Child pover­ty in the U.S. has surged, near­ly tripling from 5% in 2021 to 13% in 2024. This dra­mat­ic increase fol­lows the expi­ra­tion of pan­dem­ic-era eco­nom­ic poli­cies and ris­ing prices that have strained fam­i­ly bud­gets nation­wide. How­ev­er, a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foun­da­tion under­scores the pro­found impact of pub­lic poli­cies and pro­grams, demon­strat­ing their capac­i­ty to cut child pover­ty in half.

The Morehead-Cain Scholarship at UNC at Chapel Hill has a Civic Collaboration Summer for rising sophomores, and five scholars were assigned to work with Maryland Philanthropy Network and the Middendorf Foundation. This study looks to explore both the permit and grant processes from the perspectives of nonprofit organizations, foundations, and the Baltimore City Government. By interviewing various stakeholders, the scholars gained insight and understood just how complex these processes were. All sides provided their experiences, which led the scholars to develop key takeaways and recommendations to create a more efficient system.

The Declaration of Independence, written 245 years ago, inspired a revolution that helped birth a nation. The power of the Declaration’s “self-evident” truths also inspired global movements for human rights and democracy that remain powerful today, by declaring that all “are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” As we emerge from a tumultuous year—of pandemic, racial strife, and party polarization—it is worth returning to these fundamental truths, and to reflect on how they might help us heal and rebuild our incredibly diverse nation. This 4th of July weekend, a group of funders, thinkers, creators, and community leaders are launching the New Declaration campaign, which invites every community to join in reflection and creative expression. Our goal is to strengthen the foundations of our nation in advance of the Declaration’s 250th anniversary in 2026.