The commitment includes investing $10 million in 100 grassroots organizations working to harness and develop the potential of children under age eight. Starting with a commitment of $500,000 in the first year, this investment will increase over the course of five years. To advance the dignity of children around the world through investing in innovative community-based organizations working with the poorest and most vulnerable populations of young children, support will be provided to organizations in at least 20 countries worldwide, focusing on Africa, Asia, and Latin America, touching the lives of between 250,000 and 500,000 children.
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
For Community-Based Organizations:
-Identification and support of 100 nascent and emerging community-based organizations with effective early childhood development and education programs over five years
-Demonstrated increase in the organizational capacity of supported groups on an organizational capacity scale that measures such factors as the organization's budget, assets, funders, strategy, internal systems, and governance and staff
For Early Childhood Development and Education Programs:
-Demonstrated improvement in cognitive and social/emotional development of participating children
-Enrollment and retention of children from highly vulnerable populations
-Supplementary schooling or tutoring for vulnerable children
-Increased program capacity and knowledge to serve more children and to improve quality, depth, and breadth of programs
For Global Media Ventures:
-Increased global visibility for community-based organizations working with children under age eight
-Increased visibility for model programs and best practices
-Four new book titles
-Six books translated into new languages
-Investments in eight new documentary films
-Three photography fellows to document programs of grantee partners
This commitment's inspiration can be traced to 1999, when President Clinton went online to buy Christmas gifts to show the American public that it was safe to make purchases through the Internet. One of the gifts he purchased was The Global Fund for Children's first book, Children from Australia to Zimbabwe. GFC's grantmaking work was just gaining momentum at that time, and they are proud to have established a track record of success, as evidenced by their thriving early grantee partners, few of whom have been featured at prior meetings of the Clinton Global Initiative, including Ruchika Social Service Organization (grantee partner, 1997-2005), the Afghan Institute of Learning (grantee partner, 1999-2005), CAMFED (grantee partner, 2000-2002), Room to Read (grantee partner, 2002), and Ubuntu Education Fund (grantee partner, 2002-2005).
Inspired by the vision of a world where all children grow up to be productive, caring citizens of a global society, this commitment focuses on the psychosocial development of young children under age eight. Early childhood development has received little attention internationally, even though the early years of childhood are critical for brain development as well as physical and emotional health. The second Millennium Development Goal calls for all children to be capable of completing primary education by 2015. In achieving this goal, nimble and responsive community organizations are best poised to reach and serve the most vulnerable children, who are often missed by mainstream initiatives.
GFC provides an important bridge between community-based organizations and the larger philanthropic and international development communities, finding emerging leaders and innovative service models and nurturing them over time so that they become stronger and more sustainable. Over the course of our history, GFC has distributed more than $7.6 million in grants, as well as complementary value-added services for capacity building, to over 279 groups in 65 countries and reached well over one million children. With an eye toward strengthening the grassroots, GFC will seek out the most promising community-based early childhood development models that build the skills of both children and their parents. GFC's 'grants plus' approach involves awarding small direct grants as well as an array of value-added services, including intensive organizational development assistance, supplemental grants to improve children's health and well-being, pro bono legal referrals, and help with leveraging additional funding, visibility, and capacity.
GFC's Global Media Ventures has published 22 children's books, invested in 3 documentary films addressing children's issues, and sponsored 3 talented young photographers to visit our grantee partners to highlight the hope and opportunity they cultivate in the vulnerable children they serve.
GFC will support and strengthen community-based organizations providing early childhood development programs for vulnerable children aged 8 and younger through a combination of financial support, organizational development assistance, technical strengthening, and help with leveraging additional funding, visibility, and capacity. GFC will also raise awareness of the importance of early childhood development and publicize effective interventions through its Global Media Ventures program, investing in eight films, three photography fellows, and four children's books, including translations of six existing titles into several languages spoken by children in developing countries.
GFC will award grants worth $200,000 to at least 20 grassroots organizations worldwide working with children under age eight, produce one new intercultural book for children under age eight, and invest in one new documentary film about vulnerable young children in a developing country by July 31, 2008.
2012:
GFC seeks to connect with individuals and institutions that are interested in supporting GFC's model of grassroots philanthropy. We also seek opportunities to highlight the work of our grantee partners in the media, at conferences, and in other fora. GFC would enjoy the opportunity to share learning from its metrics and evaluation system with peer organizations and donors, and to share best practices in early childhood education from our grantee partners.
SEEKING: financial resources, media and marketing assistance. GFC seeks to connect with individuals and institutions that are interested in supporting GFC's model of grassroots philanthropy. We also seek opportunities to highlight the work of our grantee partners in the media, at conferences, and in other fora.
OFFERING: Implementing partners, best practices.GFC will share learning from our metrics and evaluation system with peer organizations and donors. We will also share best practices in early childhood education from our grantee partners.
