The Grantmakers Challenge for Children
2006-2011
A Cooperative Response to the “Red Flags” of the
2004 & 2005 Community Focus: A Report for Springfield and Greene County
Both the 2004, 2005 and 2007 Community Focus: A Report for Springfield and Greene County publications clearly illustrated the needs of our children. Several areas were addressed as “red flags” for our community. The 2004 report stated, “Overcoming these pressing challenges will ultimately shape the future of Springfield and Greene County.” These “red flags” included:
- Education systems ill-equipped to educate growing numbers of impoverished children
- At-risk children lacking access to appropriate health care
- Domestic instability and its relationship to poverty
The Grantmakers’ Challenge for Children has completed its second of a five-year effort to address these “pressing challenges.” To date, participating grantmakers and philanthropists have committed or granted nearly $11 million in local resources for local preventative solutions to targeted children’s issues. Certainly, existing institutional and volunteer efforts provide countless resources for children, but research in our community clearly indicates that more support is needed. This infusion of charitable dollars hopes to tip the scales in favor of our children’s futures.
A response of this magnitude must be purposeful, and the Grantmakers’ Challenge for Children has three major intended outcomes:
- to marshal local charitable assets in a way that leverages resources and provides for measurable interventions that address community “red flags;”
- to heighten public awareness of the threats to many children and their lasting impact on our society at large; and
- to demonstrate to other potential donors in our community that they can make a difference by giving back to the community and investing in the future of our children. The Challenge is an ongoing effort, additional donors and funding organizations are encouraged to participate.
The Grantmakers’ Challenge for Children currently includes 32 different organizations, funds, and families. It is the sincere hope of all participating organizations and philanthropists that others who can make a difference will join the Challenge.
Download the detailed list of participating organizations and funders, amounts of money pledged, and grants distributed to date with their respective purposes here (PDF format).
