Location: Washington, DC

The Institute for Inclusive Security uses research, training, and advocacy to promote the inclusion of all stakeholders, especially women, in peace processes. To achieve this mission, Inclusive Security staff members work with a global network of well over 1,000 women leaders from more than 40 conflict regions; conduct research that gives policymakers new strategies to drive inclusion; provide leaders training in the specialized skills and knowledge to direct local, national, and international peacebuilding, and advocate to high-level policymakers for change that makes peace processes more broad-based, and thus sustainable. Inclusive Security is a growing, cutting edge program with an annual budget of $3M and 20 staff members. To learn more about The Institute for Inclusive Security, please visit http://www.inclusivesecurity.org.

Location: Boston

One Family, Inc. was founded in 1999 by Paul and Phyllis Fireman and family, with a mission to end family homelessness in Massachusetts. Over the past 10 years, One Family Inc. has created a two-pronged, replicable and measurable approach to ending family homelessness in Massachusetts which includes systems change and the One Family Scholars program. One Family believes that no parent and child should be homeless in this state, and that the long-term solution lies in strategies that promote economic independence and create affordable housing.  As such, One Family engages in policy work to shift state government from managing homelessness to ending it. 

The One Family Scholars program is a one-of-a-kind scholarship program that breaks the cycle of poverty by supporting low-income single parents on their journey to economic self-sufficiency through higher education.  Unlike traditional scholarship programs that focus solely on tuition, the One Family Scholars program focuses on four core building blocks for success: college, career, financial, and leadership.  For more information, please visit http://www.onefamilyinc.org. 

Location: San Francisco or Washington, DC

Global Viral Forecasting Initiative (GVFI) is a entrepreneurial, cutting edge leader in conducting infectious disease research throughout central Africa and Southeast Asia.  GVFI was initially incubated ten years ago at Johns Hopkins University, and subsequently at the University of Los Angeles.  In 2008, GVFI secured a series of private investments from high profile philanthropic institutions including the Skoll Foundation and Google.org. As a result of these investments, two years ago GVFI became its own independent non-profit organization. Featured in publications including National Geographic, Scientific American and the New York Times, GVFI is the leader in this emerging sector.  The organization’s profound research and dynamic team has led to tremendous organizational growth.  GVFI is preparing to conduct a highly intensive strategic planning process and launch an ambitious sustainability plan for the next phase of the organization’s growth.  For more information visit www.gvfi.org

Location: Phoenix, AZ

With over 200 professionals, Playworks is a fast growing national nonprofit that provides safe, healthy play and physical activity to low-income schools, helping create a positive environment for improved learning and teaching and reduced bullying and teasing.  Our organization is in a rapid growth mode expanding from 170 schools to over 500 schools.  Playworks transforms recess from an environment maximizes the value of recess, making play a part of every day ultimately transforming the learning environment for hundreds of schools across the country. We put trained adults on the playground to introduce classic games that are disappearing from schoolyards, like kickball and four-square, as well as new games designed to build leadership and foster teamwork. When Playworks partners with a school, kids are more physically active and they return to class focused and ready learn so the whole school day goes better. Playworks’ track record of success across the country has attracted multi-million dollar investments from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AmeriCorps and private philanthropists.

Playworks was recently featured on ABC’s Nightline.  Follow this link to see the story:  http://tinyurl.com/playworksnightline

Location: Oakland

First Place for Youth is the largest agency in California dedicated exclusively to providing access to affordable housing and resources for transition-age foster youth and has grown to become a nationally recognized model.  Since our founding in 1998, we have provided thousands of California foster youth with the housing, employment, and educational support needed to make the difficult transition from foster care to independent living.  With these critical resources, youth are significantly more likely to overcome homelessness, poverty, low educational achievement, and poor health.  Please visit http://www.firstplaceforyouth.org/ for more information.

Location: Boston, MA

The District Management Council (DMC) is a fast-growing, entrepreneurial organization that supports CEO’s of public school districts as they seek to dramatically improve public education through helping them identify and implement management best practices.  DMC’s work falls into three major buckets:  consulting, leadership events and best practices.  Utilizing these three avenues, we serve primarily the largest 2,000 school districts in the nation, some of whom serve more than 1 million students and manage over a billion dollars in annual budgets.  Additionally, District and Community Partners, which is a division of DMC, is recognized as being on the leading edge in improving achievement of students with special needs.

The District Management Council is the nation’s premier network of public school district leaders and believes in creating lasting, positive change by focusing the best strategic and analytical consulting minds in the country on solving the most urgent questions facing public school districts in the United States.

Location: Tulsa, OK

KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of 99 college-preparatory charter schools serving more than 26,000 students in under-resourced communities in 20 states and the District of Columbia.  Based on the profound success of the original KIPP Academies in Houston and the South Bronx of New York City, KIPP schools have been widely recognized for creating a new and exciting paradigm in public education, putting low income and minority students on the path to college.  Since their founding, the original KIPP Academies have sustained track records of high student achievement and have become the model for new, locally run KIPP schools operating in high-need communities nationwide.  KIPP’s vision is that, one day, all public schools will foster an environment where students will develop the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college, and the world beyond.  To read more about KIPP, please visit http://www.kipp.org

Following that model of success, KIPP Tulsa opened as a contract school with Tulsa Public Schools in the fall of 2005 to serve the culturally diverse population of Tulsa.  The second class of eighth-grade students has recently been promoted to some of the top high schools in Tulsa.  To read more about KIPP Tulsa, please visit http://www.kipptulsa.org

Building on the success of KIPP Tulsa, and the KIPP network of schools nationally, KIPP Tulsa will convert from its current status as a contract school and officially become a charter school by Fall, 2011.  Driven by an active and committed Governance Board that is aggressively pursuing growth opportunities, KIPP Tulsa will look to create a network of high-performing KIPP schools in Tulsa which may include elementary, middle, and high schools. 

Location: New York, NY

The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s (CECP) mission is to lead the business community in raising the level and quality of corporate philanthropy.  Co-founded in 1999 by civic leaders including Academy-Award winning actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and John C. Whitehead, Former Deputy Secretary of State and Co-Chair of Goldman Sachs, the organization has grown to prominence with an invitation-only membership of over 150 CEOs and chairpersons of Global 500 firms.  CECP advances best practices in corporate philanthropy by: publishing in-depth research; providing closed-door forums for members to discuss emerging trends and implementation strategies; and working with national media outlets to spotlight exceptional corporate philanthropic initiatives.  Members of CECP’s highly-engaged Board of Directors include the current CEOs of Alcoa, Bloomberg, Macy’s, McGraw-Hill, Travelers and State Farm. CEOs in the CECP membership represent companies including: GE, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Target, Dow Chemical, Time Warner, Verizon, Walgreen, and Best Buy.  To learn more, please visit: http://www.CorporatePhilanthropy.org. 

Location: New York, NY

The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s (CECP) mission is to lead the business community in raising the level and quality of corporate philanthropy.  Co-founded in 1999 by civic leaders including Academy-Award winning actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and John C. Whitehead, Former Deputy Secretary of State and Co-Chair of Goldman Sachs, the organization has grown to prominence with an invitation-only membership of over 150 CEOs and chairpersons of Global 500 firms.  CECP advances best practices in corporate philanthropy by: publishing in-depth research; providing closed-door forums for members to discuss emerging trends and implementation strategies; and working with national media outlets to spotlight exceptional corporate philanthropic initiatives.  Members of CECP’s highly-engaged Board of Directors include the current CEOs of Alcoa, Bloomberg, Macy’s, McGraw-Hill, Travelers, and State Farm. CEOs in the CECP membership represent companies including: GE, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Target, Dow Chemical, Time Warner, Verizon, Walgreen, and Best Buy.  To learn more, please visit: http://www.CorporatePhilanthropy.org.

Location: Ipswich, MA

The mission of the Trustees of Reservations is to preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. The organization cares for over 100 properties that comprise more than 24,000 acres and monitor 285 Conservation Restrictions protecting another 16,700 acres.  In 1891, the Trustees of Reservations was founded by a small band of visionary volunteers.  Over the past ten years, the organization has evolved into a dynamic $20M operation with 180 year-round employees who are led by a volunteer governance structure and supported by over 45,000 member households.  A recent strategic planning process strengthened the core organizational goals and set an ambitious plan in motion to increase the organization’s impact and visibility through 2017.

Location: Boston, MA

Currently the nation’s largest search firm working specifically with social entrepreneurs and growth-oriented nonprofits, Commongood Careers is committed to providing best-in-class search services to organizations such as New Profit, Inc., Playworks, Project HEALTH, BUILD, Share Our Strength and KIPP.  Founded in 2005 by a group of nonprofit professionals, we are celebrating our 5th anniversary and are poised for exciting growth.  We are leveraging and expanding our networks, continuing to innovate and improve upon our service delivery model, and have recently re-launched an exciting new career advising practice for socially-driven job seekers.  Commongood Careers is a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven work environment guided by the values of Purpose, Diversity, Respect, Innovation, Accountability, and Fun.  To learn more about us, please visit our website at http://www.cgcareers.org

Location: San Francisco, CA

Full Circle Fund is an engaged philanthropy organization cultivating the next generation of community leaders and driving lasting social change.  Full Circle Fund members leverage their time, money, skills and connections to the service of nonprofits, businesses and government agencies in partnerships that result in significant impact on the community.  Our 180 members are successful entrepreneurs, professionals and executives from the business, start-up, venture capital, government, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. By providing these diverse individuals with quality leadership development and networking opportunities, Full Circle Fund fosters leaders who are knowledgeable and active in social and civic issues.  It is the financial and intellectual support of Full Circle Fund’s members that makes a difference in the community. Our members provide not only donations but, more importantly, hands-on assistance to nonprofit organizations.  For more information about Full Circle Fund, please visit http://www.fullcirclefund.org.

Location: Cambridge, MA

New Profit is a nonprofit venture philanthropy fund that exists to help innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations bring about widespread and transformative impact on critical social problems.  We work to fulfill this mission with two approaches: 1) providing multi-year financial and strategic support to help a portfolio of innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations realize their full potential for social impact; and 2) helping to build an environment in which all innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations may realize their full potential for social impact.  New Profit believes that just as entrepreneurship and invention have driven our nation’s progress, so too can we harness America’s spirit of innovation, vision, and optimism to help solve our most pressing social problems.

With the support of individual investors and our signature partner, Monitor Group, New Profit works with social entrepreneur-led organizations tackling persistent social problems in education, workforce development, public health, and other areas.  In addition, we bring together social innovators from across sectors at the annual Gathering of Leaders, and also drive other initiatives to release the potential of social entrepreneurship.  Included among these is America Forward, a nonpartisan initiative that connects social sector innovators and their partners with policymakers, legislators, and thought leaders to advance an infrastructure for innovators and government to act together to scale the impact of proven and promising solutions. 

Location: New York, NY

The Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF) is a comprehensive, non-profit supplemental education and youth development organization that helps dedicated public school students from Harlem and the surrounding communities develop the intellectual curiosity, academic ability, social values and personal resiliency they need to ensure success in school, career and life. HEAF identifies students in middle school and supports them until they are successfully admitted to four-year colleges through a variety of afterschool, Saturday and summer educational and youth development programs. An entrepreneurial organization with an eye towards growth, HEAF is currently in the process of identifying the best opportunities for increasing the organization’s reach and impact. For more information, please visit http://www.HEAF.org

Location: Boston, MA

BUILD, a social venture headquartered in Northern California with offices in the Bay Area, Washington, D.C. and Boston, is a four-year, entrepreneurship-focused college preparation program.  Our mission is to provide real-world entrepreneurial experience that empowers youth from under-resourced communities to excel in education, lead in their communities, and succeed professionally. By helping students develop and run their own small businesses, BUILD supplements traditional school with real-world business experiences and critical skill-building for the future. For more information about the organization, please visit our website at http://www.build.org.

Location: Cambridge, MA

New Profit is a nonprofit venture philanthropy fund that exists to help innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations bring about widespread and transformative impact on critical social problems.  We work to fulfill this mission with two approaches: 1) providing multi-year financial and strategic support to help a portfolio of innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations realize their full potential for social impact; and 2) helping to build an environment in which all innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations may realize their full potential for social impact. 

With the support of individual investors and our signature partner, Monitor Group, New Profit works with social entrepreneur-led organizations tackling persistent social problems in education, workforce development, public health, and other areas.  New Profit also drives other initiatives to help scale social innovations, including the annual Gathering of Leaders, America Forward, and Urban Assets Initiative.  We believe that just as entrepreneurship and invention have driven our nation’s progress, so too can we harness America’s spirit of innovation, vision, and optimism to help solve our most pressing social problems.

Location: New York, NY

Leveraging Investments in Creativity is a 10-year initiative to improve artists’ ability to make work, build social capital and contribute to democratic values. LINC builds on recent research by the Urban Institute (http://www.usartistreport.org) that identifies more than 5,000 programs and services for artists but points to the need for new efforts that:

• Expand financial supports for artists’ work;
• Improve artists’ access to essential material supports such as live-work space and insurance; and
• Bolster knowledge, collaborations, and public policies that affect the work of artists and their contributions to communities.

Funded in 2004, LINC seeks to assist the people, organizations, and communities already at work in supporting artists, and to address needs not being served. Efforts include funding community-wide strategies to improve conditions for artists; building online information concerning live-work spaces and health insurance for artists; and working with field leaders to advance knowledge and best practices.

Location: Boston, MA

EdVestors is an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization dedicated to driving change in urban schools through smart, strategic private investment.  EdVestors seeks to close the opportunity gap for children by identifying and shaping the most effective school improvement initiatives and partnering with donors to invest in those efforts while supporting the project leaders with hands-on expertise.  Since its launch in 2002, EdVestors has raised over $9 million in funds for urban school improvement.  For more information, please visit http://www.edvestors.org.

Location: Reston, VA

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) and Practice Greenhealth (PGH) are committed to transforming the health care sector so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to the public’s health and the environment.  To that end, they are working to implement ecologically sound and healthy alternatives to health care practices that pollute the environment and contribute to disease.  HCWH and PGH share complementary missions as well as a Board of Directors but operate as two distinct nonprofit organizations. 

Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals, community groups, health-affected constituencies, labor unions, environmental and environmental health organizations and religious groups that advocates globally to eliminate healthcare practices that harm people and the environment.

Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the healthcare community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Members include hospitals, healthcare systems, businesses and other stakeholders engaged in the greening of healthcare to improve the health of patients, staff and the environment.

Location: Cambridge, MA

New Profit is a nonprofit venture philanthropy fund that exists to help innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations bring about widespread and transformative impact on critical social problems.  We work to fulfill this mission with two approaches: 1) providing multi-year financial and strategic support to help a portfolio of innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations realize their full potential for social impact; and 2) helping to build an environment in which all innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations may realize their full potential for social impact.  New Profit believes that just as entrepreneurship and invention have driven our nation’s progress, so too can we harness America’s spirit of innovation, vision, and optimism to help solve our most pressing social problems.

With the support of individual investors and our signature partner, Monitor Group, New Profit works with social entrepreneur-led organizations tackling persistent social problems in education, workforce development, public health, and other areas.  In addition, we bring together social innovators from across sectors at the annual Gathering of Leaders, and also drive other initiatives to release the potential of social entrepreneurship.  Included among these is America Forward, a nonpartisan initiative that connects social sector innovators and their partners with policymakers, legislators, and thought leaders to advance an infrastructure for innovators and government to act together to scale the impact of proven and promising solutions. 

Location: New Orleans, LA

Playworks is a national nonprofit that provides safe, healthy play and physical activity to low-income schools, helping create a positive environment for learning and teaching. Playworks maximizes the value of recess, making play a part of every day ultimately transforming the learning environment for hundreds of schools across the country. We put trained adults on the playground to introduce classic games that are disappearing from schoolyards, like kickball and four-square, as well as new games designed to build leadership and foster teamwork. When Playworks partners with a school, kids are more physically active and they return to class focused and ready learn so the whole school day goes better. Playworks’ track record of success across the country has attracted multi-million dollar investments from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AmeriCorps and private philanthropists.

Location: New York, NY

Public Allies, a growing national nonprofit with local programs in 18 cities throughout the country, advances diverse young leaders to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation. Since 1992, Public Allies has led a powerful model for identifying, training and supporting talented and diverse young adults to lead positive community change. Through the Allies program, young people, ages 18 to 30, serve in full-time apprenticeships creating, improving and expanding services at local nonprofit organizations and participate in a rigorous leadership development program that combines weekly training, coaching, team projects and reflection. Since its establishment, Public Allies has graduated approximately 2,800 dynamic leaders and continues to invest in their skills, networks and initiative through structured programs, grants, and networking opportunities for alumni. The graduates of its signature program are passionately leading social change: they are board members for not-for-profits, executive directors, lawyers, foundation leaders, doctors, and government-appointed officials. Learn more about Public Allies at http://www.publicallies.org.

Location: Oakland, CA

First Place for Youth is an innovative and entrepreneurial nonprofit organization whose programs proactively challenge the trends among former foster youth by building self-esteem, self-reliance, and forging the skills necessary for successful independent living.  Focusing on housing stability, educational support, economic security, improved health, and connection to community, First Place programs are considered a national model for supporting youth in their transition out of foster care.  With these critical resources, youth are significantly more likely to overcome homelessness, poverty, low educational achievement, and poor health.  Please visit http://www.firstplaceforyouth.org/ for more information. 

Location: Boston, MA

Founded on the belief that young people have the power and responsibility to change the world, Peace First (formerly Peace Games) builds effective school climates by focusing on two major efforts within a school: teaching children the skills of cooperation, communication, conflict resolution, and civic engagement; and providing educators with the critical skills and knowledge to integrate social-emotional learning into the school’s curriculum and culture.  Combined, these efforts strengthen schools’ social and academic environments, leading to stronger schools and more successful students.  An innovative, weekly curriculum taught by young adult volunteers, and reinforced by intensive coaching for principals and a cohort of teachers engages whole school communities in transformative experiential education.  Since its founding in 1992, Peace First has worked with over 64 schools in Boston, Los Angeles, and New York.  We have promising data from our schools:  a USC study found a 60% decrease in disruptive incidences at the school, 36% decrease in physical aggression, and 81% of students reporting they can walk away from a fight.  A recent strategic planning process strengthened the core program model and set an ambitious plan in motion to triple the organization’s reach in three years.  For more information, please visit http://www.peacefirst.org.

Location: Brighton, MA

Cradles to Crayons (C2C) was founded in 2002, with the mission of providing children with the basic essentials they need to feel safe, warm, ready to learn and valued. These essentials include clothing, shoes, school supplies, and much more. By partnering with social-service organizations in the Boston area, C2C connects communities that have surplus resources—new or gently used items in good condition—with communities that desperately need access to those resources.

While meeting the immediate needs of low-income children, C2C also sets a foundation for lasting change by providing meaningful, tangible volunteer opportunities to thousands of individuals and hundreds of organizations each year. This innovative and highly effective model has led to C2C receiving the highest possible rating from Charity Navigator. Headquartered near Boston, MA, C2C also opened a Philadelphia location in 2006. In 2009, C2C-Boston served 45,000 children through its Everyday Essentials and Ready to Learn programs. With a current operating budget of $1.5 million and a staff of 21, C2C-Boston plans to double the number of children served to 90,000 within the next three to five years.