By ANN RICHARDS
In 2003, Michigan's Office of Foundation Liaison was established through a joint agreement between Michigan foundations and the governor’s office. Karen Aldridge-Eason, hired to direct the new initiative, was charged with identifying innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations that align the priorities of the state's government and foundations. Before accepting the position as the country’s first, cabinet-level foundation liaison, Aldridge-Eason directed Michigan's Office of Health and Human Services at the Department of Management and Budget and served as budget director for the City of Flint. She is currently on loan from the Mott Foundation, where she was a member of the program staff for nine years. In an interview with Communications Officer Ann Richards, Aldridge-Eason shares some of the challenges of establishing the office and some of the rewards of building what is now considered a national model for governmental and philanthropic collaboration.
Mott: The Office of the Foundation Liaison (OFL) was created to foster strategic partnerships between Michigan's philanthropic community and state government. How has that work evolved?
Aldridge-Eason: It's been almost five years since we established the office, and it's amazing how quickly the time has passed. We've gone through several educational waves — first, figuring out how we would approach the work, then, how to explain it to our grantmaking and government clients. In the beginning, it was tough to convince people that we are a nonpolitical entity, particularly since we're housed in the governor's office. But gradually, after a lot of visits and meetings and conversations, we've been able to help state officials understand that the foundation community has a lot more to offer than money. They're beginning to appreciate that there's a tremendous amount of expertise that foundations have developed through decades of grantmaking.
Of course, we're always transitioning, and that forces ongoing exchange. People move in and out of positions, problems change, opportunities pop up. It's a continuous process of education and re-education. Fortunately, we've been able to establish some very strong networks that now include departmental managers as well as appointed officials, nonprofits and smaller foundations. The conversations have shifted and deepened over the years. As we approach year five, we have folks from both government and philanthropy talking with us about systems, strategic partnerships and policy change. And that's exciting to me.
Mott: Could you elaborate on that point?
Aldridge Eason: System reform through policy change is one — I should say the ultimate — goal of the OFL's work. Foundations rightfully want to know what reforms have occurred as a result of their investment in us. Affecting this kind of deep and lasting change is our greatest challenge, in large part because you can't force it. Trust has to be built and silos have to be broken down before genuine conversations can even get started. It's hard work for everyone involved.
Mott: Given these challenges, why is it important — in your opinion — to encourage state governments and foundations to work together?
Aldridge Eason: Government and foundations very often work on the same kinds of issues — and they have similar constituencies, particularly when it comes to vulnerable communities. The magnitude of the problems we face in Michigan — workforce and job development, land use and preservation, education, health — can't be dealt with in isolation. Neither government nor foundations can do it by themselves. It's good business to leverage money and expertise. It makes sense to put our heads together, to discuss mutual problems and find ways to deal with them together.
Mott: Your office has attracted more than $45 million in foundation investments, which has been essential to various state projects. Are there other ways you measure the value of the work carried out through the OFL?
Aldridge-Eason: Absolutely. We measure it in the partnerships we've helped create, the networks that exist. We've now completed three phases of formal evaluation, with the help of Dr. Mary Mc Donald, the director of the Community Research Institute [CRI] at the Dorothy Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Grand Valley State University. She's created measurements to help us define our work through six categories — networking, facilitation, outreach, research, administration and something we call 'prospecting,' which is how we assign time spent uncovering issues, figuring out government and foundation priorities, identifying experts or models.
Mary has helped us compare the amount of time we spend on each activity and with our goals and objectives — it's a kind of continuous 'learning loop' that helps us understand where we can be more efficient. The evaluation also helped us create a database and enhance our contacts, which have proved very valuable in building and strengthening relationships. CRI also conducts regular surveys of both government and foundation partners. So far, there have been strong indications that the OFL has been useful to them and their work. If your constituents and clients value you, I believe that’s the best indicator of your effectiveness.
Mott: What projects are currently a priority for the OFL?
Aldridge-Eason: Supporting an improved economy for Michigan is paramount. To that end, workforce education and development are really gathering strength. In her 2007 State of the State Address, the governor introduced the "No Worker Left Behind" initiative as part of her comprehensive plan to transform the state's economy. Foundations across the state have been discussing how they can support this effort and right now, we're trying to identify gaps along the educational pipeline and where interventions might be most effective in training older workers.
Michigan's incarceration rates are the fourth highest in the country, so prisoner re-entry continues to be an important issue for us. Initially, we focused on early childhood education and land use issues. Foundations pushed hard to establish some type of umbrella agency that would focus on expanding the availability of high-quality early education and child care by leveraging public and private dollars.
In 2005, the state created the Early Childhood Investment Corporation for that purpose, and appointed two foundation representatives to the board. We plan to reconvene the early childhood group to figure out how foundations can continue to be helpful with this effort. Over the final three years of her term, the governor has indicated she wants an urban agenda, and land use may re-emerge as a key area for our work. Certainly there will be opportunities to stimulate some new ideas by exposing officials to urban initiatives and experts that Michigan's foundation community have identified and worked with.
Mott: What advice would you give to other states who are considering the establishment of a foundation liaison office?
Aldridge-Eason: I've had the opportunity to work with a couple of states interested in the Michigan model, including New Jersey, Louisiana, Wisconsin and a regional group in the Pacific Northwest. I always emphasize that patience and persistence are essential; you are building a network of relationships. Trust takes time to develop. If a state or municipality is going to set aside resources to do this, they need to recognize it is a slow process, dependent upon the liaison's ability to overcome resistance from two sectors that are often used to leading. Nothing significant is going to happen quickly. Our first 'victory' was a $25,000 grant to create the infrastructure for early childhood advocacy.
Staffing is very important — I've been fortunate that our program associate, Maura (Dewan), has a strong background with both state and nonprofit agencies. It's worth taking the time to hire staff that can complement each other's strengths. Being selective about what you work on is very important — some state agencies and foundations aren't ready to be involved at the onset. Go for the low-hanging fruit when you first start up. Of course, even as you work to narrow your focus, you've got to be flexible — this work is fluid. The government's agenda will change, as will philanthropy's.
As I mentioned before, neutrality is key to working effectively. I can't emphasize how important it is to use private funding to support liaison activities. Letting government fund the office would significantly change its role. Having the support of an advisory committee — and in our case, the Council of Michigan Foundations — is critical in terms of keeping the work unbiased and neutral. Our advisory committee has been a great sounding board for me, and they're willing to provide some muscle when we need it. Finally, I believe respecting and honoring what government and philanthropy want to do is incredibly important, which means that you have to listen carefully and closely to what they say and then figure out what steps to take in helping them understand each other's perspective and develop effective partnerships.