Partnerships
The Meyer Foundation has a long history of working in partnership with other grantmakers and with key nonprofit organizations to address unmet community needs. These partnerships include:
Funding Collaboratives
The Collaborative for Education Organizing was launched in 2007 by the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region with the goal of creating a movement for change led by parents, youth, community organizing and advocacy nonprofits, and educators committed to doubling college-ready graduation rates in the District of Columbia. This collaborative has leveraged support from both national and local foundations to invest more than $1 million in education organizing activity and capacity-building in DC. Carmen James Lane serves on the steering committee.
The Community Development Support Collaborative is a consortium of DC-based corporations, local and national private foundations, and financial institutions. The collaborative—a project of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers Meyer helped to establish in 1987— is managed by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and provides general operating support grants, technical assistance, and training for organizations engaged in the preservation and production of affordable housing in Washington, DC. Karen FitzGerald serves on its steering committee.
HIP Funders' Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities was launched by Hispanics in Philanthropy to build capacity among small- and medium-sized Latino nonprofit organizations with budgets under $2 million through technical assistance grantmaking. The DC collaborative, one of 18 collaborative sites, was organized under the leadership of Danielle M. Reyes, and she served as chair of the DC Funders' Collaborative for 3 years. This collaborative has awarded more than $1 million to 24 local nonprofit organizations throughout the Greater Washington area since 2007.
The Early Care and Education Collaborative was established by the Washington Area Women's Foundation to build support in the community for greater access to quality, affordable early care and education in the region. Karen FitzGerald serves on its steering committee.
New Schools Venture Fund is a venture philanthropy firm that works to dramatically improve public education for low-income and minority children living in urban communities with failing public schools. Meyer supports the DC Schools Fund, which is designed to increase the number of high-performing public schools, broaden the number of effective support organizations in the wider community that can help schools address key challenges, and build a constituency for reform among DC families and residents. Carmen James Lane serves on the investment strategy group for the DC Schools Fund.
The Nonprofit Advancement Fund for Montgomery County was created by the Community Foundation for Montgomery County to help strengthen the collective voice and influence of the county's nonprofit sector and to provide direct assistance in strengthening the management and leadership of community-based nonprofits. Rick Moyers serves as co-chair of the steering committee for this fund.
The Partnership for Equity (PFE), housed at the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, grew out of the merger of The Common Ground Fund and The Washington Area Partnership for Immigrants, and is the successor to the Intergroup project, an initiative created by and incubated at Meyer. Its goal is to develop and support the leadership of individuals and organizations working to help those who are marginalized become more fully involved in the economic, social, and civic life of the community through advocacy, capacity building, organizing, research, and public awareness. Danielle M. Reyes chairs this collaborative.
The Partnership for Prince George's County was born out of a series of programs convened by the Community Foundation for Prince George's County and the Washington Grantmakers' Sustainable Communities Working Group to explore the role of Prince George's County in the DC region and to better understand its nonprofit sector. The Partnership is a collaboration among funders and nonprofit and community leaders aimed at building the capacity of nonprofits in the county and strengthening their ability to be effective advocates. As one of the lead funders involved in the launching, Meyer was instrumental in creating and shaping the Partnership, and Meyer staff continue to be actively involved. Karen FitzGerald serves on the steering committee.
The Washington AIDS Partnership, an initiative of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, is a collaborative of more than 30 regional grantmakers who pool their funding to aggressively respond to the regional HIV/AIDS epidemic. Founded in 1988 by the Meyer and Ford foundations and incubated at Meyer, the Washington AIDS Partnership awards more than $1 million annually to nonprofits working in the areas of medical morale, prevention, public policy, social/support services, and technical assistance.
The Workforce Development Collaborative—initiated by a three-year grant from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions in July 2007—is housed at the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, and seeks to address the critical need for workforce preparedness by co-investing with local funders and public and private sectors in strategies to help low-income adults gain the skills they need to advance into sustainable employment. The collaborative, made up of 14 funding partners, has a projected three-year grantmaking budget of $1 million.
Affinity and Working Groups
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) is a national membership and philanthropic advocacy organization dedicated to bridging philanthropy and Asian Pacific American communities. Its members include foundations, staff and trustees of grantmaking institutions, and nonprofit organizations in nine regional chapters in the United States. Meyer Foundation was a founding member of the local chapter and Danielle M. Reyes will serve as the chair of the national board of directors from 2010-2011.
The Black Philanthropic Alliance (BPA) was established in 2002 and is a network of professionals in philanthropy and nonprofits who identify, manage, and influence investments and resources to strengthen and connect the Black community in the Washington, DC region. BPA hosts a virtual learning community, local giving circle, and networking and professional development activities. The Meyer Foundation is a founding institutional member. Carmen James Lane is a founding board member and currently serves as board treasurer.
Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) is an international association of grantmakers with more than 550 members representing corporate, public, and private philanthropies and works to promote stronger partnerships between organized philanthropy and Latino communities. Driven largely by the engagement of Meyer staff, HIP has developed a strong local membership in Greater Washington. Danielle M. Reyes founded and led the DC chapter for its initial three years.
The Neighborhood Funders Group began in 1980 and is a national network of foundations and philanthropic organizations and its goal is to strengthen the capacity of organized philanthropy to understand and support community-based efforts to organize and improve the economic and social fabric of low-income urban neighborhoods and rural communities. Karen FitzGerald serves on the board of directors.
Washington Grantmakers coordinates six working groups to connect funders and others to study and act on issues of concern to the region. Meyer Foundation staff are currently active in the Arts & Humanities, Health, and Sustainable Communities working groups.
Youth Transition Funders Group is a collaboration of 30 foundations and a national network of approximately 175 local, regional, and national grantmakers who are committed to ensuring young people between the ages of 14 and 24 become successfully connected by age 25 to support systems and institutions that will enable them to succeed in adulthood. Meyer's participation and leadership as one of the few regional foundations has raised the profile of Washington, DC as a place for collaborative investment.
Other Partner Organizations
The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington works to increase individual giving to community-based nonprofits by highlighting a group of carefully selected organizations in an annual print publication and through its powerful website. Meyer was the first foundation in the Greater Washington region to support the Catalogue, which launched in Greater Washington in 2003, and Meyer continues to support the Catalogue's operations. Since 2003, the Catalogue has helped local nonprofits raise more than $8.5 million from individual donors.
The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region (CFNCR), which Meyer helped found in 1974, facilitates individual, family, and organizational giving at all levels to improve the quality of life in the metropolitan Washington region. Meyer staff participate in a broad range of funding collaboratives and other Community Foundation initiatives.
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) is a national association of more than 350 grantmakers who are committed to maximizing the impact of philanthropy by advancing the effectiveness of grantmakers and their grantees. Meyer was one of GEO's earliest supporters and played a pivotal role in the organization's formation.
The Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington works to build the strength, influence, and visibility of the region's nonprofit sector. With nearly 200 member organizations, including more than 75 current Meyer grantees, the Roundtable serves as a meeting ground for nonprofit leaders and a strong public voice for the region's nonprofit sector. Meyer was one of the Roundtable's first members and funders.
NPower Greater DC Region, formerly Technology Works for Good, began in 1999 as a collaborative effort among local and national funders to build the technological capacity among community-based nonprofits in the region. Meyer spearheaded the initial organizing of this work, and the program was incubated at Meyer for its first year of operation. NPower provides services such as technology assessment and planning, technology support services such as equipment maintenance and a help desk, training, and customized technology solutions ranging from wireless networks to websites.
The Taproot Foundation is a national organization that strengthens nonprofits by engaging business professionals in pro bono service projects and connecting these volunteers with organizations that can benefit from their services. Meyer was one of three foundations that provided startup funding that allowed Taproot to launch its Washington office in 2008.