Annual Report 2004 - Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

closed,” Frieling said. “They’re helping us
raise our credibility among officials and
bringing the discussion about afterschool to
a stage that we would have a hard time
achieving on our own.”
Creating and nurturing afterschoolfocused
partnerships at all levels is a priority
for ATAC members, including the National
Governors Association’s Center for Best
Practices. The center, located in Washington,
D.C., helps governors and key policy staff
develop and implement policy solutions to a
range of issues facing states, such as the need
for quality afterschool programs that support
student success in school and in life.
Elisabeth Wright, a senior policy analyst
in the center’s Education Division, says one of
the biggest challenges facing the statewide
networks is building and maintaining strong
relationships that bridge multiple viewpoints.
ATAC’s efforts to help the networks achieve
consensus across diverse systems and interests
require creativity and finesse, she says.
“It also takes continuous trust-building,
negotiation and communication; the
relationship maintenance never stops. But
the potential for creating good policies that
support afterschool programs — within the
context of state priorities and circumstances
— is well worth the effort.”
Janelle Cousino, vice president at
FowlerHoffman LLC, a public policyfocused
communications consulting firm
located in Washington, D.C., says nurturing
effective partnerships among ATAC
members is also a priority.
Cousino is a consultant to the
Afterschool Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-
based organization launched in 1999 with
Mott support, which seeks to raise public
awareness and support for afterschool
programs and develop the capacity of
grassroots afterschool initiatives.
Cousino says working with the statewide
networks on such a broad range of issues
requires that ATAC members also support
one another, remain open to new viewpoints
and strategies, and stay committed to the
networks’ success.
“Among state networks, across state
lines, learning from the experience of others
requires an understanding of different needs
and perspectives,” she said. “In the same
vein, ATAC offers a supportive environment
in which every member feels accepted and
every idea bears consideration.”
The ripple affect of that approach is felt
among the statewide networks, which find
their own dedication and belief in the
importance of quality afterschool programs
mirrored in the work of ATAC members.
“I’ve been so impressed by the fact that,
whatever issue or concern we have, they’re
available to help,” Frieling said. “It’s that
type of support that will bring afterschool to
all children in need.”
Quality afterschool
programs support
academic
enrichment and
lifelong learning.
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
55