The chief aim of the Foundation's three programs is to help develop good Schools and good neighborhoods for children. The Good Schools and Good Neighborhoods programs are the primary focus of the Foundation's grantmaking. The Good Opportunities program area is set up to support the Foundation's primary work and to invest in special opportunities that can accomplish significant results for children. Though we make grants throughout Metropolitan Detroit, the bulk of our grant dollars will be spent in six Detroit neighborhoods – Brightmoor, Cody/Rouge, the Northend, Osborn, and Chadsey/Condon and Vernor in Southwest Detroit – and on innovative and successful schools throughout the city of Detroit.

Good Schools

Quality education should be available to every young person, and especially to youth from disadvantaged circumstances. Over the past 10 years, the Foundation has devoted a very large portion of its focus and energy to improving the quality of education for youth in Detroit. The Foundation's $50-million investment has supported a wide variety of projects.

The goal of the Good Schools program is to have children attend high-quality schools, to graduate from high school, and to attend college so they can lead self-sufficient and prosperous lives. In order to address the structural changes necessary to provide high-quality educational opportunities for Detroit youth, the program area is citywide in scope, but focuses on Skillman-targeted neighborhoods wherever possible. The objectives and sub-program areas to achieve the goal are:

Increase Student Achievement

School Improvement: Increase student achievement through the Making the Grade initiative by encouraging, recognizing and increasing the number of high-achieving schools, especially in targeted neighborhoods.

Public and Private Investments: Leverage public and private resources to support school improvement in Detroit.

Improve School Readiness

Early Childhood: Ensure strong academic outcomes for children birth to college entry.

Increase High School Graduation and College Enrollment Rates

Children’s High Achievement: Encourage, challenge and recognize high-achieving students.

Skillman Scholars: Provide high school scholarships for academically talented minority students and college scholarships for alumni of the Skillman Scholars program.

Innovate Good, Small High Schools

Partnerships for Innovation: Form partnerships to develop proven models of effective urban high schools.