As a foundation that focuses on supporting systemic change, we know that investing in policy change or improving a system can not only help people today, but also a whole stream of people who follow. It might take a little longer, but we believe our commitment to supporting upstream solutions makes the most significant impact in vulnerable populations.

Some of the upstream solutions that we’re particularly proud of in the recent past include:

• Early Care and Education Systems Change – Since 1999, we have funded Qualistar, Colorado Children’s Campaign, Clayton Early Learning and the State of Colorado with the intent of creating a system to advance the early care and education of children in Colorado. To date, we have seen significant progress including a framework for systems change, creating the Early Childhood Commission and expansion of Early Childhood Councils throughout the state. Of particular note is the nationally recognized work of Clayton Early Learning through its Educare Center.

• Women's Funds Initiative – Our investment of nearly $3.5 million to create women’s funds in Wyoming, Montana and Oklahoma has leveraged close to $2 million in contributions from others in these three states. By focusing on policy change, these funds have led several initiatives, including one to cap the annual interest rate on payday loans, one addressing pay equity and another to increase continuing education outcomes for low income, single mothers. We continue to share our experience through Creating a Women’s Fund Within a Community Foundation (*PDF) , a Chambers Family Fund publication that has provided helpful direction to several new women’s funds worldwide. With our grant to the Women’s Funding Network, we helped launch its Women Moving Millions initiative, designed to inspire women to make individual $1 million contributions to a women’s foundation with the ultimate goal of raising $150 million for women’s funds. To date, the initiative has defied the economic crisis and raised $191 million.

• Fiscal Policy Reform – In a national comparison, Colorado ranks at the bottom in critical public structures: 49th in funding for public schools, 49th in funding for Medicaid, 36th in funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and so on. Newly created in 2008, the Colorado Looking Forward Collaborative is working to create conditions for Colorado to address the chronic funding shortfall that undermines state services and threatens our prosperity. Its participants, The Bell Policy Center, Colorado Children’s Campaign and Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, seek solutions to these complex public policy challenges by fostering a deeper understanding of the state’s fiscal challenges, a broader consensus around the right solutions, a wider coalition committed to promoting change, and an informed public that is willing to seriously consider increasing revenues.
  

In addition to these initiatives, we continue to provide ongoing support to organizations that align with our program areas. We encourage you to visit the websites of our partners through the links on the engaged funding page to learn more about these organizations dedicated to creating positive change.

In our grantmaking, we have consistently exceeded our required payout and continue to honor grant commitments made in previous years. However, as with most foundations in these difficult economic times, our assets have declined. As a result, we are not making new commitments or funding initiatives that we otherwise might have considered. We will work with our grantees to find ways to leverage our creative capital, while keeping in mind our goal of systemic change to benefit our most vulnerable population, women and children.

It’s a privilege to extend our resources to vital nonprofits, those who work day in and day out to effect positive change. As we continue our work, we invite you to learn more about these upstream solutions.

Merle C. Chambers
President

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