StriveTogether

StriveTogether
Name	StriveTogether
Type	Nonprofit
Founded	2007
Location	Cincinnati, Ohio
Area served	United States
Mission	Collective impact to improve outcomes for children and families

StriveTogether is a US-based nonprofit network that advances community-driven partnerships to improve outcomes for children and families. It grew from civic and philanthropic efforts in Cincinnati and has expanded into a national network of cradle-to-career partnerships. The organization works with local coalitions, school districts, foundations, and public agencies to deploy shared metrics and continuous improvement practices.

History

StriveTogether traces roots to civic initiatives in Cincinnati involving the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, KnowledgeWorks Foundation, and the Cincinnati Public Schools reform movements. Early influences included collective impact frameworks popularized after the Kettering Foundation and philanthropic innovations from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Ford Foundation. The network formalized following collaborations with actors from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, leaders connected to the National Education Association, and local policymakers associated with the Ohio Department of Education. Expansion occurred alongside national efforts such as the Every Student Succeeds Act debates and partnerships with municipal leaders from cities like Cleveland, Kansas City, and Seattle.

Mission and Model

StriveTogether's mission aligns with cradle-to-career movements championed by organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The model emphasizes collaborative impact strategies inspired by scholarship from the Harvard Kennedy School, continuous improvement methods akin to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and collective measurement approaches used by the Children’s Aid Society and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It promotes shared goals among stakeholders including public agencies like the U.S. Department of Education, nonprofit partners such as Communities In Schools, and philanthropic intermediaries like StriveTogether Funders partners and regional United Way chapters.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs reflect multi-sector initiatives similar to national campaigns run by Playworks, Teach For America, and City Year. Initiatives include data-driven improvement practice training, youth and family engagement strategies, and cross-sector alignment efforts that mirror work by Collective Impact Forum participants and networks like Promise Neighborhoods. Specific programmatic emphases resemble early learning investments supported by the Pritzker Children's Initiative, dropout prevention programs associated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and career pathway collaborations like those promoted by the National Governors Association.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The network operates as a hub-and-spoke model with a central staff coordinating with local backbone organizations similar to the governance structures of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grantees and national intermediaries like Community Solutions. Leadership has included executives drawn from nonprofit management circles with ties to institutions such as the Kellogg School of Management, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and civic leadership programs run by the Aspen Institute. Decision-making involves boards and advisory councils that include representatives from entities like the Chamber of Commerce, local school boards, and philanthropic trustees associated with families such as the Rockefeller family and organizations like the United Way Worldwide.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources mirror the philanthropic ecosystem involving the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, and corporate philanthropy from firms similar to Citi Foundation and Bank of America. Partnerships include collaborations with municipal governments such as Cincinnati City Hall, statewide agencies like the Ohio Governor's Office, research partners in higher education including Princeton University and University of Chicago researchers, and national intermediaries like America's Promise Alliance. Programmatic alliances often intersect with national policy organizations such as the Council of Chief State School Officers and advocacy networks like the National PTA.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluation practices draw on methods used by the What Works Clearinghouse, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and research centers at institutions like Stanford University and Columbia University. Impact reporting incorporates shared metrics similar to those used in Results-Based Accountability frameworks and continuous improvement evidence aligned with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Assessments reference outcomes tracked by local partners including districts such as Portland Public Schools, county systems like Multnomah County, and community foundations such as the Cleveland Foundation. External evaluations have been compared to studies produced by the Urban Institute and RAND Corporation.

Category:Nonprofit organizations based in Cincinnati