A Different Approach For Philanthropists
Philanthropists are always looking for new ways to contribute to the well-being of society. Many pour millions of dollars into programs that fight hunger and water scarcity abroad. Some donate to medical research and institutions in search of cures for deadly diseases. Others, like Susan Crown, a member of the Chicago-based billionaire Crown family, are steadfast on improving education for disenfranchised communities in the United States. Instead of donating to traditional education-improvement organizations, though, Ms. Crown has chosen to focus her efforts on an alternative approach. Only two years ago, she decided to focus on stimulating and developing important character-building traits. Determinants of future success, like perseverance, emotion management, and teamwork, are all aspects of Social and Emotional Learning (or SEL) that students in inner-city schools often struggle to develop. The New York Times recently wrote about Ms. Crown’s efforts, and the capability they have in improving the status of inner-city students.
Her foundation, the Susan Crown Exchange not only dedicates itself to improving SEL education but also looks to study successful efforts in the United States. “This is a very focused, intentional, high-risk program,” noted Susan Crown referring to her new program. Serving almost as a think-tank, the Susan Crown Exchange collects data on multiple unique organizations and attempts to document shared characteristics among these organizations and their efforts. With the compiled information, she hopes to find a specific strategic plan to combat problems and release data on fruitful efforts.
Eight organizations were awarded $100,000 each and in return, each of these organizations would document their endeavors. Three times over a two year period, these eight groups would note what they did, and why they were successful. None of the funded programs were exactly conventional after-school programs. For example, while one focused on producing musicals, another taught inner-city students to build boats. “In boat building, you learn stuff… “You’re free to move. You don’t have a whole lot of restrictions. It’s more of a trial-and-error kind of thing. You learn from those mistakes. In school, if you fail, you’ve failed” said Yamir Jackson-Adens.
Groups funded by Crown have been able to expand their programs. Directors of these organizations have expanded their horizons as well, envisioning new approaches that can potentially further improve their efforts. Some, however, remain critical of these organizations and their endeavors. One main criticism is their non-comprehensive, and relatively expensive approach. Many of these programs require well-trained mentors and social workers. These expenses have the potential to assist only a few students at a time, therefore leaving many excluded. Yet, it is exactly for these reasons Crown decided to create her organization. The Susan Crown Exchange has the potential to use collaboration and experience to solve the difficulties that inevitably arise with SEL organizations. The foundation’s guide, titled “Preparing Youth to Thrive: Promising Practices in Social and Emotional Learning”, measures the effectiveness of certain approaches while offering solutions to natural setbacks.
However for many philanthropists, measuring the success of such organizations is entirely too difficult. Measuring improvements in skills, like emotion management, teamwork, initiative, responsibility, and urgency can be hard to quantify. Crown and her fellow fundraisers have not given up, especially after seeing the accomplishments of organizations like Possibility Project, AHA (Attitude, Harmony, and Achievement), and The Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory. At the moment, the Crown Exchange continues to study SEL programs and their efforts across America. In the future, it hopes to finalize conclusions and successfully guide other organizations in the right direction.
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