Announcing the 2025 Skillman Visionary Awards

Category Archives: Blog

How can Detroit educators learn how to transform their classrooms? Ask the students.

by: | May. 6th, 2020 “How can Detroit educators learn how to transform their classrooms? Ask the students” was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. Sign up for their newsletters here. High school senior Caleb Bailey started to sharpen his financial literacy skills as part of the Midnight Golf mentoring […]

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Let’s Tell the Truth to Detroit Youth: The Case for College Now, More Than Ever

by: Ashley Aidenbaum | Apr. 28th, 2020 This op-ed originally appeared in The Detroit Free Press. View the original post. Over the past few years, Detroit’s business and philanthropic communities have facilitated a resurgence of career technical education opportunities in the city. The Skillman Foundation has contributed to these efforts to expand the options for […]

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Bridging the digital divide for Detroit students: First fund of $23M launches

by: The Skillman Foundation | Apr. 23rd, 2020 Today, The Skillman Foundation joined DTE Energy, Quicken Loans, Detroit Public Schools Community District and the City of Detroit to announce a $23-million investment to place a computer tablet with high-speed LTE internet connectivity, along with technical support, into the hands of the 51,000 DPSCD students before the end of the school year.   The first six months of internet connectivity will be fully […]

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Economic lessons from the pandemic

by: Lou Glazer | Apr. 21st, 2020 This post originally appeared on Michigan Future, Inc.’s website. View the original post. The call to action we co-authored with economic and community development leaders from across the state was released just prior to the pandemic slamming Michigan. It calls on our state, regional and community leaders to make rising […]

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Payroll Protection Program and SBA Fund Application Assistance

by: Punita Dani Thurman | Apr. 16th, 2020 This post was adapted from language provided by The Kresge Foundation. Dear grant partner, We wanted to make you aware of a time-limited opportunity that has been developed with several of our philanthropic partners: Southeast Michigan nonprofits to apply for the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) […]

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Crisis Communications for Nonprofits & Foundations During COVID-19

by: Natalie Fotias | Apr. 16th, 2020 Last week, The Communications Network Detroit hosted a webinar on crisis communications for nonprofits and foundations during COVID-19, featuring Ron Fournier, president of Truscott Rossman and Chris Perry, chief development and marketing officer of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Watch a recording of the webinar below.

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COVID-19 Response Fund Partner Profile: The Yunion

by: Mark Navarro | Apr. 14th, 2020 This post originally appeared on the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s (UWSEM) blog. Click here to read the original post. United Way for Southeastern Michigan and its partners are committed to ensuring that our region’s most vulnerable families have the support they need to weather the short- and long-term impacts of […]

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COVID313 virtual townhalls

by: The Skillman Foundation | Apr. 10th, 2020 Each Thursday at noon, the COVID313 Community Coalition hosts a virtual townhall for Detroit students and parents focused on supporting families during the Coronavirus outbreak. Expert guests share information about COVID-19, health and wellness, education and school updates, and accessing basic needs. Covid313 is lead by the […]

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Tonya Allen on One Detroit

by: The Skillman Foundation | Apr. 9th, 2020 One Detroit contributor Stephen Henderson spoke with The Skillman Foundation President and CEO Tonya Allen about kids’ access to online learning, food security, and tackling policy issues through an equitable lens to ensure all children are set up to succeed now and in the long term. Watch […]

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7 Ways You Can Help Your Community During the Coronavirus Outbreak

by: United Way for Southeastern Michigan | Apr. 7th, 2020 This blog originally appeared the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s blog. Click here to view the original post. As uncertainty looms and fears rise over the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s important that we remain united as a community. In our region, 44 percent of […]

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Detroit High School Seniors, We’ve Got You! Quick Answers to Your FAQs

by: Ashley Aidenbaum | Apr. 6th, 2020 Ve este artículo en español. This piece was co-authored by Ashley Johnson, DCAN’s executive director. Help the high schools seniors in your network get answers to their questions. Download shareable social media posts here! Dear Class of 2020: We know you’ve got a lot on your mind. Maybe […]

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COVID-19 Response Fund Partner Profile: Alternatives For Girls

by: Mark Navarro | Apr. 3rd, 2020 This post originally appeared on the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s (UWSEM) blog. Click here to read the original post. United Way for Southeastern Michigan and their partners are committed to ensuring that our region’s most vulnerable families have the support they need to weather the short- and […]

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Students, we want to know your challenges, fears, ideas

by: The Skillman Foundation | Apr. 2nd, 2020 Today, Governor Whitmer announced that Michigan schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. Students and recent grads: What are your thoughts, questions, and concerns? What do you think the future of education should look like? We’re asking students and young adults to share […]

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HR and Legal Counsel for Grant Partners during COVID-19

by: Kumar Raj | Mar. 24th, 2020 With the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, nonprofits across the country have questions regarding their employees and operations. With Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Stay Home, Stay Safe, Safe Lives executive order, many employers have shut down in-person operations, further complicating matters surrounding human resources (HR). The Skillman Foundation wants […]

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Top Foundations Pledge Flexible Funding to Grantees in Wake of COVID-19 Crisis

by: Council on Foundations | Mar. 24th, 2020 This post originally appeared on the Council on Foundations’ website. Click here to read the original post by Nicole Forman. New York, March 19, 2020 — More than 40 major US-based and international foundations announced today to pledge their commitment to more flexible funding to help grantee partners […]

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$500k grant to United Way COVID-19 Fund among our initial efforts to support families, nonprofits

by: The Skillman Foundation | Mar. 18th, 2020 The Skillman Foundation has contributed $500,000 in seed funding to United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Community Response Fund to help families weather hardships during the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. The Community Response Fund will be used for a multitude of efforts to help individuals who become sick as […]

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Making data work for young people

by: Stephanie Quesnelle | Mar. 16th, 2020 This post was originally shared on Data Driven Detroit’s website. Click here to view the original posting. Last summer, we introduced students at the Detroit International Academy for Young Women to user testing, a fast-growing facet of software development, and then guided them through a user test of […]

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COVID-19 Resources for Students, Families, & Grant Partners

by: The Skillman Foundation | Mar. 16th, 2020 Last updated April 21, 2020 In light of COVID-19 Coronavirus, The Skillman Foundation is compiling a list of free or low-cost resources for students and families to help stay healthy, happy, and learning. Furthermore, we will provide resources for our grant partners to support their work and […]

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Message from Tonya Allen: Our Response to Coronavirus COV-19

by: Tonya Allen | Mar. 11th, 2020 Privilege and responsibility are two words The Skillman Foundation often uses when talking about our shared work. We are privileged to be able to, together with the people of Detroit, champion and safeguard the people of our beloved city—particularly those most vulnerable. With these privileges comes responsibility to […]

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Educators Share Recommendations to Address Our State’s Teacher Shortage

by: Council of Michigan Foundations | Mar. 2nd, 2020 This story originally appeared as part of the Council of Michigan Foundation’s (CMF) Weekly Download. Click here to read the original post. A new report is sharing insights from educators on potential solutions to address Michigan’s teacher shortage. According to the report, conducted by Public Policy […]

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