Case Studies
We focus on long-term impact and results-based accountability. This is a look at some of our work.
Financial Coaching
Healthy families are financially stable. However, parents trying to move beyond the poverty line often lack access to resources that share the secrets of how to best grow their money.
We assessed the philanthropic approach to financial coaching programs and noticed it took a band-aid approach. So we led a committee of philanthropic members of the Asset Funding Network (AFN) to enhance financial coaching and boost strategic alignment of our investments.
We took a strategic approach to make sure AFN members' financial coaching investment had maximum impact. We partnered with a university to research and publish papers about financial coaching, educated funders about creative approaches to address economic insecurity issues, and delivered presentations to key stakeholders to influence philanthropists to support this work.
By linking members to the most current research, including best practices in the field, identifying emerging needs philanthropy could address, and bringing together funders, members were able to jointly co-invest in projects, exceeding what any one funder could do alone. Membership of the committee has more than doubled.
While we're excited to have been able to centralize, problem solve and achieve buy-in from multiple funders, what we're focused on is the result for parents and their children. Today, more families across the U.S. are empowered to keep and manage more of their money.
Annie E. Casey Community Day.
While philanthropy can impact a community, it can also, at times, feel removed. That's why we spearheaded a Community Day initiative for the staff at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. We developed volunteer opportunities with 11 area nonprofits for over 140 of Casey's staff. The day was a huge success. Casey provided over 660 hours of community service and infused over $16,800 across Baltimore City. Community Day also had a transformative effect on the staff. Here are a few of their responses:
“My biggest observation from this was that while we are regularly asked to talk about how the work we invest in impacts children and families, the actual fact of the matter was that volunteer work has the most immediate impact on the children and the families that we care about. Our investments (largely) while important, continue to be a secondary impact—we support those who influence the systems.”
“In the afternoon one of the Americorps staff thanked me for our work on filling the road‟s potholes. She said they needed that done for a while, but a group that had volunteered a few weeks ago had chosen not to do it. We showed up, asked what was needed, and did it.”
“It was nice to work with the young people I‟m often advocating for. We rarely have an opportunity to be up close and personal.”
Community Day has become an annual Casey tradition and continues to connect and reconnect those working in philanthropy with the communities they serve.
