National, education-focused network will use funds to support general operations, capacity building
Cincinnati, Ohio — Over the next five years, national, education-focused network StriveTogether will receive $2.5 million as part of a global initiative by the Ford Foundation to strengthen organizations that work to reduce inequality.
The multi-year funding commitment will enable StriveTogether to strengthen the organizational structure and talented staff needed to better support and grow the Cradle to Career Network, which currently includes 70 communities that engage with over 10,200 organizations and reach 8 million children. Network members collaborate across sectors to improve local systems and achieve greater educational outcomes for students.
“We are deeply honored and proud to partner with the Ford Foundation,” StriveTogether Founder and Executive Director Jeff Edmondson said. “By investing in our core organizational strength, the Foundation is giving us the ability to provide the best possible supports to the Cradle to Career Network. This also is enabling us to focus additional resources on meeting unique local needs to achieve more equitable results for children all across the country.”
The grant comes as part of the Ford Foundation’s BUILD initiative, which combines unrestricted funding with additional support aimed at strengthening the health and sustainability of nonprofit organizations and networks around the world. StriveTogether is among 130 organizations invited to become part of the first cohort of the BUILD initiative.
“The Ford Foundation is proud to partner with StriveTogether in its mission to give every child an opportunity to succeed in school and beyond,” Ford Foundation Program Officer for Youth Opportunity and Learning Douglas Wood said. “Through the BUILD initiative, we aim to give StriveTogether the necessary tools to amplify its impact in classrooms and communities across the country.”
StriveTogether began taking shape in 2006 as a local education collaborative in Cincinnati and became a national network of communities in 2010 focused on ending disparities and closing gaps. Based on lessons from Cincinnati and other communities including Dallas, Memphis and Tacoma, StriveTogether developed a nationally recognized collective impact framework that guides progress to improve educational outcomes and expand opportunities for every child. Communities using the StriveTogether approach have seen dramatic improvements in kindergarten readiness, academic achievement and postsecondary success.
For more information on StriveTogether, contact Communications Strategy Lead Dawn Raftery at 312-771-7724.
About StriveTogether
StriveTogether is a national, nonprofit network of 70 communities that supports the success of every child, cradle to career. We provide coaching, connections and resources to local partnerships and work together to accelerate progress in education. Communities using our approach have seen dramatic improvements in kindergarten readiness, academic achievement and postsecondary success. The Cradle to Career Network reaches 8 million students, involves more than 10,200 organizations and operates in 30 states and Washington, D.C.