On the Scene: The McCormick Foundation Blog

by Molly Baltman, Assistant Director/Grantmaking  Foundation employees and other funders discuss strategy. As a launch to the Communities Program’s Unified Outcomes Project, over 70 people representing McCormick Foundation grantees, public funders, private foundations and McCormick Foundation staff gathered for an afternoon to discuss evaluation in the areas of child trauma and child abuse prevention. Led by evaluator, Dr. Tania Rempert, the meeting was the beginning of a series of grantee convenings to discuss what outcomes and indicators are most meaningful to practitioners and agencies, streamline evaluation, and provide a forum for agency representatives to talk about evaluation practices at their organizations. We are hoping that through the upcoming summer workgroups, grantees will learn and share different evaluation approaches and practices that will build on the high-quality services already provided. Through this work, we hope to find common indicators and outcom...

by Shawn Healy, Resident Scholar, Civics Program  Last August, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), in partnership with the McCormick Foundation and the Spencer Foundation , launched the Global Citizenship Initiative (GCI) in 16 high schools. The GCI is designed to close a “civic achievement gap” as wide as those in reading and math, and to strengthen the civic mission of CPS high schools. Despite a tumultuous teacher strike, extensive principal turnover at GCI pilot schools, and a polarized debate about pending school closings, the GCI penetrated district high schools and prepared students for college, career, and civic life. A senior year civics course debuted at the 16 GCI schools last fall. It was taught by 21 teachers and reached roughly 1,300 students. The course content emphasizes both elections and public policy, and the curriculum leverages proven civic learning practices like discussion and service-learning. Students responded positively to the course. One wrote, "I fi...

At the end of January, McCormick Foundation CEO David Hiller , Board member Don Wycliff and Communities Program staff participated in the Foundation’s seventh Chicago neighborhood tour to East Garfield Park. The purpose of this initiative is to better understand how McCormick Foundation grantees are achieving impact in some of the most economically disadvantaged communities in Chicago, as well as to learn more about the assets and challenges of these communities. Breakthrough Urban Ministries hosted the tour and discussion in East Garfield Park, which included representatives from grantees Girls in the Game, Inspiration Corporation, UCAN and YMCA. Click above to watch VIDEO on the Communities Program Chicago Neighborhood Tour initiative. Hear our Communities Program Director Bill Koll explain the tour's purpose and get a peek into how one Foundation grantee, Breakthrough Urban Ministries, is committed to making life better in East Garfield Park.