critical to making our investment approach work. More »

"Back to School" with Michelle Rhee

Last week, more than 45 Investors and Board Members gathered for the latest event in the VPP Speaker Series, “Back to School with DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.”

Chancellor Rhee’s style is as straightforward as her message—she arrived without any staff aides, notes, or even a purse, and candidly outlined her vision for DC Public Schools, making it clear that student achievement is the driving force behind each decision she makes. More»

VPP’s Approach to Philanthropic Investment

Editor’s Note: This column is the second in a two-part series. Carol Thompson Cole, President and CEO, describes VPP’s specific approach to philanthropic investments. Her column builds on the first column by Chairman Mario Morino that described the evolution of the term “philanthropic investments,” its underlying assumptions, and how these concepts apply to a narrowly defined group of nonprofit organizations.

In the July issue of VPPNews, our Chairman Mario Morino talked about the intellectual and philosophical underpinnings of the VPP investment model. But what does this investment model look like on the ground? How do we put our vision and thinking into practice every day? How do we use our investment model to help organizations bring about social change?

For me, some of the best insights about why and how our model works come from the leaders of our investment partners—the nonprofit organizations who are working daily to improve the lives of children. Their thoughts and observations point to a number of aspects that distinguish and are critical to making our investment approach work.

It’s about Deep Investment Analysis
A hallmark of our approach is how we select the nonprofits in which we invest. We spend months, sometimes more than a year, in discussions with an organization to understand its mission, leadership, organization, and potential. And, the investment analysis and subsequent due diligence are rigorous, detailed, and unlike any process the nonprofits typically have experienced before. Our professional investment team and expert advisors spend hundreds of hours on the analysis and selection process.

It’s about Leadership
We invest in great leaders to help them build strong, high-performing nonprofits. It is central to our mission and approach to do everything we can to help the leadership and organization take the steps necessary, regardless of the degree of difficulty if it is warranted, to achieve their aspiration to benefit children and youth rather than to change an organization’s mission or aspiration or be a “social engineer.”

As James Forman, Co-Founder of See Forever Foundation, noted, “What was really important to us was that they were not saying, ‘we at VPP know what to do.’ They were saying the opposite: ‘YOU know what to do but we can help you do what you do better, more effectively, and with more kids.’ They started by telling us that we are investing in your organization because we believe in you as leaders. It was an affirmation from outside experts who could be doing a lot of different things with their money that what we were trying to do made sense and that we were good leaders.”

VPP also challenged him and Co-Founder David Domenici to become better leaders. “[VPP] forced us to really examine our own practices as leaders. It was just constant critical self-reflection and some of which was hard because sometimes you don’t want to be told that, well, maybe the way you’ve been doing it isn’t the best way, or that at least you should think about it, and they forced us to constantly to do this and it was, in the long term, very rewarding,” he said.

It’s about Relationships
At the core of our approach is our deep web of relationships. First and foremost is the relationship we have with our nonprofit investment partners where we strive to be seen as a trusted advisor. This is something that takes time—often a year or two—to develop and that we must earn. Forman recalled that when he and Domenici first started talking with VPP, they weren’t sure it was a good fit. But they kept talking with us (and we with them) for more than a year.

“Over time the relationship deepened and we started to trust the people that worked at VPP. We saw that their commitment to kids was serious, deep, and not going away,” Forman said.

That level of trust must be there. To do the work of helping organizations grow and change requires a strong relationship. Lori Kaplan, Executive Director of the Latin American Youth Center, described it as a “leap of faith” because VPP challenges organizations to work in new and different ways, ways that at first feel uncomfortable and even scary. They have to trust us and they have to trust themselves. Only when that trust is established are we able to add value beyond our financial investment through advice, guidance, and leverage.

It’s about the Power of Networks
Coupled with our relationship with our partners is our extensive network of relationships within the community at large—our investors, local government, social service and educational agencies, community leaders and influencers, the broader business community, and the philanthropic and foundation communities. Through our relationships, we are able to connect our investment partners to people, expertise, and resources that help them in their ongoing efforts to better serve children and families.

As JB Schramm, Founder of College Summit, puts it: “What sets VPP apart from all other funders that I’ve worked with is the second P in VPP—the partners. What VPP understands, at least for organizations that are trying to do systems change, is that it takes networks in the community at many different levels to successfully pull the levers and align the institutions so system change can be possible. At VPP, we have a partner who not only gives us guidance in planning and strategy but works a whole personal network to help us identify the partners…and to help, really shoulder to shoulder, figure out how we can get the community aligned around system change.”

It’s about Making the Greatest Impact
VPP invests in helping organizations achieve their aspirations, not advance its own social goals. We look for nonprofits that are having a profound impact on children and families in communities. We have invested in several types of organizations—health care, youth development, and charter schools. A large percentage of our portfolio today is charter schools. The reality is that we are agnostic to various forms of K-12 education. We didn’t invest in those organizations because they were charter schools, but rather because they were nonprofits having real impact in improving the lives of their students. We see value in all kinds of organizations. The bottom line for us is the desire of the organization to scale its impact and the comprehensive and holistic approach these nonprofits take.

It’s about Funding What Others Do Not
VPP provides the kind of funding that is the most difficult for nonprofits to get—funding for infrastructure to strengthen the organization. We typically invest several million dollars over a three- to five-year period. This money is not for a single program or service. Rather, it is explicitly targeted to help its leadership build a strong organization, poised for the long-term to demonstrate tangible results and impact. To make this happen involves hiring and retaining the best talent; building strong engaged boards; developing stable financial and economic strategies and models; improving program service and quality; and creating the means to assess and report on performance, ultimately allowing the organization to manage its outcome achievement.

“The end result of VPP investment truly has made a difference in the quality of the organization and that equals the quality of what the young people are getting. Our programs are so much stronger because of the capacity that came to the organization to do the work…the better we are, the better the young people’s opportunities are,” Kaplan said.

It’s about Performance
We help investment partners undergo a rigorous and intensive four- to seven-month business planning effort that involves key stakeholders. The result is a high-level plan that clearly defines aspiration, strategies to achieve it, and key organizational actions. Annual milestones, mutually agreed upon, are developed and become the basis for performance and assessment. The milestones are defined in terms of outcomes for children, such as improved graduation rates or the establishment of new centers in areas of high need or establishing a chief operating officer function to improve operational discipline. In addition to almost constant interaction, there is a formal annual review process in which performance to milestones is assessed, with the year’s accomplishments, performance, concerns, and expectations communicated to management and board. This provides a strong sense of accountability within our investment partners and, in turn, provides the basis for how we report portfolio performance and achievement to VPP investors.

“The real value and significance of what a business plan can do for us really became very clear to me. The Youth Center got an amazing five-year blueprint for our growth and development and a focus on the main things we should work on. It never was and never will be a document gathering dust,” said Kaplan.

It’s about Strategic Assistance
In my discussions with investment partners, nearly all of them point to the strategic assistance that VPP provides as important—and sometimes even more valuable—as the financial support we provide. This assistance takes many forms, including providing counsel to and developing leaders, board development, sourcing talent, opening doors to a new funder or partnership with a government or private agency, and being a sounding board for the leadership.

As Forman described, “VPP also brought a network of supporters and funders to our little small corner of the world. They brought board members…and a whole range of expertise, starting with money but not exclusively.”

It’s about a Professional In-house Investment Team
For our investment approach to work, our team must have seasoned, experienced executives—individuals who have themselves lived the “learning fields” of management and organizations, have built or led organizations themselves, and who have “been there and done that.” The investment team certainly must be knowledgeable about the nonprofit world and its unique culture and nuance, something we understand better now than when we started. Even more important, the team must possess sound judgment; have the experience and gravitas that enables them to advise and influence very strong executive directors and board members as they confront and deal with the most difficult organizational/managerial problems; be effective in setting clear expectations and firm, but respectful, in ensuring they are met; and have the heart and wherewithal to earn the role of trusted advisor to the leaders we serve.

Perhaps one of the most gratifying things for me is how much our nonprofits partners value the talent and commitment of our team.

“It’s an extraordinary level of leadership that the VPP partners bring to the table. VPP has partners that aren’t just advisors, they’ve got skin in the game, and they are here to connect with their networks and to help us strategize. And they’ve got the experience and they’ve got the relationships, so that they can actually do this well,” Schramm said.

As I reflect on how we implement our investment approach, what stands out for me is that we forge deep partnerships that allow our nonprofit partners to fulfill their dreams and realize their mission to improve the lives of children and families. VPP provides a level of funding and other resources that are very hard for organizations to come by. Our approach is not right for every organization. But for those who are willing to make the journey with us, it is rewarding for the organizations, the families and children they serve, and for us as professionals.

Kaplan sums it up this way: “VPP is different from other funders because they are engaged in a way most traditional philanthropy is not. I think all philanthropists, when they give you a grant, want you to be successful. But an investment philanthropist, as I am understanding it now, wants to roll up their sleeves up with you and kind of walk that journey, and together through that partnership really address the issues and provide expertise that’s just invaluable [and] that we would not have known about through the traditional philanthropic relationships that we have had.”

- Carol Thompson Cole

“Back to School” with Michelle Rhee

Carol Thompson Cole greets Michelle Rhee at the September 6 event. Last week, more than 45 Investors and Board Members gathered for the latest event in the VPP Speaker Series, “Back to School with DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.”

Chancellor Rhee’s style is as straightforward as her message—she arrived without any staff aides, notes, or even a purse, and candidly outlined her vision for DC Public Schools, making it clear that student achievement is the driving force behind each decision she makes.

Rhee laid out her four key areas of focus: Human Capital, Central Office, Parental Engagement, and Facilities, and shared compelling examples of the challenges she has faced in each area and her plans for overcoming them. An overriding theme was her desire to cut through red tape, ”Forget about bureaucracy, we have to get things done.”

She focused primarily on human capital, which she calls her “passion,” explaining that she has spent the last ten years working to attract the best talent to education through her leadership of The New Teacher Project (TNTP), a national organization she founded that has recruited more than 23,000 high-quality teachers for hard-to-staff postings in public schools across the country.

Attracting the best talent, developing leaders, ensuring accountability, and knocking down barriers for successful leaders are some of her key objectives at DCPS. For example, she has put a hiring freeze on principals and made it a priority to meet face-to-face with each principal at the 141 schools in the DCPS system to find out the barriers they face, to figure out what resources they need, and to ensure that each principal accepts personal responsibility for the success of their students.

When asked how the philanthropic community can best support her work, she said that the only way that DCPS could be completely successful would be to tap into the power and leverage of philanthropy and urged those present to consider investing in initiatives that weren’t sure bets.

VPP President and CEO Carol Thompson Cole remarked, “Many of the attendees expressed to me after the event how impressed they were with the Chancellor’s passion to serve the children in our city, and with her candor and determination. Without exception, everyone expressed excitement and optimism about her leadership.”

Said Candy Bryant, Executive Director of The Philip L. Graham Fund, a VPP Co-Investor, “This was a great opportunity to see Chancellor Rhee in a very intimate setting. I really enjoyed hearing her compelling stories of the challenges she faces, as well as her clear vision for DC Public Schools going forward.”

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Thompson Cole Featured in Washington Post

VPP's President and CEO Carol Thompson Cole was profiled in the "New at the Top" feature of the Washington Post business section on September 10. Read about her love for the City and how her career experiences prepared her for her current role with VPP.

Lex Mundi Provides Pro Bono Legal Advice To Nonprofit Organizations

By David Roll
To provide its investment partners with an opportunity to obtain first class legal assistance, VPP entered into a collaborative relationship in 2006 with the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation. The Foundation, an affiliate of Lex Mundi, has turned out to be an excellent resource for VPP investment partners to access pro bono legal assistance and guidance from top tier law firms in the DC area.

Recently, the African American Nonprofit Network (AANN) needed lawyers to advise it in establishing a District of Columbia nonprofit corporation and preparing an application for tax exempt status under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation introduced the organization to James Montgomery, a DC-based partner in Foley Hoag, a Lex Mundi member law firm. An AANN spokeswoman said, “James provided great service and the entire process was seamless and smooth.”

Introduced by the Foundation to lawyers at the Washington, DC, office of Baker Botts, Laura Golightly of Mary’s Center, another VPP investment partner, observed, “We have been very pleased with Glenn Elliott, Christian Silva, and the rest of the Baker Botts team that assisted us in initiating our CDC [community development corporation] work.”

In addition to Foley Hoag and Baker Botts, other Lex Mundi member firms with offices in DC include Akerman & Senterfitt; Alston & Bird; Davis, Wright & Tremaine; Day Pitney; McGuire Woods; Morrison & Foerster; Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal; Steptoe & Johnson; and Womble Carlyle & Sandridge.

VPP investment partners in need of legal assistance or advice can access the Lex Mundi network by emailing or calling Dave Roll, Managing Director, at droll@lexmundiprobono.org or 202-429-8169 or Ben Greer, Vice President, at bgreer@alston.com or 404-518-5649.

New Beginnings Kick Off at Regional Schools

By Art Curry, VPP consultant

As school bells rang throughout the metropolitan area during the past few weeks and the familiar sight of yellow school buses filled our streets and byways, excitement and enthusiasm were in the air. Each year these familiar sights represent a new beginning, a fresh start to improve and grow. Whether a kindergartner attending elementary school for the first time, a sixth grader moving into middle school, or a ninth grader heading to high school, the look in their eyes is the same—anticipation and excitement. Teachers and parents share these same emotions.

The investment partners of VPP are no different. The SEED School is excited about the arrival of Charles Adams, the new head of school, and a new principal, Kara Stacks. CentroNía’s DC Bilingual Public Charter School also has a new School Director, Wanda Perez, a graduate of New Leaders for New Schools and most recently the Resident New Leaders Principal at Friendship Southeast Elementary Academy for the 2006-2007 school year. The See Forever Foundation is increasing its capacity to serve youth by assuming control of the educational program at the DC Youth Detention Center at Oak Hill and opening a middle school at the Evans Campus. College Summit has signed an agreement with the Prince George’s County Public Schools to provide services to all high school students. And, Heads Up is anticipating the arrival of a new Executive Director.

Excitement was especially evident at Friendship Public Charter School during its Teacher Institute. In 1998, Friendship was simply a vision, one school on two campuses (Woodridge and Chamberlain), and a partnership with Edison, and the first Teacher Institute occurred with central office and school staff around five tables in one room. Fast forward to this year’s Institute which welcomed more than 500 teachers, administrators, counselors, students, parents, board members, and support staff at the DC Convention Center for four days of celebration and professional development. Friendship’s Founder, President, and CEO Donald Hense took the participants on the journey from the school’s beginnings to the present. This year also marked the first year that Friendship assumed all operational responsibilities from Edison when it ended its partnership with the charter management organization in June.

“VROOM: Moving Forward” was the NASCAR metaphor used to illustrate both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead as administrators, teachers, and staff start their engines for the 2007-2008 school year. Student enrollment is expected to exceed 5,000 (up from 4,000) students on five campuses in the District of Columbia. The Institute featured performances by Friendship students and staff and professional development and teambuilding exercises. Additional highlights included keynote remarks by Howard Fuller, former Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools and Chairman of the Charter Schools Leadership Council; Ron Clark, 2000 Disney’s Teacher of the Year and best-selling author of The Essential 55; and Yvonne Thornton, best-selling author of The Ditchdigger’s Daughters.

Another highlight of the Institute was the presentation of the “Chairman’s Choice Award,” given annually to the individual who has contributed most to the advancement of Friendship Public Charter School. This year’s net $10,000 award went to Andrew Lakis, a fifth grade teacher at Friendship Woodridge Campus who will be serving as a Mentor Teacher this year.

Professional development components of the Institute were tied directly to the new academic design and direction for the Friendship community. Judging from the active participation and enthusiasm in all of the sessions, staff seemed to embrace this year’s number one priority—academic improvement.

Art Curry has been going back to school each fall for more than 40 years. He still gets excited.

Programs & Services

AALEAD Talent Show Caps Summer Programs
Thanks to Rosetta Lai, VP for Development and External Affairs, for this update.

AALEAD’s summer programs culminated in a Talent Show on August 2, at Asbury Church in downtown Washington, DC. The summer programs served a record 180 students at four different sites: AALEAD’s Center in Columbia Heights, Bancroft Elementary School, Asbury Church, and AALEAD’s new site in Chinatown. The Talent Show drew an enthusiastic crowd of about 300 parents, grandparents, students, friends, and supporters. Every student who took part in the elementary school programs was on stage. Students made their own costumes and sets for the dances, skits, and songs. Much like the Oscars, flash bulbs popped and the young performers outdid each other with spontaneous extra moves to the audience’s delight.

Heads Up’s “Summer of Learning” Elicits Students’ Talents
Thanks to Elizabeth Gutting, Development Associate, for this update.

Heads Up’s “Summer of Learning” ended on an exciting note when students, tutors, and parents gathered at THEARC in Southeast DC for the annual project fair on August 2. Twenty-nine display boards lined the floor of the gymnasium, showing off the students’ hard work during the six-week summer program.

Led by undergraduate tutors, the students developed projects with the aim of benefiting their community in some way. Projects included “Kids Causing Change,” where children learned about war-torn Darfur and raised money for survivors in the region of Sudan.

After completing a scavenger hunt to learn about each other’s projects, groups of children performed dances, poetry, and other skits for the audience. A group of students put on a fashion show modeling what they wanted to be when they grew up—fire fighters, safari adventurers, gardeners, and much more.

Interim Executive Director Robin Minter told students, “I want you to remember everything you’ve learned this summer.” She also urged them to work hard in school this fall, graduate from high school, and make a contribution to the world so their “lights can shine.”

LAYC Engages 1,200 Youth in Creative, Educational Activities for Summer 2007
Thanks to Lori Kaplan, Executive Director, for this update.

More than 1,200 children and youth participated in LAYC’s summer programs in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Summer activities were educational, entrepreneurial, and fun! Enrichment camps for elementary and middle school children offered a structured schedule of activities focused on academic, leadership, and life skills; fitness, health, and nutrition; and, of course, recreation and sports. Nationally reviewed curricula including McGruff Club, Media Smart Youth, and Moving with Math formed the basis of many activities. A special project, Happy Hats, let summer campers create 100 colorful hats for patients at Children’s Hospital. In Prince George’s County, middle school campers in Riverdale created a summer vegetable garden and sold their produce in the local community. They also participated in mural painting, a bike repair clinic, and other activities. In Langley Park, youth expressed their creative talents in art class and prepared for careers through job readiness activities. In Montgomery County, youth in the juvenile justice system participated in LAYC’s Start the Drama project creating narratives dealing with issues in their lives. In DC, LAYC youth could be found in George Washington University dorms as part of their intensive summer college experience, visiting other college campuses, creating a multimedia project at the Art + Media House, and going to on-the-job employment sites throughout the city. Thanks to the really hot weather, LAYC’s youth-run snow cone venture made money while teaching young people how to run and operate their own business.

A mother of two Montgomery County summer youth participants sent this note: “I would truly like to thank each and every one of you at LAYC for making my sons' first summer internship experience a memorable one. My two sons really enjoyed their assignments; they would wake up extra early without any trouble to get to work early and leave late if their supervisors asked them to. It was a lot of fun for me to just listen to how their work days were instead of them always listening to mine. I hope the program continues to flourish and that you welcome them back in the future. I have a 12-year-old who can’t wait to join as well.”

See Forever’s Oak Hill Project Provides Gateways
Thanks to Ingrid Padgett, Director of Development, for this update.

This summer the See Forever Foundation assumed management of the Oak Hill Academy, located in the long-term secure facility for DC youth who have been adjudicated delinquent. Through this new project, See Forever is returning to its roots. In 1997, See Forever started working with 20 teens, all of whom had been through Oak Hill.

David Domenici, the school’s Principal, said, “Our goal is for the school at Oak Hill to be the best school the young men have ever attended. This project is a critical component of our mission and our long-term goal of providing high quality education for our City’s most needy students.”

Oak Hill Academy will operate an extended day educational program, Monday through Saturday, providing an Evening Enrichment program, Saturday School, and a Career Institute for the young men at Oak Hill. See Forever will also operate a Transition Center, where students will go after release from Oak Hill for help transitioning back into their communities.

The program officially began on July 2 with a six-week summer program, implementing the Children’s Defense Fund’s Freedom School Summer program, an educational and cultural enrichment program aimed at promoting social, cultural, and historical awareness. The official school year began on August 27 and the Transition Center will open on October 1.

Through an intensive recruiting process, See Forever hired more than 40 new staff between May and August to join the Oak Hill team. All staff recently completed an intensive two-week professional development training to support the achievements of the Oak Hill Scholars.

See Forever’s Executive Director Cynthia Robbins said, “We are thrilled with this new venture to manage the Oak Hill School and are hopeful that our school model will soon be a national model for education in the juvenile justice system.”

Announcements of Note

American Bar Association Appoints Will Gunn As Chair of Youth At Risk Commission
Thanks to Kerrin Torres, Communications Specialist, for this update.

The American Bar Association appointed Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington President & CEO Will Gunn as the Chair of the Youth at Risk Commission. Gunn began his one-year term as chair, replacing Dwight Smith, following the 2007 Annual Meeting, held in San Francisco, August 8–12. The focus of the commission is to examine legal issues that affect at-risk youth and work to enhance laws, judicial intervention strategies, policies, practices, and programs to help prevent teens from becoming delinquent or engaging in criminal acts.

“I am honored by this appointment to the Commission on Youth at Risk because of the important work that this commission is responsible for, regarding the legal welfare of our youth, especially those that face hardships that put them at a higher risk of legal circumstances,” Gunn said.

The Commission on Youth at Risk examines issues of young people and their families that face serious problems that greatly elevate their risk. These young people face issues of severe abuse, chronic neglect, high conflict divorce and domestic violence, poor and violent neighborhoods, unmet mental and physical heath needs, learning disabilities, emotional or behavioral problems, gangs, poor peer group choices and relationships and poor educational and employment options.

CFNC Implements Two Major Development Initiatives
Thanks to Kate Lyng, Manager of Development, for this update.

CFNC has secured funding from Boeing and the Temple Rodef Shalom Fund for the Community to purchase Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge, a fundraising software solution. CFNC was also selected to work with a team of COMPASS consultants to develop a plan to help the organization broaden or deepen its current sources of revenue and work toward the goal of long-term sustainability.

Raiser’s Edge’s will allow CFNC to make the most efficient use of its time and money, and, as CFNC expands, this fundraising software package will also provide the analytical tools, in-depth reports and tracking and precise donor targeting features necessary for achieving its fundraising goals. CFNC’s Manager of Development, Grant Writer, and Manager of Human Resources and Administration will attend workshops to learn more about the software system.

COMPASS, a leader in pro bono business consulting, specializes in assisting nonprofits in the areas of strategic planning, financial management strategy, market research, and organizational development. CFNC will work with COMPASS volunteers to develop a funding strategy that will build upon the successful implementation of CFNC’s 2003-2006 strategic plan, include more complex and expanded fundraising strategies to sustain CFNC’s current and future programs, and enhance the development division’s effectiveness by recommending specific upgrades to current development infrastructure and processes.

CMHS Receives Support for Employment Readiness Program
Thanks to Dennis Hunt, Executive Director, for this update.

CMHS was recently awarded $25,000 by Capital One in support of its Employment Readiness Program for at-risk minority youth served by the CMHS Core Service Agency in the District of Columbia. This program donation enables CMHS to provide behavioral health assessment and treatment services to at-risk Ward 8 youth, ages 18 to 21, and help them overcome mental health issues and interpersonal barriers to the acquisition of work readiness skills.

CMHS also received a $20,000 unrestricted gift from the Edna Wardlaw Charitable Trust, a Georgia-based foundation that awards operating grants nationwide in the areas of children and youth services, community funds, health and hospitals, homelessness, among others.

Mary’s Center Noche Tropical Gala to be Hosted by Mayor and Mrs. Fenty
Thanks to Lyda Vanegas, Advocacy and Communications Officer, for this update.

Mary’s Center’s seventh annual fundraising gala Noche Tropical takes place Friday, September 28, from 7:00 pm to midnight at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. Mayor Adrian Fenty and his wife Michelle are the honorary co-chairs of this event that raises awareness and funding for health care and social services for underserved families in the Washington metropolitan area. Mary’s Center’s healthcare partners Children’s National Medical Center, Providence Hospital, and Washington Adventist Hospital will be honored. For additional information, contact Kristy Snowden at 202-420-7172.

Investment Partner Opportunities

The Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) seeks a leader to serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO) to provide management and programmatic oversight to its $12 million, 175 to 200 employee network of youth centers and social enterprises operating in Washington, DC, and Maryland. The LAYC is a fast-paced, innovative, risk-taking and multicultural environment and seeks a forward-looking, creative and high-energy individual for daily challenges and rewards. The COO provides leadership to the LAYC’s strategic planning process and implements new plan initiatives. The COO provides coordination for the LAYC senior management team and oversees programs and operations providing academic, workforce, life skills, arts and advocacy opportunities to approximately 4,000 Latino, African American and multicultural youth from low-income families annually. The COO insures that the activities of the three charter schools founded by the LAYC are coordinated with LAYC’s client management systems. The COO is liaison to partners in public school, government, and other local and national organizations. The candidate must have significant experience in youth development, program design and implementation, staff supervision, and organizational systems planning. A good sense of humor is a plus and working as a team member is essential. Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation and training design and facilitation preferred. Bilingual – Spanish/English required. If interested, send cover letter and resume to Lori Kaplan, Executive Director, Latin American Youth Center, 1419 Columbia Road, NW, Washington, DC 20009, or by email.

Mary’s Center is looking for a Vice President of Medicine who is a clinical physician, in addition to providing direct medical services to patients and directing the overall medical program at Mary’s Center for Maternal Child Care, Inc. Qualifications: Board-certified and licensed medical doctor in DC and Maryland, with at least eight years of clinic and management experiences. Able to work well in pressure situations, the employee shall demonstrate cooperative behavior with colleagues and patients. Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred. Please send resume/CV to hr@maryscenter.org or 202-332-0541. EEO/AA/M/F/D/V

GEO Offers New Publication

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) has published the General Operating Support Action Guide. Inspired by a conversation that took place in early 2007 on the GEO listserv, the Action Guide includes quotes from that discussion and a whole lot more. GEO takes a look at how grantmakers’ allocation of money—a critical piece of grantmakers’ support—impacts nonprofit results. The Action Guide breaks down into three sections: 1) what exactly general operating support is; 2) why it’s important; and 3) how to decide the right course for your organization.

Free PDF versions of the report are available at the GEO website. To purchase hard copies, contact
Dakota Fine at fine@geofunders.org or 202-898-1840.

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