Our first large, community-based project, New Futures was launched in 1988 to test the idea that strong political leadership, interagency collaboration and other innovations could reduce teen pregnancy and school dropout rates and improve school achievement and youth employment rates over a five-year period. What we learned has informed nearly every initiative that has followed.
As associate director of advocacy and influence, Scot Spencer works to advance strategies that create more opportunities for kids and families in low-income communities to succeed. He also coordinates efforts to spur community and economic development in the Foundation’s hometown of Baltimore.
Report
This report — a thought paper rooted in 47 interviews with industry leaders — highlights what we’ve learned about utilizing peer networking to advance recent place-based initiatives. It then shapes these lessons into 10 solid strategies for successfully incorporating peer networking into the new multiyear, mutli-million dollar Building Healthy Communities project.
Report
The report presents the lessons learned from New Futures, the Casey Foundation's first attempt at a large-scale community change effort.
Report
This report candidly recalls Casey’s first attempt at system reform efforts at the community level. Through reflections from two of the leaders, the truth about this failed attempt becomes apparent along with the lessons that carried forward in Casey’s future community change work.