Although striving for similar goals, Tutor/Mentor programs differ in many ways from one another. There are many Tutor/Mentor programs that are fortunate enough to receive significant corporate funding, such as the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago. This program has over twenty-five corporate donors that annually fund the many different missions of the Boys and Girls Club. Along with corporate funding, they receive national media attention through companies such as the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Professional sports teams in Chicago such as the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox hold events for the kids on an annual basis. This not only gives the program more attention, but puts the athletes in role model stature for the kids as well.
On the contrary, Tutor/Mentor programs such as Asian Youth Services located in Uptown are less fortunate. With no corporate donors, Asian Youth Services relies 100% on individual donations. However, solely depending on individual donations is not enough to keep such a fantastic program in business with a struggling economy. These programs hope to receive any usable technology that big corporations or individual donors have to offer. Unlike the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Asian Youth Services is limited to a one room children’s center. Problems do not consist of finding a time for a national commercial, but rather gathering enough funds to maintain their one room living space.
It is evident that the Boys and Girls Club has a multitude of resources at their disposal. This allows for a more flexible, and ultimately successful learning environment for the children attending their programs. These corporate donations allow for public media attention, which establishes the program as both successful and opportunistic. Programs like Asian Youth Services do not have the same access to funding via media attention. Thus, word of mouth becomes essential to their future growth. Hopefully as the economy returns to its former standing, a balance can be restored to the opportunities for the funding for all programs, no matter how big or how small.
This is a good observation. Some programs have many people helping them find dollars. Some have nationally recognized names and donors. Others operate in relative obscurity, and struggle to find needed dollars.
Can you write about how the maps on the Tutor/Mentor Program Locator might help donors or volunteers find programs in different neighborhoods?
Can you think of ways that your blogs might be read by alumni of DePaul who could be motivated by your writing to become regular donors at lesser known tutor/mentor programs?
Although I do not live in your part of the country, I am aware of corporations that fund the Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide. I am a private tutor, and the economy has affected many of clients. However, as a former grant writer, I firmly believe that there are organizations that will help to expand the funding to the Asian Youth Services.
Meryl, you’re right, as long as Asian Youth Services, or other small non profits, have funds to have effective grant researchers/writers on staff. Many do not.
Thus, what the Tutor/Mentor Connection is trying to do is enlist third-party intermediaries who use their own talent and communications to connect donors with non profits. This group at DePaul is an example of how that might happen.
This pdf essay illustrates this goal: http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/images/PDF/Connecting%20those%20who%20need%20help.pdf