Cincinnati, Ohio, April 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StriveTogether, a national network working to bring communities together around data to make decisions and improve results for kids, today announced awardees for the second round of its Strategic Initiatives grant program. This group will focus on leadership initiatives in seven communities: Boston, Mass.; Kenosha, Wis.; Muscatine County, Iowa; Redmond, Ore.; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco, Calif.; and Tulsa, Okla.
The Strategic Initiatives Fund provides grants for targeted strategies to strengthen the seven capacities outlined in StriveTogether’s strategic plan, with a different capacity selected each year. The areas of focus this year include building organizational capacity; providing leadership development and career pathways for staff as well as local youth, parents and residents; and recruiting and onboarding for a key leadership role on the team or board.
“Local leadership is critical at a time when so many systems are clearly failing youth and families,” StriveTogether President and CEO Jennifer Blatz said. “StriveTogether is investing to ensure leaders and staff reflect the diversity of the communities they serve to better support the success of every child.”
The leadership initiatives include:
- In Boston, Mass., the Boston Opportunity Agenda will work to develop career pathways at community-based organizations for parent leaders who reflect the communities being served, with a focus on better outcomes for kids ages birth to 8.
- In Kenosha, Wis., Building Our Future will build the capability of staff and partners to understand systemic racism so they can identify the changes needed in local institutions and policies for more equitable outcomes.
- In Muscatine County, Iowa, Aligned Impact Muscatine County will create a staffing plan that identifies key roles needed to advance the partnership’s goals and develop innovative ways to fill those talent needs across community partners.
- In Redmond, Ore., Better Together Central Oregon will create a network of community members of color who will serve in key partnership roles and build their capacity to design agendas and action plans.
- In Salt Lake City, Utah, Promise Partnership of Salt Lake will expand a talent toolkit created with StriveTogether for hiring and retaining more diverse staff across the Network, with more equitable hiring practices and clearer pathways for development and promotion.
- In San Francisco, Calif., Mission Promise Neighborhood will engage and activate parent leaders to inform policy and funding at the city and school district levels for more equitable outcomes for Latinx students and their families.
- In Tulsa, Okla., ImpactTulsa will increase its leadership council’s diversity to represent Tulsa County’s population and unique community perspectives and will develop a youth council to elevate student voice.
The Strategic Initiatives Fund is part of StriveTogether’s Cradle to Career Community Challenge, which invests in efforts to improve equity and economic mobility for children and their families. Since launching the Community Challenge in 2018, StriveTogether has invested $16.6 million in 34 communities on projects that advance equity, improve results and spread bold strategies to help students progress from kindergarten to postsecondary completion and a job.
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About StriveTogether
StriveTogether partners with nearly 70 communities across the country, providing coaching, resources and rigorous approaches to create opportunities and close gaps in education, housing, health care and more. Together, the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network impacts the lives of more than 10 million youth across 29 states and Washington, D.C.