Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation

The Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation is the international, nonprofit continuation of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (the Kerner Commission, after the big city riots of the 1960s) and the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence (the National Violence Commission, after the assassinations of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert Kennedy). They identify, fund, evaluate, build the capacities of, and replicate multiple solution ventures for, the inner city, the disadvantaged, children, youth, and families. This project grant will support the Fiftieth anniversary update of the Kerner Commission titled "Healing Our Divided Society".

The Quantum Opportunities Program aims to improve academic success, high school graduation, and college acceptance among high risk inner city African-American and Latino youth. Launched in five pilot sites in 2009, with funding from the Department of Justice, Quantum’s interventions include individual and group mentoring, tutoring and homework assistance, life skills training, college preparation, youth leadership training, and modest stipends for participation. Following pilot program completion, 43 percent of Quantum participants enrolled in college, versus 19.5 percent of the control group—resulting in Quantum’s designation as a national model by the Department of Justice, Child Trends, and the National Mentoring Resource Center. This grant will support replication and further assessment of Quantum’s program in four to six additional geographies, each working with 30 at-risk minority youth throughout all four years of high school.