Transformation. New outcomes for old problems. This year’s slate of CIG finalists are proposing ideas to tackle some of the chronic issues in our region. From food deserts, to trauma informed care, school-to-prison pipelines and education outcomes. The collaborative efforts presented in this year’s Top 10 represent process, policy and partnership innovations to change the community for the better. Below is a brief summary of each the proposed projects. Congratulations to this year’s Top 10, one of you will be taking home $500,000 to get your idea off the ground!

 

50CAN: A Platform to Advance Structural Solutions to Public Education

Mission: “As we work toward our mission of a high-quality education for all kids in Virginia, the following four beliefs guide our work: Education, Advocacy, Local and Leadership.”

Innovation: Robins funds will ensure the launch of VirginiaCAN, Virginia’s first comprehensive K-12 education advocacy organization. VirginiaCAN aims to close the advocacy gap in Greater Richmond and Virginia by creating a platform to advocate for local and state policies that are good for kids, families and communities. By partnering with those affected by the education system, elevating critical research produced by local and national experts, and empowering communities to advocate for good policy, VirginiaCAN will transform how we consider, discuss and deliver public education in the Greater Richmond region and across the Commonwealth by targeting structural challenges with policy solutions. VirginiaCAN, as part of the 50CAN network, will benefit from a national network of state campaigns that will bring cutting-edge, best-in-class policy solutions to local and state education systems. Based on the success of similar organizations in other states, we anticipate that VirginiaCAN will lead efforts for policy change that will drive meaningful improvements in educational outcomes, especially for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, and generate increased cost-effectiveness of our education systems.

Caritas: CARITAS Center

Mission: “United by our compassion, we help our most vulnerable neighbors break the cycles of homelessness and addiction to reclaim their dignity.”

Innovation: “Funds from the Robins Foundation will be used to help pay for costs associated with transforming an existing warehouse into the CARITAS Center. The CARITAS Center puts under one roof programs that (1) address addiction as one of the key causes of homelessness and provides a path to recovery for a grossly underserved population (The Women’s Healing Place); (2) provide individuals with the training they need to become productive members of society (Works); (3) provide basic furniture and home goods to clients moving from shelter to housing (Furniture Bank); and (4) provide much needed affordable housing in the community (the apartments). The CARITAS Center embodies the belief that connectivity and accountability is the key to long-term sobriety and success.”

ChildSavers: Richmond Public Schools Resiliency Partnership

Mission: “ChildSavers guides our community’s children through life’s critical moments with trauma-informed mental health and child development services.”

Innovation: “The Partnership will create a trauma-informed school network that quickly addresses the need of the students and builds resiliency and other critical social skills in eight schools and helps nearly 4,500 children in our East End. In our region, no other collaborative is providing a blend of curriculum enhancement, consultation, parent engagement, and in-school medically directed clinical therapy to address what is happening to our community’s children. The Partnership injects trauma-informed competencies into the schools and provides family education in the community. After a comprehensive needs assessment, employees will receive training, resources, curriculum, and mentoring geared for specific ages. The team will provide ongoing consultation for RPS and direct services for children at the schools. Additionally, the team will link academic data with treatment outcomes and discipline action within the school, continuously modifying the program to address the needs of the children and RPS.”

 

Conexus: Conexus Mobile

Mission: “The Conexus mission is to help all children reach their fullest potential by eliminating undetected and untreated vision problems as barriers to success in school and life.”

Innovation: “Conexus Mobile is an innovative project addressing a significant health and educational need in Richmond City public schools. Because good vision is known to be a critical component for school success, VA mandates screenings for students in K, 3rd, 7th, and 10th grades. For many Richmond students the closest affordable vision provider is more than a 1.5-hour bus ride (round-trip), making a trip to the eye doctor unlikely. Conexus Mobile explored program models nationwide to develop best practice, full-service vision programming. Funds from the Robins Foundation would be utilized to purchase and customize a full-service mobile vision clinic, and provide for the first full year of program delivery. Conexus Mobile will provide direct services to 8,899 students in Richmond public schools and an additional 1,630 students in the five East End Henrico schools serviced by Communities in Schools.”

 

 

Greater Richmond Chamber Foundation – Smart Beginnings: Shared Services Alliance Project

Mission: “To enhance the Greater Richmond Chamber’s ability to improve the business environment and quality of life by supporting economic development, regional cooperation, education and leadership development.”

Innovation: “Recent research and advocacy efforts have moved funders, politicians, and the business community to agree the first years of a child’s life hold the keys to the rest of their development. While there is consensus that investing early is critical, the current child care business model is a risky enterprise, particularly for those working to serve our most at-risk children and families. The recent closures of William Byrd and Southside Child Development Center demonstrates the challenges faced by this industry. A proven and innovative solution to this persistent problem is a Shared Services Alliance (SSA). Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond and its partners in early care and education plan to establish a SSA that can bring stability and sustainability to a fragile industry. In a SSA, participating providers experience relief as they pool resources with other providers participating in the alliance. By eliminating the burdens of overhead costs from things like finance staff or insurance, the provider can reinvest those funds in program quality and teacher wages.”

Literacy Lab: Leading Men Fellows

Mission: “The mission of The Literacy Lab is to provide low-income children with individualized reading instruction to dramatically improve their reading skills, leading to increased academic success and greater opportunities in life.”

Innovation: “Young men of color in the Richmond area face significant barriers to success yet also represent a substantial resource for the community. The Literacy Lab proposes to launch Leading Men, an innovative multi-generational program in the Richmond area to address two major challenges: Kindergarten readiness for low-income children and positive career pathways for young men of color. At the same time, this program will also have the higher-level systemic impact of increasing the number of young males of color who pursue careers in education which will lead to overall academic improvement for Richmond area school systems in the long run by creating a more diverse and reflective teacher workforce. Funds from the Robins Foundation will be used to hire, train, and coach a cohort of 10 Leading Men Fellows as early literacy tutors each year for two years. Fellows will be trained in a research-based early literacy intervention model and will each serve for 30 hours per week in one high-need pre-K class each for the entire school year to drive Kindergarten readiness for children while also opening doors for themselves. Leading Men Fellows will be given extensive training, coaching, and mentoring from The Literacy Lab and Virginia Mentoring Partnership.”

 

 

Local Initiatives Support Corporation: East End Quality Child Care & Early Education Initiative

Mission: “Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is dedicated to helping community residents transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy and sustainable communities of choice and opportunity — good places to work, do business and raise children.”

Innovation: “ChildSavers and LISC will improve educational outcomes for young children by creating high-quality in-home and center-based child care businesses throughout the East End of Richmond. The initiative will focus on professional training and business development for child care providers. Providers will participate in the creation of a broad network of connected child care. The collaborative will include Virginia Quality, adult peer networks and parenting resources, and school readiness. Partner providers will track outputs and outcome-based child development milestones and Standards of Learning. LISC will use funds to coordinate a small business development and grant program for the same child care providers ChildSavers will serve through training. The small business grants and technical assistance will ensure providers meet individualized milestones for their businesses. Providers may use grant funds for staff training and certification, back office support, educational materials, and facility upgrades.”

MCV Foundation: RVA Pathways

Mission: “The Medical College of Virginia Foundation promotes philanthropy and stewards resources to support the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center and Virginia Commonwealth University Health System by advancing education, research, and patient care.”

Innovation: “RVA Pathways proposes a comprehensive approach to navigating these existing resources by convening a coalition of service providers who will create an extensive referral system for at-risk youth. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to facilitate access to effective programs for at-risk youth that will prevent their involvement in violence-related activities and/or entry/re-entry into the juvenile justice system. RVA Pathways will expand their network of existing partners by identifying and recruiting additional organizations who currently provide services for at-risk youth. We will create a diverse coalition comprised of cross-sector partnerships and build information sharing capability among organizations. RVA Pathways will then implement a referral process for at-risk youth by using a case management model to coordinate and align services for youth who complete RPD’s LIFE program. RVA Pathways proposes continued engagement of participants who successfully complete this program through targeted case management. Case managers will be able to draw upon the established resources and communication channels of the RVA Pathways coalition to secure services and program opportunities tailored to meet the needs of their participants.”

Tricycle Gardens: Growing Urban Agriculture in RVA – Equitable Strategies and Policies for Improving Food Access and Workforce Development

Mission: “Tricycle Gardens mission is to grow healthy food, healthy communities and a healthy local food system.”

Innovation: “In urban communities across America, urban agriculture is taking root as an innovative solution to increase access to healthy food while, simultaneously, revitalizing the economic and social health of communities. Urban agriculture as a tool builds safe, healthy, and food producing environments in diverse neighborhoods and blighted areas. In contrast, farmers are aging out, while the demand for local food is increasing exponentially in a state which is home to some of our country’s most severe urban food deserts. With agriculture as the largest industry in Virginia, we have a tremendous need and opportunity to address this generational shift in systemic ways. Tricycle is training the next generation of urban farmers through a USDA/NRCS Urban Agriculture Certificate program and working towards innovative and inclusive government policies which support urban ag. In support of Tricycle’s partnerships with the United States Department of Agriculture- Natural Resources Conservation Service and Bon Secours, Tricycle is building a state of the art urban farm to serve as a USDA certified training center for aspiring farmers.”

United Methodist Family Services of Virginia: Extreme Recruitment 2.0/30 Days to Family

Mission: “UMFS is an unwavering champion for high-risk children and families, collaborating with communities to help them reach their full potential.”

Innovation: “Extreme Recruitment 2.0/30 Days to Family will transform the foster care system in Virginia by significantly reducing the amount of time a child waits to be matched with permanent connections. Currently, the average time a child spends in Virginia’s foster care system is just over 16 months. Many spend years waiting for a permanent option and are considered difficult to place due to their age or special needs. Our idea maintains a child’s family connections by identifying relatives/kin placement options in 30 days or less. Our project has identified viable connections for 92% of youth, has reconnected 100% of kids with 40 or more biological relatives, and has matched more than 76% of youth with a permanent placement option. In many cases, biological relatives or kin who are identified have no idea that this child is in foster care. The status quo in Social Services is to dismiss the biological family, because they are often the reason why the child is in foster care. In this program, we use their knowledge of other existing connections to match the child with an appropriate, permanent family Children in care who do not find permanent, healthy connections just do not have the resources or capacity to grow into healthy adults. UMFS is working to disrupt the entire system in the state of Virginia, and demonstrating success in the Central Virginia