Smart Communities

What Would Tim and Ned Have Said?

My husband, Ned, died nine months ago; the  Meet the Press commentator Tim Russert died this past summer. I depended on both of them to bring me new insights and challenge my thinking on the political situation. Ned was a C-Span and politico junkie. He watched, he analyzed, and sometimes he fumed. Russert was a tough but fair interviewer. He kept the weasel-out factor to a minimum. So I need them both to tell me what they think about politicians at this stage of the game? I think both of them would be crying foul for the debacle in Washington. I know it is unthinkable that we would use taxpayers money to bail out a failed policy and more than a few failed people, but as Jim Collins would say "we have got to fact the brutal facts." We are in trouble. Amidst all this, where are the statesman? Speaker Pelosi failed that test by crossing the partisanship line. The Republican leadership blamed their lack of votes on her speech. Give me a break. The Republicans and Democrats alike had way too much running for cover to avoid the political fallout of the vote. So Ned and Tim, where are the statesmen and women? I am sure they are there but I hope they will raise their hands. We should have never gotten to this place but now that we are here, will somebody please just step up? We don't need another Superman episode but rather somebody to say here's what really happened, here is what we think will get us out of it, and here is how we will avoid this disaster in the future. I think those are exactly the kinds of things that Tim Russert would be drilling each candidate and vice president with day after day and that Ned would be saying to me over coffee this morning. Wish they were both here to tell us what they think.

Shrinking Cities Can Be a Good Thing

We are hearing more and more about housing foreclosures with the current economic crisis. These abandoned homes are joining a fair number already there. In fact as one mayor told me recently, whole neighborhoods stand vacant in some places. The current situation did not cause all of this of course. In places hard-hit by economic turn-downs, vacant houses and lots in between are a pretty common site. So what to do? Some cities are buying up as many foreclosed homes as they can and retrofitting them for affordable housing units. In some ways this strategy solves two problems at once: getting more occupied housing and getting more affordable housing. With the changes that have occurred financially and demographically, some cities are taking very bold moves. One is the shrinking cities movement where in places like Youngstown, OH, leaders are thinking about the future in smaller terms. Since 1970 Youngstown has lost about half of it population due to the collapse of the steel industry there. It has not come back in 38 years so they are taking a more strategic view. How can we make our city successful with the 82,000 people we have here? And it seems to be working. Miriam Axel-Lute has written a wonderful piece about the movement and Youngstown in particular that is well worth reading. The take-away for me is that cities ultimately will play the hand their dealt and configure their futures on realities. Whether that is decline or growth dealing with reality sooner not later is the way to go. 

The Power of Thinking

An op-ed in yesterday's New York Times by Barbara Ehrenreich (author of many books including Nickel and Dimed) entitled "The Power of Negative Thinking" chastised all of us for being lulled into thinking that things were okay all around. She put the blame on positive thinking books, TV preachers, and our "happy face" attitude. While I guess I agree with her in principle--we need to be more discerning--I really don't think negative thinking is the answer. I suggest that the answer to at least some of our woes is actually just thinking. 

If we had just thought about the fact that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would not be quick or cheap, then we would have figured out pretty quickly that the costs in human and financial terms were going to be huge and maybe not worth it. If we had just thought about the fact that credit is a business not a service and that it was not going to stay available and cheap forever, then we might have regulated the financial markets. If we would have thought about, acted on, and funded our public education crisis twenty-five years, then we might have the workforce we need for the 21st century already. You get the drift. As Americans we try things. We are undaunted by odds. We don't need to lose our creativity and our entrepreneurial nature because we are too skeptical or negative. No, we just need to think and revive that almost forgotten capacity of common sense. 

Banking on Food

With the financial crisis on everyone's mind, the invariable question is how does it affect Main Street? In many ways but one of the most visible is the increased demand on local food banks and food pantries. This article from Northeast Mississippi tells the tale that we are hearing from across the country. There are several problems that have caused this dire situation. First is the increased demand. In some places that are twice as many families requesting food than a year ago. Second, donations are down. And third, government sources of surplus and bulk food have raised their prices considerably. Instead of a surplus of a month or so, some food banks can't meet the immediate need. So what to do? Be in touch with your local food bank about the situation where you live. If you are a member of a congregation that supplies food or serves food, call someone today about supplies. And third, check with your local grocery stores to determine which ones are collection points for donations. This is a serious problem that only promises to get worse. As we enter the colder months, fresh vegetables will be hard to get. Remember people get hungary every day not just on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Getting Kids Turned On to Manufacturing

I have reported over the last few days that too many of our children are behind from the get-go. While science and math scores fluctuate, we can safely say that as nation we are falling behind worldwide. Having said that, we would likely agree that we are a nation of entrepreneurs and innovators. From the automobile to the Ipod, we have lead the way on breakthrough inventions over the years. One of our most prolific inventors, Charles Kettering, was once asked the difference between inventors and the rest of us. He replied, "inventors think about where they are going, most of us think about where we have been."

Well I would argue a bit with Boss Kettering in this way. Sometimes the past can ignite the future. One way that I think we might make that happen is to get more of our students into manufacturing facilities to see all the cool (or sweet) things that happen behind those big walls. How Harley-Davidsons are manufactured, how BMWs are assembled in Greenville, NC, or how crayons are made in Easton, PA. These are not just dirty shop floors but an eye to the latest technology and a glimpse into the past. Look around you. Is there a chemical plant, a manufacturing facility, or an assembly plant in your community that would be interesting to students. We know we need more windows into the world of work for students who are not college-bound. This is a great way to connect to the community and have a quick job seminar. Here is a wonderful resource on factory tours to get you started. Also these tours can be a boon to tourism.

Ready for College--How are we doing?

Yesterday we talked about the challenge of getting middle schoolers ready for Algebra. Unfortunately that is only the tip of the iceberg. As USA Today reports, one-third of high school graduates require remedial studies once they get to college. Now calculate what I just said. If we are losing one-third to high school dropouts and another one-third of those that actually graduate and go to college can't do entering freshman work, then how many people in the country are we preparing for next generation jobs? Sounds like a riddle doesn't it? The bottom line is this: we have got to get serious about education. I deliberately said education not the schools. The schools are definitely part of the process but we cannot rely on them to fix everything. As I told my audience last week in Paris, TX, the high school dropout rate is the community issue that came to school. As communities we have got to "invent" new ways to teach, learn, and prepare our students to compete globally...and locally. That is the rub for me. While we talk in grandiose terms about the global economy, many of our students can't even compete for highly technical jobs that are available locally. Look at what Illinois projects for the coming years in just those kind of jobs. Enough talk already. It is time for us to be realistic, face the facts that our children are unprepared for jobs and college, and get the lead out to do something. How much more evidence do we need?

Early Math Matters

As I make speeches and give seminars around the country I always take a look at the third grade reading and math scores of the community I am visiting. These are telltale signs of success later on. I believe these early scores are predictors of such things as high school completion rates and workforce readiness and it appears I am not alone. In today's Washington Post there are several articles you need to read. The first refers to the need to get young children--third graders--ready for Algebra by insuring that they know the basics like fractions. Many it appears do not. The other startling article by Jay Matthews discusses how the big push to get children into Algebra in the eighth grade has resulted in many failures. A new report out from the Brookings Institution details the situation. What do these articles say in toto? We are not doing a good job in preparing the workforce of the 21st century with the basic math skills they will need to master higher math and we aren't very realistic about it. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel has outlined what is needed by grade to be successful in Algebra. This is the blueprint we need.

I will say to you what I say to audiences: if a child can't do math in the third grade what makes us think that he/she will be able to do it in the fourth grade without significant intervention and help. The answer is obvious--these students will continue to struggle. What is the answer? A communitywide effort to improve reading and math at the lower levels through mentoring, after-school programs, and summer work is the only answer it seems to me. These are not issues that can be solved in the classroom alone.

LeadershipPlenty Registration Closing Soon

I am looking forward to seeing a number of you in Roanoke in November for the LeadershipPlenty training. We offer open enrollment trainings once a year in partnership with Virginia Tech. The only vehicle to become a licensed trainer is to attend a train-the-trainer session sponsored by the Pew Partnership. 

Hope you will join us November 17-19. LeadershipPlenty is recognized as one of the premier community leadership programs in the country. We hope you will consider bringing it to your community.

Nonprofit Guide to the Economy

I am not an economist but I know that it is not business as usual with the economy. I guess we all know that. These are definitely scary times. We don't know whether to spend or not. Are our savings really safe despite the $500 bailout? While I don't think we should buy things we can't afford or take on enormous debt, we must keep moving forward. Here is an excellent article from the New York Times about our risk exposure and how we might manage it.  

I was asked to speak to some nonprofits in North Carolina a few years ago (when things were not so good then) about resource development. I titled my remarks, "How to Keep the Lights On...When People Want to Turn them Off." The gist of the speech was this: you must do well when the market is down. Yes it is harder to raise money and things cost more but you can't give up. Here are a few things that I suggested then that hold true today. First, make your case about why what you do is important loud and clear. People are looking for answers and solutions. Tell them why your organization has both. Second, craft a message for your organization and what you do that your mother can understand and repeat to her friends. Third, keep moving with staff development. If you can't afford to send your staff to a conference, convene a brown bag lunch in town with other nonprofit staff to discuss a cross-cutting issue. There are many local resources to tap such as college professors and other nonprofit leaders. Fourth, don't give up on big ideas. Keep thinking about what you want to do and where you want to go. Fifth, be clear about what you are best at doing. Get rid of the add-ons or the extra tasks. Pare down to build up stronger. If your interested in the details of the whole speech I will try to find and post here. I know that these things work.

In addition to the above, this article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review gives some pointers on how nonprofits can better position themselves with funders.

Will post later today

Am traveling today so will post late tonight. Enjoy your weekend.