US PROGRAMS EVALUATION REVIEW

In response to the need to understand current practices and create a new framework for monitoring, evaluation, and learning in the Open Society Foundations' U.S. Programs, High Impact Partnering engaged in a comprehensive review with staff. This process entailed studying and mapping current monitoring and evaluation practices; encouraging shared learning about the practices, collecting and synthesizing recommendations related to the development of a new evaluation framework, and assisting staff in the development of a common language for the work. 

COMMON GOOD

Henry Miller has represented Common Good, the nonprofit legal reform organization, since its launch in 2002. Working closely with Common Good Founder and Chair Philip K. Howard, he has helped orchestrate an aggressive campaign of thought-leadership, involving more than 100 op-ed and bylined articles in major media outlets – such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN.com, The Atlantic.com, The Daily Beast, and The Huffington Post – and regular appearances on national television news shows. Common Good initiatives have been endorsed by President Obama, four bipartisan commissions, and many editorial writers, and have been cited by presidential candidates of both parties in the 2016 election cycle.

Early Childhood Investment Fund

Increased interest in and public funding for universal prekindergarten in New York City provide tremendous opportunities for a complementary philanthropic response to assure program quality.  With funding from six private foundations, High Impact Partnering is collaborating with the Social Impact Exchange/Growth Philanthropy, two dozen local and national foundations, and public agency leaders to investigate and assess key strategies for philanthropy and the feasibility of an investment fund.

High Impact Partnering's work includes the preparation of a comprehensive briefing paper describing New York City's early childhood population, service systems, professional development activities, service financing, quality assurance strategies, and current philanthropic response. This paper provides the framework for the mapping and further consideration of the most promising alternatives for philanthropic investment.

EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH

With support from New York State's Office of Children and Family Services and other funders, High Impact Partnering is collaborating with UNH and the New York Center for Child Development on an intensive program of training and consultation for early childhood professionals in four NYC neighborhoods focused on early childhood trauma and the promotion of social-emotional development. Our team has been extensively involved in the program demonstration's development, and is now conducting the program's evaluation. The long-term vision is increased early childhood professionals' capacity to successfully address young children's mental health needs.

Kickoff To Kindergarten (K2K)

With support from public and private sources, High Impact Partnering is collaborating with the Library to demonstrate, evaluate, and expand a more intensive, early literacy program for preschool children, many of whom are from low-income families and groups that have recently immigrated to the U.S.

We designed the 8-week K2K program by combining and integrating three research- and practice-based, proven program components: the Get Ready to Read! Screening Tool and learning activities, Dialogic Reading, and the Pocoyo’s PlayKits of the HITN Early Learning Collaborative. The goal is to foster parents’ and other care providers’ skills in promoting their children’s development of the most critical school readiness skills.

High Impact Partnering developed and executed a training program for K2K teachers and program coordinators for the demonstration and expansion phases.  We conducted the evaluation of the demonstration and will also conduct the final evaluation of the expansion. 

National Early Education Program Evaluation

Using trained and supported college and university student corps members, Jumpstart provides an enhanced early literacy learning experience annually for more than 11,000 children from low-income families attending 350 Head Start, pre-kindergarten, and other early education programs throughout the U.S. High Impact Partnering has provided independent evaluation for Jumpstart program sites for many years and most recently analyzed all of Jumpstart's program site data and prepared reports for national and state funders.