OneVillage Partners (OVP) works in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and has developed a new innovative model to catalyze action and assist rural villagers to transform their lives and communities. OVP’s model is based on the belief that to empower thriving, self-reliant communities we must empower communities to meet their own basic needs, train local leaders, and create new opportunities focused on women.
This is the view from our current office of our new building - just across our parking lot! As we watch the construction rapidly progress from a hole in the ground to this brand new building, we are getting very excited about moving into our new home.
In recent years, Minnesota’s long-term care systems have gone through significant changes to improve quality, streamline efforts, and reduce costs.
ACES (Athletes Committed to Educating Students) is an after-school program working to alleviate the achievement gap in the Twin Cities, which disproportionately affects students of color and students living below the poverty line.
Young people in foster care often face extraordinary struggles as they transition to independent living. Without access to essential support systems, youth leaving the foster care system become more prone to homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, and physical or mental illness. Young people are also difficult to track after they leave the foster care system, making it challenging to follow their stories or understand their unique needs as they transition into adulthood.
Evaluator Bear travels far and wide to ensure he is able to keep up to date with the participants in his longitudinal study.
The Improve Group congratulates its pro bono clients on the successful submission of their first Annual Benefit Reports. These organizations joined a new class of for-profit corporations in Minnesota that have pledged to pursue public benefits among their primary objectives.
Press Release
SAINT PAUL, Minn., March 31, 2016 –The Improve Group congratulates its pro bono clients on the successful submission of their first Annual Benefit Reports. These organizations joined a new class of for-profit corporations in Minnesota that have pledged to pursue public benefits among their primary objectives.
Recently, a client told me that when we collaborated to create a strategic plan for her former organization, it was one of the proudest moments of her time as Executive Director. A little stunned, I asked why. She shared three reasons:
The mid-point of any new initiative is a pivotal time, presenting us with the opportunity to look back and reflect on our early successes and challenges. Evaluations can play an important role in this process; the right kind can reveal valuable insights about what’s working and what’s not. More critically, evaluation can help us identify ways to address program challenges, refine our approach, and ultimately deepen our impact over time.