
K-12 Education
A quality education is the basis for being able to lead a life of independence and prosperity. It better enables you to write your own future. It helps you direct the futures of your community and country as an active citizen. A good education expands what is possible and makes positive outcomes much more probable.
We support a high-quality system of schools that helps children meet educational milestones and move through life as capable and confident thinkers. Where Detroit children go, we follow; our investments span both traditional and charter public schools in Detroit. We work to provide the best for Detroit students: high expectations, equitable treatment and resources, and best-in-class curriculum. We back educators and their development to help them lead effective classrooms and schools. We support partnerships between schools, parents, youth providers, and the community at-large.
Key Indicator
Third-Grade Reading Proficiency

Third-grade literacy is known to be a strong indicator of life outcomes because it is an academic milestone at which point children should advance from learning to read, to reading to learn. However, in 2019, fewer than half of Michigan third graders scored as reading proficiently, and in Detroit, fewer than 16% achieved the level of proficiency. Years of low marks has made literacy a priority for our city and state, further catalyzed by a 2016 Read by Grade Three Law that provides additional help for students and schools—along with a provision that students may be retained if they are one or more grade levels behind in reading by third grade.
Recent News
Recent Grants
Bend the Arc-A Jewish Partnership for Justice
GreenLight Fund, Inc.
Developing Kingdoms in Different Stages
Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, Inc.
Local Circles
Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
Michigan College Access Network
Detroit Parent Network
Teach for America, Inc.
Public Progress
Athlete Transition Services Corp.
University of Detroit Mercy
Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation, Inc.
Michigan Association of United Ways
Catchafire Foundation
Northend Youth Improvement Council
Metro Solutions, Inc.
Metro Solutions, Inc.
Council of Michigan Foundations, Inc.
Xavier University of Louisiana
Detroit Future City
Yeshivath Beth Yehudah
Warren Conner Development Coalition, Inc. DBA Eastside Community Network
Council of Michigan Foundations, Inc.
482Forward
Metro Solutions, Inc.
Citizens Research Council of Michigan, Inc.
Community Development Advocates of Detroit
Black United Fund of Michigan, Inc.
Playworks Education Energized
Urban Alliance Foundation, Inc.
Michigan’s Thanksgiving Parade
BMe Networks
Wayne State University
New Detroit, Inc.
Warren Conner Development Coalition, Inc. DBA Eastside Community Network
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition
Congress of Communities
Atlantic Impact
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Data Driven Detroit, L3C
Metro Solutions, Inc.
Detroit Justice Center
Business Leaders for Michigan Foundation
Inner Explorer, Inc.
Barack Obama Leadership Academy
Autism Alliance of Michigan
Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, Inc.
The Michigan Hispanic Collaborative
Grace in Action Collectives
Brilliant Detroit
Africa-America Institute
Vision to Learn
Wayne County Community College District
Wayne State University
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
New Paradigm for Education
The Michigan Hispanic Collaborative
482Forward
Calebs Kids
SER Metro Detroit-Jobs for Progress, Inc.
Midnight Golf Program
Local Circles
Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program
Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation
College for Creative Studies
Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation
Detroit Public Schools Foundation
Atlantic Impact
Wayne State University
Student Advocacy Center of Michigan, Inc.
Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance, Inc.
Give Merit, Inc.
Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, Inc.
Wellspring
Center for Success Network
Urban Alliance Foundation, Inc.
Grace in Action Collectives
Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
InsideOut Literary Arts Project
The Yunion
Allied Media Projects, Inc.
Michigan’s Children
InsideOut Literary Arts Project
Allied Media Projects, Inc.
City Year, Inc.
Springboard Collaborative
Developing Kingdoms in Different Stages
Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship Academy
Michigan Education Excellence Foundation
Hope Network
Detroit Public Schools Foundation
College for Creative Studies
Brilliant Detroit
Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation
Families Against Narcotics, Inc.
Soar Detroit
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
The Yunion
Center for Success Network
Wayne County Community College District
Metro Solutions, Inc.
Henry Ford Learning Institute
Learn Fresh Education Co.
Wellspring
Detroit Children’s Fund
Detroit Public Schools Community District
Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation
Give Merit, Inc.
Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship Academy
Midnight Golf Program
Black Male Educators Alliance
Eastern Michigan University Foundation
The Institute for College Access and Success, Inc.
The Center for Michigan, Inc.
Council of Michigan Foundations, Inc.
Grand Valley State University
The Philanthropy Roundtable
Peak Grantmaking, Inc.
Independent Sector
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
Grantmakers for Education
The Funders’ Network, Inc.
Association of Black Foundation Executives, Inc.
Michigan Nonprofit Association
SER Metro Detroit-Jobs for Progress, Inc.
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
Council on Foundations, Inc.
CultureSource
Kaleidoscope Pathways, LLC
Chalkbeat, Inc.
Michigan Future, Inc.
Council of Michigan Foundations, Inc.
Public Counsel
CollegeSpring, Inc.
American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute
LaFrance Associates, LLC
Detroit Public Schools Foundation
The Forum for Youth Investment
Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance, Inc.
Detroit Public Schools Foundation
Data Driven Detroit, L3C
Detroit Public Schools Community District
Planned Parenthood of Michigan, Inc.
Detroit Public Schools Foundation
Michigan’s Children
Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation
Detroit Children’s Fund
Wayne-Metropolitan Community Action Agency
Strategic Community Partners
Roeper City and Country School, Inc.
Regents of the University of Michigan
Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency d/b/a Michigan Center for Youth Justice
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc.
Michigan Public Health Institute
Invest Detroit Foundation
Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation
Greenlight Fund Inc.
Michigan League for Public Policy
Excellent Schools Detroit
Education Trust, Inc.
Foundation for Detroit’s Future
Center for Effective Philanthropy
Campaign for Black Male Achievement Inc.
SER Metro Detroit
Council of Michigan Foundations
Urban Justice Center
Regents of the University of Michigan
Council of Michigan Foundations
Michigan Educational Excellence Foundation
Metro Solutions Inc.
Life Remodeled
El Lasso (Michigan Hispanic Collaborative)
Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit
Detroit Crime Commission
Racquet Up Detroit
Forum for Youth Investment
Detroit Horse Power
Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan
Tech Town, as fiduciary for Book Nook
Student Advocacy Center
New Teacher Center
Coalition On Temporary Shelter
Michigan State University
Inner Explorer Inc.
Detroit Achievement Academy Foundation
Business Leaders of Michigan
Community Initiatives
Development Centers, Inc.
International Institute For Restorative Practices
Beyond Basics Community Support
Allied Media
826 Michigan
Brightmoor Alliance, Inc.
Michigan League for Public Policy
International Institute For Restorative Practices
Forgotten Harvest, Inc.
Heart and Warmth Fund
Gleaners Community Food Bank, Inc.
The Forum for Youth Investment
Regents of the University of Michigan / University of Michigan Poverty Solutions Center
Learn Fresh Education Co
Development Centers, Inc. / Developing K.I.D.S
Business Leaders for Michigan / Launch Michigan
Beyond Basics
826Michigan
Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance
Bridging Communities, Inc.
Wayne State University Research and Technology Park in the City of Detroit
The Sphinx Organization, Inc.
Kaboom Inc
StandardsWork Inc
CitizenDetroit
Urban Land Institute
Mercy Education Project
Mary Turner Center for Advocacy
The Michigan Afterschool Association MAA
The Center for Effective Philanthropy
Warren Conner Development Coalition DBA Eastside Community Network
Michigan Association for Evaluation
Art Creates Us Inc D/B/A ProjectArt
Esteem We Inc.
Ecumenical Theological Seminary
Equity Education
Detroit Institute for Children
Detroit Cristo Rey High School
Beyond Basics
Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities
Alkebu-lan Village
Detroit Police Athletic League, Inc.
Wayne State University Research and Technology Park in the City of Detroit
New Paradigm for Education
Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation
Detroit Association of Black Organizations
Focus: HOPE
The Tides Foundation
Uplift, Inc.
The Heat and Warmth Fund
Forgotten Harvest, Inc.
Wayne State University, AMUS
New Venture Fund
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (L.I.S.C.)
Detroit Police Athletic League, Inc.
City of Detroit
Campaign for Black Male Achievement
Johns Hopkins University, Talent Development Secondary
Education Cities
American Promise Schools
Philadelphia Youth Network, Inc.
Operation HOPE
Downtown Detroit Partnership, Inc.
Institute For Research And Reform In Education, Inc.
Collaborations
313Reads!
A citywide initiative that works to ensure that all Detroit children read at grade level by third grade
Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren
A collaborative focused on key priorities to improve the city’s system of schools
Detroit Children’s Fund
A nonprofit organization that makes high-potential investments to ensure Detroit students can get a an excellent education
Learning & Evaluation Reports
Detroit Charter Case Studies Summary 2021
Finding the Fix: Embracing Philanthropy’s Role in Transforming an Urban Education Landscape
Two Reports on School Attendance & Academic Outcomes
Kids Matter Here: An Analytic Review of the 10-year Good Neighborhoods Initiative
The Added Value of Long-Term Investment in Neighborhoods: Two Case Studies from the Skillman Foundation’s Good Neighborhoods Initiative
Neighborhood Impact Statements
A Decade in Review: Conditions in Detroit and the Skillman Good Neighborhoods
Community Leadership Strategy: the Arc of Learning, and Neighborhood Profiles
State of the Detroit Child 2012
Good Neighborhoods, Good Schools and Skillman’s Strategy for Place-Based Change
From Tower to Ground: Systems and Policy Change in the Good Neighborhoods and Good Schools Initiative
State of the Detroit Child 2010
K-12 Education Team

Carmen Kennedy-Rogers
Strategy lead for K-12 Education. Focus areas include educational instruction and school leadership, educator talent and development, and parent engagement

Terry Whitfield
Strategy lead for afterschool, including advisory support to other afterschool efforts. Focus areas include afterschool programming, community organizing, and family supports

Matthew Hoerauf
Supports school climate and culture strategies for the K-12 Education area and leads connections with basic needs providers. Also provides support to the Enabling Communities area.

Ashlee Schmidt
Provides strategic support across the program team and Opportunity Agenda, supporting planning, alignment, measurement, and collaboration across Foundation units