Adequate Resources

The seven partnerships can be divided into two funding types, those that are generally self-supporting with augmentation from foundations and grants, and those that are dependent on grant funding for their basic operations.

The newest partnership, Shasta, was funded through a four-year Academic Improvement and Achievement Act (AIAA) grant, which was successfully developed with the support of a planning grant. The annual award is $330,000 with a mandated 100% match by the partner institutions, a requirement that the funding agency hopes will foster institutionalization of the programs after the funding ends. The partnership has garnered several other related grants, but is concerned about how to sustain the partnership and its activities at the same level once the funds end. The grant coordinator is an employee of the Shasta Union High School District so this could provide continuity, but given the California budget crisis, the partnership realizes challenges lie ahead.

The City Heights community revitalization partnership enjoys a rich funding stream via Price Charities, which has provided $18 million dollars for research and development over six years. This joint venture has attracted many other sources of funding and in-kind contributions from the university and the school district. This budget is the envy of many education partnerships. Because of the breadth of the scope of reform (housing, healthcare, economic stimulation, business development), federal and state funds have also been acquired. As a pilot project for the education component, the university has taken over operation of the three schools, provides the chief academic leader for the schools and a community education center building in which psychological services, and teacher and parent education are available.

Kern County's current focus on increasing the availability of qualified teachers is funded by the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning (CFTL) with support from the James Irvine and Stuart Foundations. Kern was selected by the CFTL because of its past collaborations, informally referred to as the Group of Six. The group of superintendents, the Community College District Chancellor and the CSU President has met routinely for two decades around emerging common needs. The emeriti chancellor of the Kern County Community College District is the project coordinator and the university and school districts provide in-kind services and support.

Four of the Alliance partnerships have sustained their partnerships primarily through self-support. University of Santa Cruz Education Partnership Center (EPC) is funded by UC Santa Cruz with $3 million in permanent funds. It has a full time director and an ample staff. The Center has garnered significant additional resources through a variety of grants (i.e., National Science Foundation (NSF), Academic Improvement and Achievement Awards (AIAA), California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP), Gear-Up) to support activities that promote the accomplishment of the Center's goals associated with college readiness and access to college for low-income and non-traditional students. In 2001-2002, the total funds from all sources totaled $7.6 million. With significant reductions in outreach funding within the UC system, the Center is repositioning to apply for more external funding.

The San Diego North County Federation has established a general funding plan. The San Diego County Office of Education serves as the fiscal agent and contributes $28,888 per year, as does the College of Education at CSU San Marcos. Each school district member contributes $.90 per pupil. These combined contributions provided $227,522 to the general fund in 2001-2002. The Federation utilizes this vast partnership of 27 school districts, the county office and the university to leverage grant funds to support professional development goals. In 2001-2002, grant funds totaled $3 million. The full time director and a professional development center are funded through the general fund. The University provides office space for the director. Although the partnership welcomes funding grants, it relies on the general fund for all its basic expenditures.

Long Beach and Santa Ana, both comprehensive partnerships have supported their collaborative work from the partnering institutions. They have also sought and acquired significant external funds. The partnering relationship is attractive to funders who view collaboration as an effective strategy for education reform.

Long Beach has a director who is co-funded by the three education institutions and is housed and provided clerical support by the school district. All three institutions also contribute the time of key leaders within their organizations who lead and oversee partnership activities as a part of their position portfolios. Additional funding has come from the Knight and McConnell Clark Foundations, The National Faculty, NSF, Gear-Up, CAPP, CAPI, Boeing, and the California Community College System, to mention a few. This partnership was launched without any external support and continued to operate on self-support during its early years. Now its work has been institutionalized as key leaders have assumed responsibility for its success through their daily work.

The Santa Ana Education Partnership has adopted the model of identifying a key administrative leader within each institution whose job it is to guide and oversee partnership activities. This stewardship is the contribution of each of the education organizations. Other funds have flowed into the Santa Ana community from four national and three local foundations as well as area businesses, and state and regional agencies. The partnership institutions have provided dollar for dollar matching funds for many of their grants and awards. The UC system has been a major contributor of outreach funds to support the college readiness and access work of the partnership. The community college's vice president for student services is the designated facilitator for the partnership board. Like Long Beach, the Santa Ana partnership is mature and has effectively institutionalized its partnering activities.