America Forward

Be Good for Nothing

2008-10-01T17:30:00+00:00

Fifteen hours after the first Presidential debate concluded, volunteers took part in a national Day of Action to demonstrate that “We are a Service Nation.” In Boston, the Hyatt Regency Hotel hosted advocates of national service, AmeriCorps alums, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and representatives from the government – including staff from the offices of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, and Boston City Councilors. In front of an enlarged TIME Magazine cover featuring service proposals (and cartoons!) of Senators McCain and Obama, speakers called for expanded service opportunities, while public servants from every generation spoke about the potential impact to be felt from more Americans participating in national service.

On Campaign Commonalities and Social Entrepreneurship

2008-09-29T17:15:00+00:00

Last week Kelly Ward, Director of America Forward, highlighted common ground between the McCain and Obama campaigns on the Public Innovators’ blog.

With less than 50 days until Election Day, the presidential candidates are working hard to point out their differences. By the tenor of this election, you’d never know there are issues on which the candidates actually agree! But there are, and policies that support the work of social entrepreneurs are among them.

Substantial Progress for America Forward in September!

2008-09-26T14:15:00+00:00

This month Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) unveiled the Serve America Act of 2008—a landmark piece of legislation that proposes several America Forward policy ideas: a Community Solutions Fund Network to bring effective solutions to scale, a Commission on Cross-Sector Solutions to spur change within the federal government, and Serve America Fellowships to support future social entrepreneurs.

Parents Academy Joins Coalition!

2008-09-11T17:00:00+00:00

We are excited to announce that Parents Academy has just joined the America Forward coalition! Founded and run by social entrepreneur, José-Pablo Fernandez, Parents Academy teaches Hispanic parents marketable technology skills that further their education and enable them to become full participants in their children’s education. To learn more about Parents Academy click here.

Education Event

2008-09-02T21:30:00+00:00

There is definitely something brewing in this country when Al Sharpton gets a standing ovation at the Republican convention. But it happened – we saw it! And it gets better – this very special event was sponsored by Newt Gingrich’s organization American Solutions for Winning the Future. Yep, you read that right—Al Sharpton got a standing ovation at an event sponsored by Newt Gingrich. And what’s more? It was an Education event, with people from both parties agreeing on the same principles for education reform. Incredible!

Social Entrepreneurship at the RNC

2008-09-02T01:15:00+00:00

We’re getting great traction for the America Forward ideas at the Republican National Convention! Today America Forward had the distinct honor of serving on a panel about social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility. Along with coalition organizations College Summit and Project HEALTH, we talked about the innovative solutions social entrepreneurs bring to the table and how Senator McCain, should he be elected President, could leverage these solutions to more effectively address the persistent problems facing our communities. We shared the stage with Adolfo Franco, VP for Global Regulatory Affairs at the Direct Selling Association and Policy Advisor to the McCain Campaign. Adolfo has worked extensively with the innovative organization AIDS Responsibility Project (led by social entrepreneur Abner Mason) and believes deeply in the power of social entrepreneurs and the impact of corporate social responsibility. He iterated Senator McCain’s commitment to leveraging the innovation happening in the nonprofit sector, and asked America Forward and the other organizations on the panel to send along more information. We’re planning to follow up the panel with a White Paper to the campaign highlighting ways to invest in what works, foster innovation in the nonprofit sector, encourage public-private partnerships, and bring all sectors together to more effectively and efficiently solve problems. Exciting stuff!

A Call to Service, in Real Time

2008-08-31T22:45:00+00:00

As the Republicans get ready to kick off their convention, the uncertainty about Hurricane Gustav is like a cloud looming over the Twin Cities. People are expressing concern for the safety of the folks in the Gulf Coast, and they’re wondering out loud whether the day’s events should go on. While it has a much different feel than the celebratory atmosphere of the Democratic convention’s kick off, the profound feeling of commitment to service and concern for our fellow citizens is clear. America Forward and some of our coalition organizations, including Be The Change Inc. and Points of Light Institute, have been working with the RNC on the service events they have planned throughout the convention week. There’s a chance those service events may be ramped up to help with rapid response to the hurricane, if necessary. Although we hope that doesn’t have to happen, I have no doubt that all of the people in Minneapolis/St Paul—residents and delegates alike—would rally to Senator McCain’s call to service.

What the Bloggers Have Taught Us

2008-08-30T21:45:00+00:00

While at the Democratic National Convention last week, I had a chance to wander through The Big Tent, the gathering place for bloggers set up by the folks at Google, Digg, and other organizations. As I watched the bloggers at their desks, heads down, earbuds in, diligently reporting the day’s news and gossip, it occurred to me just how the blogosphere has changed the media landscape. No longer must we rely on the newspaper editor or the national TV stations to determine what news we have access to. With the advent of blogs and other technologies that facilitate mass communication without massive financial resources, the information economy has become far more democratic—with the substance coming from the bottom up and the best material having the greatest influence.

Democratic Party Platform Endorses America Forward’s Mission

2008-08-28T21:30:00+00:00

Amid all the pageantry, excitement and confetti of the Democratic National Convention, it’s easy to overlook the fact that, in addition to nominating the party’s candidates for President and Vice President, the purpose of the Convention is also to adopt the party’s platform. But as the pomp and circumstance has subsided in Denver, Democrats emerge with a complete party platform – and America Forward is proud to report that the platform highlights the work of social entrepreneurs and pledges support for their innovative, results-driven ideas!

DNC Delegate Service Day

2008-08-28T15:15:00+00:00

Volunteers at the DNC Delegate Service Day

Focus on Impact: CCA Alliance

2008-08-28T20:00:00+00:00

Educators have been working for years to convince low-income Hispanic kids to stay in school; but lately Jose-Pablo Fernandez of CCA Alliance, Inc. has realized that sometimes, it helps to get their parents there first. In 2005, “educational attainment among Hispanics [was] lower than other ethnic groups. In Houston, for example, 20 percent of U.S.-born Hispanics and 52 percent of Hispanic immigrants [had] less than a high school education,” and with the Hispanic population approaching 14 percent of the US, it is essential to keep children in the classroom and learning.

Michelle Obama meets with the Coalition!

2008-08-27T14:15:00+00:00

Michelle Obama meets with America Forward Organizations

Real time blogging from the convention...

2008-08-26T13:00:00+00:00

The themes of America Forward are present throughout this convention! Starting on day one, many of the events and speakers have amplified the America Forward message—from innovative mayors Booker and Fenty discussing working with education entrepreneurs in their cities, to panel moderator Jonathan Alter talking about investing in the best solutions and scaling what works. Leading social entrepreneur Jon Schnur (CEO and Co-Founder of New Leaders for New Schools) served on a convention panel about the need for new solutions to persistent problems. America Forward member organization City Year and social entrepreneur Alan Khazei were in the video tribute to Senator Ted Kennedy, which highlighted the Senator's commitment to service. And Michelle Obama's inspirational video tribute and speech highlighted the impact America Forward organization Public Allies had on her personal life. It's so exciting to see the traction around our messages and ideas!

Focus on Impact: NewSchools Venture Fund Profile

2008-08-26T14:45:00+00:00

As highlighted last week on NPR, NewSchools Venture Fund and its portfolio ventures are creating great results in some of America’s worst school districts. They’re taking a truly comprehensive approach to helping troubled districts out of their rut; to them, results are all-important. It’s not a matter of ideology, unless that ideology is to “transform public education so that all children – especially those underserved – have the opportunity to succeed.” So they support programs both within and without the established system, depending on proven effectiveness, and doggedly work to scale up the successes.

NPR – NewSchools story

2008-08-21T14:00:00+00:00

In the news Tuesday, NPR ran the first of three pieces on their All Things Considered program looking at the great benefits that educational entrepreneurs like Don Feinstein and his Academy of Urban School Leadership (AUSL) have brought to the Chicago school system, revitalizing failing schools with new and innovative ideas while working within the existing public school system. NewSchools Venture Fund, an America Forward coalition member working to advise, invest in, and network educational entrepreneurs, helped NPR connect with AUSL and get their story. Check out the show and keep an eye out – there’ll be two more episodes coming along in the next few weeks, as well as a closer look at NewSchools Venture Fund tomorrow as part of our Focus on Impact series!