Promise Neighborhoods

Background

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education awarded planning grants to up to 20 cities to transform lives and neighborhoods for young people.  Based in large part on the effective model of the Harlem Children's Zone, the selected "Promise Neighborhoods" offer children and families a "cradle to college pipeline" of support while strengthening community bonds.  Harlem Children's Zone states that its goal is "to create a tipping point in the neighborhoods so that children are surrounded by an enriching environment of college-oriented peers and supportive adults." 

Richmond's Promise

Inspired by this vision, a Richmond coalition of community leaders in the nonprofit, public and private sectors began working together in April 2009.  Our short term goal was to position Richmond's East End to compete successfully for these education dollars.  Our long term goal is to end generational poverty, improve children's achievement in school and provide young people and their parents with opportunities associated with neighborhoods with greater resources.  The initiative is called Richmond's Promise Neighborhood: The East End Achievement Zone.

While Richmond was not selected as a final grant recipient, community leaders and local nonprofits have committed to carry out the vision.  The Community Foundation recently awarded $90,000 to Communities in Schools of Richmond providing local resources to support ongoing planning efforts.

Richmond's Promise will open up the future for hundreds of young people and their families living in the East End.  Currently, there are residents, civic, educational and public and private sector organizations working to improve these young persons' chances of success - from helping kids be healthy upon entering kindergarten to supporting students to graduate and enter college.  Aligning and coordinating the most effective of these programs within one city neighborhood will create new efficiencies and increase their collective impact.  Building a new "pipeline" of support will help ensure that young people will succeed at every stage of development.

Public/Private Leadership

Leaders from the following organizations have devoted their resources of time, expertise and/or funding to support the planning process for Richmond's Promise Neighborhood:

  • Better Housing Coalition
  • Bon Secours Richmond Health System
  • City of Richmond
  • Communities in Schools of Richmond
  • The Community Foundation
  • East End Partnership with Families
  • Jackson Foundation
  • LISC
  • Mary Morton Parsons Foundation
  • Partnership for Families Northside
  • Peter Paul Development Center
  • Richmond Memorial Health Foundation
  • Richmond Public Schools
  • Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority
  • Robins Foundation
  • United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • VCU Health Systems
  • YMCA of Greater Richmond