SERVICES
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Policy Development, Government Relations, and Advocacy
Public policy is increasingly important to the non-profit sector, yet many organizations lack the capacity or connections to have an impact. CHC has experience working with policymakers at the local, state, and federal level to facilitate changes that benefit kids and the organizations that serve them.
Action Study #1: While working for the National Summer Learning Association in 2011, Jeff worked with several New York City foundations to build awareness and support for summer learning with the New York City Department of Education, Department of Youth and Community Development, and key service providers. The work included outreach, policy recommendations, and an event with over 100 local stakeholders that helped result in SummerQuest, an innovative summer learning program now serving students in the South Bronx being jointly supported by NYCDOE, NYCDYCD, and over a dozen local foundations.
Action Study #2: Jeff worked with key stakeholders throughout Rhode Island to build support and develop legislative action for summer learning. The work led to the creation of a state legislative task force and report on the issue that ultimately resulted in new state funding for pilot summer learning programs across the state.
Action Study#3: Jeff also worked as a federal education lobbyist for several organizations, including the Council of Chief State School Officers, where he represented state education commissioners with Congress and the White House. During this time, Jeff was heavily involved in the legislative development of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and led efforts to successfully maintain state education agency governance over federal education programs.
Fundraising
Past efforts have included working with and securing funding from a wide range of national, regional, and local foundations, including the MacArthur Foundation, Wallace Foundation, Wal Mart Foundation, Mott Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and Helmsley Trust. CHC can leverage these experiences and connections to advise organizations on all aspects of fundraising and grant making, including identification of potential funders, outreach and grant-writing, and grant implementation and reporting.
Action Study: Jeff worked with the MacArthur Foundation to connect the Foundation's work on digital media and learning with summer learning and education reform in Chicago and New York City, helping to result in new initiatives and collaboration between Chicago Public Schools, the New York City Department of Education and non-profit members of Hive Chicago and Hive NYC, both digital media grantees of MacArthur.
Communications
Working with the media and other stakeholders is a strategic way to raise the profile of an organization or issue. Jeff has worked on strategic communications in communities across the nation, with op-eds and other media exposure in outlets such as the New York Times, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, and National Public Radio.
Action Study: As part of an effort to build support for summer learning in New York City, Jeff worked with local stakeholders to publish an op-ed in the New York Times. The article was named to the Five Best Columns of the day by The Atlantic Wire and played a key role in the formation of the SummerQuest program.
Partnership Development and Coalition Building
In the current fiscal and political environment, partnerships are essential to the success of non-profits and other organizations serving kids. Jeff has deep experience in bringing together a diverse array of organizations on key issues, with particular expertise on bridging the gap between education and key stakeholders such as youth development organizations, foundations, colleges, and business.
Action Study: Jeff led the National Campaign for Summer Learning, a multi-million dollar effort to build nationwide support for summer learning. The campaign met it's goal of increasing public investment in summer learning programs by over $50 million in three years, despite the Great Recession. Importantly, the campaign also brought together a diverse group of organizations to build support and included partnerships with the Education Commission of the States, National League of Cities, and Council of Great City Schools among others.
Strategic Planning and Connections to Education Reform
A strategic approach underlies all of CHC's work. We have particular expertise in helping organizations position themselves to work more closely on education reform issues and bridge the gap that often separates schools from complementary organizations.
Action Study: When Jeff joined the National Summer Learning Association in 2007, the organization did little work with school districts or K-12 education organizations. After seeing the research on summer learning loss, Jeff led efforts to position NSLA as a national leader in the emerging expanded learning movement. To help accomplish this, Jeff created the New Vision for Summer School (NVSS) initiative, a ambitious effort to help urban school districts replace traditional remedial summer school programs with innovative engaging programming for more students. Since starting the initiative, over 25 urban districts and two states have adopted the NVSS framework, which has also become a central component of the NSLA strategic plan and positioned the organization as a key player in education reform.
Public policy is increasingly important to the non-profit sector, yet many organizations lack the capacity or connections to have an impact. CHC has experience working with policymakers at the local, state, and federal level to facilitate changes that benefit kids and the organizations that serve them.
Action Study #1: While working for the National Summer Learning Association in 2011, Jeff worked with several New York City foundations to build awareness and support for summer learning with the New York City Department of Education, Department of Youth and Community Development, and key service providers. The work included outreach, policy recommendations, and an event with over 100 local stakeholders that helped result in SummerQuest, an innovative summer learning program now serving students in the South Bronx being jointly supported by NYCDOE, NYCDYCD, and over a dozen local foundations.
Action Study #2: Jeff worked with key stakeholders throughout Rhode Island to build support and develop legislative action for summer learning. The work led to the creation of a state legislative task force and report on the issue that ultimately resulted in new state funding for pilot summer learning programs across the state.
Action Study#3: Jeff also worked as a federal education lobbyist for several organizations, including the Council of Chief State School Officers, where he represented state education commissioners with Congress and the White House. During this time, Jeff was heavily involved in the legislative development of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and led efforts to successfully maintain state education agency governance over federal education programs.
Fundraising
Past efforts have included working with and securing funding from a wide range of national, regional, and local foundations, including the MacArthur Foundation, Wallace Foundation, Wal Mart Foundation, Mott Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and Helmsley Trust. CHC can leverage these experiences and connections to advise organizations on all aspects of fundraising and grant making, including identification of potential funders, outreach and grant-writing, and grant implementation and reporting.
Action Study: Jeff worked with the MacArthur Foundation to connect the Foundation's work on digital media and learning with summer learning and education reform in Chicago and New York City, helping to result in new initiatives and collaboration between Chicago Public Schools, the New York City Department of Education and non-profit members of Hive Chicago and Hive NYC, both digital media grantees of MacArthur.
Communications
Working with the media and other stakeholders is a strategic way to raise the profile of an organization or issue. Jeff has worked on strategic communications in communities across the nation, with op-eds and other media exposure in outlets such as the New York Times, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, and National Public Radio.
Action Study: As part of an effort to build support for summer learning in New York City, Jeff worked with local stakeholders to publish an op-ed in the New York Times. The article was named to the Five Best Columns of the day by The Atlantic Wire and played a key role in the formation of the SummerQuest program.
Partnership Development and Coalition Building
In the current fiscal and political environment, partnerships are essential to the success of non-profits and other organizations serving kids. Jeff has deep experience in bringing together a diverse array of organizations on key issues, with particular expertise on bridging the gap between education and key stakeholders such as youth development organizations, foundations, colleges, and business.
Action Study: Jeff led the National Campaign for Summer Learning, a multi-million dollar effort to build nationwide support for summer learning. The campaign met it's goal of increasing public investment in summer learning programs by over $50 million in three years, despite the Great Recession. Importantly, the campaign also brought together a diverse group of organizations to build support and included partnerships with the Education Commission of the States, National League of Cities, and Council of Great City Schools among others.
Strategic Planning and Connections to Education Reform
A strategic approach underlies all of CHC's work. We have particular expertise in helping organizations position themselves to work more closely on education reform issues and bridge the gap that often separates schools from complementary organizations.
Action Study: When Jeff joined the National Summer Learning Association in 2007, the organization did little work with school districts or K-12 education organizations. After seeing the research on summer learning loss, Jeff led efforts to position NSLA as a national leader in the emerging expanded learning movement. To help accomplish this, Jeff created the New Vision for Summer School (NVSS) initiative, a ambitious effort to help urban school districts replace traditional remedial summer school programs with innovative engaging programming for more students. Since starting the initiative, over 25 urban districts and two states have adopted the NVSS framework, which has also become a central component of the NSLA strategic plan and positioned the organization as a key player in education reform.
Students participating the Horizons summer learning program in Rochester