Who We Are
Background
Many foundations supporting literacy have been highly engaged in community literacy, coalition development and in strategies for community change. A planning group explored ways to share knowledge and to create a peer learning network. As a result, the group received formal affinity group status with the Council on Foundations and has a founding circle of foundations.
Mission
The Literacy Funders Network increases the philanthropic community’s knowledge and understanding of literacy as a systemic issue and a tool for community change and is a venue for collaboration and collective impact.
Goals
- Share best practices, research and lessons learned through peer dialogue and networking.
- Learn how other foundations interact within their communities around literacy through effective grantmaking strategies.
- Promote and strengthen accountability and impact measurement for literacy.
- Promote advocacy and awareness about literacy.
- Coordinate interdisciplinary dialogue in key literacy sectors. (Health literacy, financial literacy, workforce literacy, computer literacy, and family literacy, for instance.)
Structure
The Literacy Funders Network is an affinity group of the Council of Foundations and is built on a traditional model with a core team of officers (President, President-Elect, Treasurer and Secretary) who manage the policy, fiscal activities and coordinate the calendar of events of the organization. The officers are responsible for developing education programming and activities. Members provide input and feedback and assist in developing the seminars and discussions. The affinity group is supported by annual member dues.
Officers
President Sharon Bush, Grand Victoria Foundation
President-Elect Frank Ridzi, Central New York Community Foundation
Treasurer Nancy Anthony, Oklahoma City Community Foundation
Secretary / Executive Director Kimberly Scott, Literacy Powerline
In addition to the officers, the Executive Committee includes:
Mary Surbeck, Oklahoma City Community Foundation
Denine Torr, Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Jo Ann Turnquist, Central Carolina Community Foundation
Past President, Corinne Ribble, The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc.
Founding Members
- Baton Rouge Area Foundation
- John G. Davies, President and CEO
- Central New York Community Foundation
- Peter Dunn, President and CEO
- Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, President and CEO
- Community Foundation for Southern Arizona
- Steve Alley, President and CEO
- Community Foundation of Kalamazoo
- Juan Olivarez, President and CEO
- Dollar General
- David L. Beré, President and Chief Strategy Officer
- First Literacy
- Joanne Arnaud, Executive Director
- Houston Endowment
- Larry R. Faulkner, President
- IBM Corporation
- Samuel J. Palmisano, President and CEO
- Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
- Unmi Song, Executive Director
- Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
- Bill Hiller, Executive Director
- Oklahoma City Community Foundation
- Nancy Anthony, Executive Director
- Sarkeys Foundation
- Kim Henry, Executive Director
- Tapestry Foundation
- M. Carmel Borders, President, Board of Directors
- The Cleveland Foundation
- Ronn Richard, President and CEO
- The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties
- Peggy O’Shea, President and CEO
- The Community Foundation of South Alabama
- Thomas H. Davis, Jr., President and CEO
- The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation
- Thomas Lunt, Trustee
- The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation
- Glenda Cadwallader, Executive Director
- The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation
- Joanie Haley, Executive Director
- The Simmons Foundation
- Linda May, Executive Director
- The Trull Foundation
- Gail Purvis, Executive Director
- Verizon Foundation
- Patrick R. Gaston, President