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Partnership
captures Montana history for students
 Year after year, the Montana Historical Society fielded calls and letters from educators asking for a comprehensive book to teach Montana history to middle school students. Many teachers reported they were teaching the curriculum with expensive photocopies and a hodgepodge of classroom materials. Now, a unique
public-private partnership will change that scenario: a new history textbook,
Montana: Stories of the Land, by Krys Holmes, will be in Montana classrooms this fall.
The Montana Historical Society and the Montana History Foundation teamed up with the Montana Office of Public Instruction,
corporations, individual donors and a diverse collaborative
of foundations to write, publish and distribute the book, free-of-charge, to Montana schools and public libraries. The 500-page textbook, which includes four chapters on Native American history and prehistory, provides the first comprehensive account of the state’s history written specifically for seventh grade readers.
“We wanted to reach students at the seventh grade level, when they’re discovering who they are,
to share with them where they come from, the history and heritage they
have inherited, and give them an opportunity to learn about the people who came before them,” said Amy Sullivan, executive director of the Montana History Foundation.
The textbook project ignited such interest among educators that Sullivan is
seeking additional partners to increase the print run from 5,000
copies to 12,000, which would guarantee every Montana seventh grader a copy.
Sullivan credits the enthusiasm and collaboration of the project’s
partners for the project’s success. “We couldn’t have done this
alone. No single organization could have, but together we are doing
it,” she said. Contact Amy Sullivan at (406) 449-3770. |
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Mark your calendars for Wyoming Philanthropy Days
The Wyoming Community Foundation
and
ServeWyoming will host the sixth biennial
Wyoming Philanthropy Days, June 18-20, in Laramie at the
new University Conference Center. The statewide event features
learning and networking opportunities for funders and nonprofits.
Wyoming Community Foundation president George Gault highlighted the
need for the conference when noting that, in a state where
nonprofits comprise the fourth largest employment sector and high
turnover in their leadership is expected over the next five years,
it is critically important to provide staff and board members with
opportunities to gain new skills, learn about best practices and
build relationships with other leaders and funders.
Anonymous donation benefits Montana nonprofits
The Park County Community Foundation (PCCF) received an anonymous gift of $86,000 through its donor-advised grants program, with the recommendation that the funds be distributed within southwest Montana and to charitable organizations working globally.
Awards from this fund supported four Bozeman nonprofits -- Eagle Mount, Engineers Without Borders-MSU
Chapter, Gallatin Valley Land Trust and the Sonoran Institute -- as well as
the Wildlife Conservation Society (New York), and Bardoli Global (Texas). The grant to Engineers Without Borders strengthens the MSU Chapter’s efforts to improve sanitation and access to clean drinking water for rural elementary schools in Kenya (pictured). Tawnya Rupe, PCCF’s
Board President, commented that donations like the $86,000
anonymous gift highlight how PCCF can help donors impact
nonprofits while also protecting the donors' anonymity.
Native American gathering to draw
hundreds
Native Americans in Philanthropy will host its third National Gathering May 2-4, 2008, in Washington, DC. The annual gathering engages Native and non-Native grantmakers, grassroots changemakers and tribal policymakers in a multifaceted approach to advancing development, social change and self-determination in Native American communities. This year’s event features keynote speakers Sherry Salway Black (Oglala Lakota) and Winona LaDuke (White Earth Ojibwe),
two Native women who epitomize Native philanthropy from both the
context of their immersion in mainstream philanthropy and their
service to their communities. Best practices and skill-building
sessions are also planned, including a panel discussion on tribal
charitable giving programs and a workshop on boosting nonprofit
fundraising through online social networking, advocacy, information
sharing and marketing. |
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Richelle Keinath is the new executive director of the Wyoming Women's Foundation, an organization that advocates economic self-sufficiency and systematic change for women and girls. Richelle previously served as the co-executive director of the Eppson Center for Seniors in Laramie, Wyoming.
Kevin Walker is the new president & CEO of the Northwest Area Foundation.
He will begin his position in May.
Kevin will guide the foundation in a redefined approach to reducing poverty and promoting sustainable prosperity. Kevin previously served as the associate vice president for programs at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Deborah Doyle McWhinney is the new president & CEO of the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation.
Deborah previously served as president of Schwab Institutional
for Charles Schwab & Company, Inc. Mike Halligan will continue as
executive director of the foundation.
Send your press releases, news and staff updates to Ann Kooistra-Manning, Foundation for Community Vitality at
annkm@ffcv.net.
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