Successes of Philanthropy

In today’s political climate, it’s easy to assume that our civic systems are broken, and accomplishments—when they are not denigrated or outright dismissed by the “other side”—are few and far between. But increasingly, philanthropists, nonprofits, and citizens—who may or may not share the same political perspectives—are filling the gap where there is gridlock. We are […]

On July 18, 2013, Detroit became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy. Almost three months later, U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen, the chief mediator appointed to midwife a settlement between the city of Detroit and its creditors, was coming to grips with the magnitude of the city’s fiscal crisis. Without a […]

Keona Tate saw promise, where many could not. In the south side Chicago neighborhood of Woodlawn, she was happy to find a vacant, two-family brick home within walking distance of both her job and her son’s high school. Tate purchased the property with the help of a local homebuyer assistance program and plans to live […]

Contrary to the impression given by TV crime dramas like CSI and Law and Order, many people will probably be surprised to learn that most of the so-called forensic sciences have not been scientifically validated – no scientific research has been done to prove these frequently used forensic tools are actually reliable in determining the […]

Simone Madden and Thomas Carroll, a young couple living in Baltimore, have a strong desire to build a stable home and solid foundation for their 4-year-old son, Mason. Part of their stated motivation for working together is that neither grew up with a father in their homes. “By being in my son’s life, I can […]

[This post is part of the Successes of Philanthropy series, a sponsored project of the Washington Monthly. Learn more here.] In more than 80 communities across the country, founders of early-stage startup companies gather each Wednesday morning to meet each other, swap notes and share ideas. At each of these events, sponsored by the Ewing […]

[This post is part of the Successes of Philanthropy series, a sponsored project of the Washington Monthly. Learn more here.] In the fall of 2014, for the first time in Minnesota’s history, families throughout the state were able to send their children to all-day kindergarten, free of charge. Previously, about half of Minnesota students had […]

[This post is part of the Successes of Philanthropy series, a sponsored project of the Washington Monthly. Learn more here.] Meet Dorothy Edwards. Just a few years ago, she lived with her dog, Gunner, under a freeway overpass in Greater Los Angeles. She was heavily addicted to drugs and couldn’t find a way to get […]