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Investing Strategies to Serve Vulnerable Children

This discussion guide series, produced by the Association of Small Foundations with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is designed to provide clear and concise information to small foundations on strategies for supporting nonprofits that serve vulnerable children and families.

Ensuring Success for Children with Incarcerated Parents

This discussion guide explores how small foundations can support programs and services for the more than 1.5 million U.S. children who have at least one parent in prison, and the estimated 7 million who have a parent under some form of correctional supervision. more >>

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Ensuring Success for Young Children: Early Childhood Literacy

Research shows that reading abilities in third grade act as a tell-tale barometer for later school success, since children who read at grade level are more likely to graduate from high school. And those who graduate from high school are more likely to pursue further education or get a job. This discussion guide for small foundations explores strategies for supporting nonprofits that provide early childhood education programs and services, especially those that focus on early childhood literacy and reading at grade level by third grade. more >>

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Ensuring Success For Young Children: Transition to Kindergarten

Research shows that as much as half of school failure may be due to gaps in school readiness even before children transition to kindergarten. This discussion guide for small foundations explores strategies for supporting nonprofits that provide early childhood education programs and services, especially those that focus on ensuring school readiness and smoothing transition to kindergarten. more >>

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Helping Children Aging Out of Foster Care Prepare for Independence

Whether you already fund programs and activities that support children aging out of foster care prepare for independence, or are considering doing so, the guide will spark your thinking – and that of your foundation peers – and deepen your understanding of effective strategies to prepare young people aging out of foster care to build bright and promising futures for themselves. more >>

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Helping Grandparents Raise Grandchildren Who Succeed

Across the United States, millions of grandparents are raising grandchildren, and the number continues to rise. This discussion guide for small foundations is focused specifically on strategies for supporting nonprofit organizations that help provide grandparents with the resources to raise grandchildren to succeed. more >>

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Helping Organizations Achieve Successful Leadership Transitions

The success and stability of nonprofit leaders make a tremendous difference to the organizations they shepherd and the communities they serve. This discussion paper for small foundations addresses common issues in leadership transitions for nonprofit organizations. The guide includes ways in which small foundations can invest in this area, as well as discussion questions and additional resources. more >>

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Helping Rural Families Build Economic Success: Earn It, Keep It, Grow It

This discussion paper for small foundations highlights the Casey Foundation’s Earn it, Keep it, Grow it framework and provides suggestions for the ways other funders can invest in rural families. Also included are questions for discussion and a list of additional questions. more >>

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