Partners Gather for First Community Learning Fund Convening

Partners & Friends,

 

This month we kicked off the Graduate Tacoma Community Learning Fund with our first convening at the Evergreen State College in Tacoma. Staff members from all 38 funded organizations came together for a full day of deep conversation and brainstorming on how we can further shift systems in favor of kids and families.

 

Thank you to everyone who attended for your willingness to trust in the process and learn with us!

 

This group, who we are calling the Graduate Tacoma Community Learning Cohort, received flexible funding at the start of this year to increase their organizations’ capacity and capability and strengthen their ability to engage in collective action. As part of the Cohort, they will also participate in complimentary shared learning over the course of the year

 

At this month’s kickoff convening, the group reflected on several hypotheses of how deeper investment could move their organizations closer to changing systems and building an environment for longterm student success. As you can imagine, it was a lively conversation! We are excited for more to come.

 

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In the meantime, Cohort members will convene again this Spring as smaller subgroups representing each investment area: Community Partner Capacity & Capability; Data Capacity & Capability; and Postsecondary Access & Completion. They will work with the Foundation staff, consultants and intermediary organizations to identify ways in which we can test and examine our assumptions.

 

There is still much to be uncovered, and while it is complicated work, we aim to pilot targeted training for all Graduate Tacoma partners based on findings from the Cohort’s efforts.