Back to School Event Great Success

Thanks to everyone that helped make the Aug. 19 back to school event at East Technical High School a great success. More than 1,000 neighbors and children attended and about 700 uniform vouchers were distributed for families to ensure kids had new clothes before school started. Also the dozen stylists - barbers and braiders - cut and braided the hair of more than 100 children. Principals and teachers stopped by to give pep talks to incoming students.

Nearly 600 Groups Plan to Apply for Promise Grants

The U.S. Department of Education has released the list of organizations that have indicated they will apply for the $30 million in Promise funding. While a majority are applying for planning grants, 161 groups said they would apply for implementation grants including the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland. Last year, more than 700 indicated they would apply for planning grants but 339 actually submitted applications. Just 21 planning grants were awarded. Interestingly, several of the groups awarded planning grants last year indicated they were applying again for planning grants. The Foundation was not awarded a $500,000 planning grant but decided with its partners to use the more than $330,000 in matching funds raised to move ahead and apply for an implementation grant. Read more about the grant opportunity.

 

The Plain Dealer Editorial on the Foundation's Promise Initiative

New CHOICE Planning Grants Available 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced recently that $3.6 million in Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants will be awarded this year to "assist in the tranformation, rehabilitation and preservation of public housing and privately owned HUD-assisted housing." The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, which applied for an earlier round of planning grants for the Cedar extension housing, will try again. Applications are due in early August. CMHA and other public housing authorities can receive up to $300,000 for planning. Read more.

 

Rep. Kucinich Recognizes Foundation's Work in Congressional Record

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced recently that $3.6 million in Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants will be awarded this year to "assist in the tranformation, rehabilitation and preservation of public housing and privately owned HUD-assisted housing." The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, which applied for an earlier round of planning grants, will try again. Applications are due in early August. CMHA and other public housing authorities can receive up to $300,000 for planning.
"Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland for their groundbreaking work to promote and improve Cleveland's Central Neighborhood. 

"Founded in 1996, the Sisters of Charity Foundation focuses on improving the health status and educational outcomes of Cleveland's residents and children. ... They have raised over $330,000 in local funding for the Central Neighborhood and are planning to create a Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood."

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Pick's CHOICE projects, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Not in the Mix

Seventeen communities were awarded Choice planning grants of up to $250,000 and six others were named as finalists for implementation awards. The Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority had applied for a Choice planning grant, but was not selected. Read the announcement and also the list of funded communities. CMHA officials have said they are still moving forwarded with transforming Central.

Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Aiming to Transform Central Neighborhood

 
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority wants to transform Cleveland's Central Neighborhood and is applying for a $250,000 planning grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to plan the project.
 
The Choice Neighborhood project, a complementary program to Promise Neighborhood, aims to physically transform a portion of Central, specifically Cedar Estates public housing. But the Choice program is wide-ranging focusing beyond housing to neighborhood redevelopment. In the picture.
 
CMHA must also plan social service and education opportunity improvements in the neighborhood, and is working closely with the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland and its partners which is doing similar planning under the Promise Neighborhood project.
 
The portion of Central CMHA is focusing on corresponds to the same area and three schools the Promise project is targeting to work with residents and community leaders to ensure children are ready for school and succeed academically in excellent schools. 
 
Foundation board member Danny Williams, right, talks about Choice connection to Promise at a luncheon meeting at CMHA for Promise advisory board members. Susanna Krey, standing left, is the foundation president.
 
 

Central residents, teens and teachers discuss "Waiting for Superman"

 
More than 200 people - Central residents, youth, teachers and others - came together to see the documentary, "Waiting for Superman" at the Cedar-Lee Theater in November. About half attended the following luncheon and discussion on the movie and how to improve schools in Central.

D.C. Promise Neighborhood Highlighted

The Chronicle of Philanthropy is following the progress of the Washington D.C. Promise Neighborhood, one of the 21 communities awarded federal planning funds. The most recent article discusses the challenges of measuring or charting progress, really measuring the results of the programs and services offered to children.

 

Federal Budget Compromise includes $30 million for Promise Neighborhood Grants

The down-to-the-wire federal budget agreement stripped $38 billion from agencies, programs and services for the remainder of fiscal 2011, but $30 million for Promise Neighborhood grants was spared. 

Those interested in the federal budget, what what cut, what was spared and what got more money, can go here to see the details. Promise information is on page 330.

 

The next step is for the Education Department to release the actual Promise implementation applications. Once that occurs, the foundation and others have 60 days to submit their applications. 

 

Promise Planning Team Leaders Come Together

 
Jan. 13, 2011 - The foundation on Wednesday brought together leaders from across the region to begin the hard work of planning “solutions” – integrated programs and services – to ensure children in Cleveland’s Central Neighborhood are ready to go to school, go to good schools and graduate from high school to go on to college.

The five “planning team” leaders, along with foundation staff, education, community and data experts spent the day mapping out the issues and the next steps needed to jump start the Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood.

The teams include one focused on young children from birth to age 5, two groups focused on elementary school issues, a high school team and finally one concentrating on transitioning students from high school to college or other post secondary training.

The effort in Cleveland was inspired by the Harlem Children’s Zone, which is working to end the cycle of generational poverty following children from “cradle to college to community,” with a seamless set of programs and services for children and their families and the community.

However, it differs from the Harlem Children’s Zone in that HCZ operates its own pre-school, elementary and high school, something the local initiative will not.

Instead, the Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood plans to build upon successful programs already operating in Central and bringing effective services working in other neighborhoods into Central and scaling them up over the next three to five years. Go to the News  page to find out more about the teams, the leaders and the work they are undertaking.

Promise Planning Teams Formed

 
Five planning teams leaders have been picked to begin the work of identifying programs and services that need to be developed or ramped up for the Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood. The teams are:
  • Early Childhood - team leader Marcia Egbert, The George Gund Foundation
  • Pre-kindergarten through 8th grade wrap around model - team leader Lisa Baskin, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
  • Pre-kindergarten through 8th grade STEM model - team leader Lisa Baskin, CMSD
  • High school - team leaders Lisa Bottoms, The Cleveland Foundation and Ken Hale, Cuyahoga Community College
  • College/Career - team leader Lee Freidman, Cleveland Scholarship Programs

Team leaders, with foundation support staff, are identifying co-leaders, as well as members for each of the service areas. Three support teams have also been developed, for data collection, neighborhood and community engagement and external affairs. Read about the work of the teams.
 
 

Foundation picked to join 21 Promise grantees for special training program

 
Nov. 22, 2010 - The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, as the lead applicant for the Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood planning grant, was asked to join with the 21 federal grant winners for an "Intensive Learning Partnership" established by The Promise Neighborhood Institute. The institute is offering technical assistance and guidance to the 21 groups awarded a federal planning grant, as well as about dozen others who scored high in the application process.

The foundation and other groups will get assistance in planning programs and services to ensure children are ready for school, go to excellent schools, graduate from high school and go on to college or a career. The foundation will also be able to attend the Harlem Children's Zone Practitioner's Institute to learn about that approach, as well as the programs and services offered there. Read about the services provided.


Promise Advisory Board picks six Acts of Promise

 
Promise advisory board members recently picked six projects out of 14, called acts of Promise, that can get underway next year while work continues on planning for a Promise Neighborhood.

Read about the 14 proposed acts of Promise  considered and the six they chose. For a quick recap, here are the six chosen by the advisory board:
  • Implementing “Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids” (SPARK) at George Washington Carver elementary school. Carver is the only school in the zone that does not have a pre-kindergarten program. SPARK is a home-based pre-k program for 4-year-olds
  • Expanding the Water-Cycle summer jobs program to more students, giving them a four-week paid summer job that exposes them to green work opportunities
  • Building up a pool of mentors to work with more students
  • Tri-C becoming a neighborhood resource center for out-of-school activities and programs
  • Work with local child care and early learning providers to offer the highest quality programs and achieve the three star “STEP UP TO QUALITY” rating
 
 

Central Neighborhood News/Events/Happenings

 

Greenhouse growing in Central Neighborhood

 
The Cleveland Foundation envisions building an expansive, ultra-modern hydroponic greenhouse in the middle of an impoverished Cleveland neighborhood where lettuce, basil and economic independence will become the main crops.
 
The $24 million Green City Growers follows an economic model that the community-oriented foundation created for two other ventures, Evergreen Laundry Cooperative and Ohio Cooperative Solar. Read the rest of The Plain Dealer article.