Place-based, multisector partnerships have become increasingly popular in philanthropy, and they got another boost this fall — in the form of a $175 million, seven-year grant from Ballmer Group to StriveTogether.
StriveTogether, a nonprofit based in Cincinnati, helps support a national network of communities striving to improve racial equity and economic mobility. Its focus on transforming educational systems as part of the path out of poverty aligns with Ballmer Group’s own impact areas and its funding of early childhood and K-12 education, specifically, which I’ve written about in the context of its L.A. programs.
As Connie Ballmer put it in a press release about this grant, “StriveTogether has built an incredible network of place-based partnerships across the country, helping communities improve outcomes from kindergarten readiness to college completion overall.”
This is the third and biggest grant Ballmer Group has made to StriveTogether, and the largest single grant the nonprofit has ever received. As StriveTogether’s president and CEO Jennifer Blatz put it, “This is frankly a game-changing investment for us, allowing more local leaders to access the resources and support needed to address economic mobility in their communities.”
So many complex problems, like poverty — or like homelessness and traffic in L.A. — seem utterly intractable partly because of the logjam created by well-meaning groups all going their own way. To address the inefficiency created by lack of cohesion, multisector partnerships place collaboration at the center of their process — and tap the strengths of each sector to create a shared solution. Philanthropy brings to these collaborations a unique independence and ability to take risks. It can act as catalyst or lever, a much-needed role, and often helps groups overcome distrust and focus on shared outcomes.
This grant is part of Ballmer Group’s growing focus on place-based, multisector partnerships working to create system-level change. Tapping the stupendous $100 billion fortune of Steve and Connie Ballmer, Ballmer Group brings to its funding not only financial heft, but also a willingness to engage with and learn from local leaders. While the philanthropic LLC does support some national organizations, much of its funding focuses on three key places — southeast Michigan, Los Angeles County and Washington state. Ballmer Group’s StriveTogether commitment is among its largest ever, and its sheer size points to the importance the organization places on this approach. It has also channeled nine-figure support to a number of other recipients, including $237.5 million for Blue Meridian Partners’ Place Matters Initiative.
Different sectors, same goal
StriveTogether’s Cradle to Career Network includes nearly 70 communities in 30 states and Washington, D.C., each with multisector partnerships working together to achieve better outcomes for young people. These partnerships may include some 200 organizations ranging from nonprofits and community-based organizations to school districts, local businesses, local funders and institutions of higher education. “Any organization that has an impact on kids typically has a seat at the table in these partnerships,” said Kelly Anchrum, StriveTogether’s vice president of marketing and communication. (Check out this handy, clickable map that shows where partners are located and connects to each one’s website).
StriveTogether started from a powerful insight about the potential of collective action. In 2006, leaders in Cincinnati were meeting to discuss a college readiness program for kids living in poverty. As its website reports, during their conversation, a county coroner stood up and declared that the entire system needed changing. The group realized that plenty of successful programs already existed in the city, and that the coroner — who saw the kids the system had failed most dramatically — was right; it was time for broader, system-level change. They partnered with three local school districts, expanded already successful programs, and began creating a new civic infrastructure to improve results for every child “cradle to career.”
Other communities began seeking help to create similar civic infrastructure projects and foster collaboration. These requests for guidance led to the founding of StriveTogether in 2011. In 2017, it officially formed as an independent 501(c)(3) organization. In 2018, Ballmer Group helped the newly formed nonprofit create a strategic plan. Ballmer Group’s grants database shows that as of the end of 2022, it had supported StriveTogether to the tune of $60 million from 2018 through 2024.
The most recent, seven-year grant from Ballmer will once again help StriveTogether with the creation of its roadmap. It is an “anchor investment in our next strategic plan,” Anchrum said, noting that the nonprofit is still looking for other funders to support the strategic plan for the next seven years.
The Ballmer grant will also enable StriveTogether to regrant $130 million to its community network members, including state policy coalitions that have evolved in some communities. “This will fund work that will help us achieve better results for kids. We believe we can put at least 4 million more young people on a path to economic mobility,” Anchrum said. “We really look at those cradle-to-career academic milestones, all the way up to employment. When those communities come together and set goals, look at the data and see the inequities, they start getting to the root causes and creating strategies to change those systems.”
The need for this work is greater than ever. StriveTogether cites data from Brookings Institute showing that nearly 4 out of 10 kids in America are not on a path to economic mobility. But partner communities within its network are improving that trajectory. “We’re seeing changes in those systems in community after community in our network. It gives us belief that with our network and methodology, we can measure and track and see progress for 4 million more kids on a path to economic mobility,” Anchrum said. “So we’re really excited.”
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