Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is eligible to participate?
• What is Making Connections?
• How does the Site Team Leaders’ work relate to the Executive Education Program for community foundation CEOs and Senior Program Staff?
• Why is CEO participation important?
• How will the curriculum address the concerns and challenges facing CEOs?
• Who is developing and delivering the curriculum?
• When, where, how long and how much?

• Many people living in tough neighborhoods don’t even have telephones, much less an Internet connection.
• Many not only lack cars, but access to public transportation as well.
• They can’t work or shop in their neighborhoods because businesses have fled.
• The social networks that helped most of us get good jobs, and connect us to other ladders of opportunity, are weak or nonexistent.
• Mainstream financial institutions don’t have branches in tough neighborhoods – limiting access to asset and equity building opportunities.
• Crime and safety concerns are isolating factors within these neighborhoods – and prevent people from forming the self-help networks where people look out for each other and each other’s kids.
• Tough neighborhoods have a fraction of the team sports, community clubs, parks, playgrounds, and open spaces for cultural and recreational events that help people form social networks.
• Lack of trust of mainstream institutions further alienates people living in tough neighborhoods. Poor schools, high incarceration rates, inadequate or inaccessible day care, and service providers who appear condescending, indifferent, or even threatening all contribute to lack of trust – and prevent families from seeking help when they or their kids need it.

Each site has a Site Team Leader. This individual is a Casey Foundation staff member who is responsible for overseeing work at one or more sites.
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• Demonstrating the impact of the community foundation’s grantmaking and leadership roles to donors and the community at large.
• Linking the community foundation’s work to other public and private efforts to improve the life chances for children
• Identifying ways to engage donors in supporting effective strategies. In this program, those strategies will focus on promoting the healthy development of children living in tough neighborhoods by increasing their families’ connections to the opportunities, resources, relationships and other help they need to succeed.

The curriculum will help community foundations:

• become more results-oriented;
• develop skills in measuring impact; and
• align development, program services, and communications in ways that increase their effectiveness.

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