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60 Years of Service to Children 6 FOUNDING HISTORY Rose & Robert Skillman, both born in Ohio, married in Cincinnati in 1907.

Rose’s father was a cattle rancher, and After Robert’s death, Rose Skillman Robert’s family’s business was the continued to live in Bloomfield Hills and Cleveland Vanish Company, though Florida for nearly 40 more years until her respiratory problems forced him to give death in 1983.

In addition to her love of up a family career.


Robert became one animals–particularly horses and dogs– of the early pioneers in the growth of the and her appreciation of the arts, Rose Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Skillman’s commitment to the welfare of Company (now known as 3M), alongside vulnerable children continued to grow.

William L. McKnight and Archibald Bush, whose legacies are also carried forward through philanthropic institutions in their names.
Robert served as 3M’s sales representative for the eastern half of the country, spurred the invention of waterproof sandpaper—critical to healthy work conditions in automotive plants, developed 3M’s foreign sales in England and Europe, and became the company’s vice president and director.

After a long career at 3M, Robert retired and moved with Rose to Bloomfield Hills, MI, and Winter Park, FL.
In Bloomfield Hills, the Skillman's purchased Fairfield Farms, which they transformed into a replica of a white-fenced Kentucky farm, complete with a stable of champion horses.

In 1939, Robert Skillman returned to 3M to negotiate the purchase of the Studebaker plant on Piquette Street in the Milwaukee Junction area of Detroit’s Central North End neighborhood.

He also coordinated the project that would transform the facility into an adhesive plant.
He worked for this company as an executive consultant until his death in 1945.

Initially, she made charitable contributions to organizations that served children.

Subsequently, she worked with her attorney and accountant to incorporate The Skillman Foundation in December 1960.

She served as president until she was named honorary chair in 1964.

She remained a trustee of the Foundation until she passed away.

When Rose Skillman died in 1983, the assets of the Foundation totaled $100 million.
Since then, the assets have grown and now total nearly $500 million.

The Foundation’s annual grantmaking budget is approximately $18 million.

The Skillman Foundation staff and trustees are committed to honoring Rose Skillman’s legacy, and to use our grantmaking funds and civic leadership to be a fierce champion of Detroit children.

As of December 2019, The Skillman Foundation had made 12,082 grants totaling $652,598,718.
7 1960 The Skillman Foundation is established From our establishment in 1960 and facilities rank second, with to 1984, the Foundation received substantial investments made in semi-annual contributions from Rose medical research and health care Skillman to be used for charitable facilities and equipment.

Other grant purposes.

Grants made during this areas were recreational services period primarily supported protective (examples include the Detroit and services and counseling for youth.
Pontiac Boys and Girls Club and Examples of grants made were to the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit); support the Children’s Charter of higher education for economically the Courts of Michigan, Common disadvantaged or students of Ground, Juvenile Court for the color (examples include the United County of Oakland, and the National Negro College Fund); neighborhood Committee for the Prevention of Child development; arts and culture; and Abuse.

Grants for health services juvenile justice and crime prevention.
1984 Transitioned from “pass-through” foundation to fully funded private foundation Upon Rose’s death in 1983, the Foundation began reorganizing.

By 1984, the bulk of our assets were received through the sale of more than 2 million shares of 3M stock, staff was hired, and trustees established formal grantmaking areas.

“The best part was achieving a consensus among the board and the staff as to what we ought to do and why we ought to do it.
We had this opportunity to do some good for Detroit.” WILLIAM BRODHEAD Foundation Trustee, 1983-2010 8 1985 Tuition initiatives for gifted students 1985-2016 In 1985, The Skillman Foundation launched the Skillman Scholars program to provide scholarships for academically gifted, but economically disadvantaged, students to attend five of the prestigious, private preparatory high schools in the Detroit area to set them on a path toward successful careers and leadership.
Scholars have gone on to become doctors, nonprofit leaders, lawyers, and acclaimed artists.

Sydney James Harcourt, an original cast member of the Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton,” was awarded a full- tuition Skillman scholarship to attend Interlochen Arts Academy as a young man.

“I had camped across the street when I was a kid, and it seemed like Hogwarts, like magical, and it changed my life completely,” he stated in a 2020 Detroit News article.
“That opportunity was available to me and the scholarship came from The Skillman Foundation.” In 2001, under the Skillman College Scholarship Program, the Foundation began providing additional grants to Skillman Scholars to support their postsecondary pursuits.

In 2011, tuition grants shifted to the Skillman Promising Youth Legacy Awards.

Grants of up to $10,000 supported promising Detroit graduates and youth leaders to attend the nation’s leading universities.
In its first year, coinciding with the Foundation’s 50th anniversary, this program supported 50 students.

In preceding years, approximately 10 annual awards were granted.
9 1991 Grants shift from alleviating symptoms to influencing systems change K-12 education becomes a primary strategic focus Evaluation and institutional learning become core practices To support the use of data-informed decision making as a core practice for the Foundation and its grant partners, and to help inform policymakers and the community at-large, the Foundation makes significant investments in data infrastructure and accessibility.
Key investments include: 1991: Steady annual funding for the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Book begins; continued to present day 1994: Supported the establishment of the Michigan Association for Evaluation 2008: Researched data models across the country and, in partnership with the Kresge Foundation, established Data Driven Detroit (D3) 2010: Commissioned D3 to create the State of the Detroit Child report, with ongoing support to continually update it over the years.
In 2018, an online version was launched, accessible from The Skillman Foundation and D3 websites.

1992 Michigan’s Children established The Foundation launched, and continues to support, Michigan’s Children, a statewide independent advocacy group that works to ensure public policies are made in the best interest of children.

This investment is an example of the Foundation’s recognition that meaningful and lasting community- and city-level change requires strong state policy.
10 1992 The Skillman Center for Children & Families at Wayne State University established & endowed 1992-1996 Now called the Merrill Palmer development and serves as a Skillman Institute Early Childhood demonstration, observation, and Center, this nonprofit organization practicum site for university serves children ages 2½ -5 of students in pediatrics, physical Wayne State University students, therapy, nutrition, and education.
faculty, and staff, as well as families The Foundation’s endowment of in the greater metro Detroit area.

the Center is an example of our The Center is nationally respected past investments in early childhood for its research and work in child development.

Juvenile Justice Initiative The Foundation has made investments in juvenile justice since its founding.
The Juvenile Justice Initiative is an example of our longstanding efforts to replace punitive punishment with practices that help young people work through problems and expand their potential.

Youth Sports & Recreation Initiative 1992-2006 The Foundation’s Youth Sports and renamed the Youth Development Recreation Initiative was our first large- Commission) in 1995.

This was scale investment in afterschool/youth a public-private partnership that development.
The goal was to create a included the City of Detroit, state high-quality afterschool system, with leaders, and business leaders.

It an emphasis on reaching youth living in was Detroit’s first citywide nonprofit areas with limited services within Detroit, organization devoted to increasing the Highland Park, and Hamtramck; and to number and the quality of afterschool advocate for recreation as an essential programs serving Detroit youth.

public service.
public service.

Grant and changemaking efforts within this initiative also included investments in youth employment.

Supporting quality, equitable access, and increased investment in the afterschool system have carried As part of the initiative, the Foundation through our work over the decades.
established the Youth Sports and Recreation Commission (subsequently 11 Michigan’s Children established 1993 Comer Schools and Families Initiative 1993-1997 The Foundation identified and “The purpose was to empower schools supported a wholistic school and to encourage parental participation improvement model—the Comer and engagement.
Comer was a big School Development Program—and step in that direction.” STEPHEN EWING Foundation Trustee, 1995-2014 provided $18 million in investment to Detroit elementary schools.

The Comer Schools and Families Initiative was one of Detroit’s first comprehensive school reform models.
It worked to increase student performance on statewide assessments by targeting three areas for improvement: instruction and student-teacher relationships; parent and community involvement in schools; and local school governance and the relationship between schools and district administration.

A cross-section of partners was involved, including the teachers’ union, school administrators, parents, the board of education, Eastern Michigan University, and the Yale Child Study Center.
Data showed fourth-grade reading and math scores of Comer School students outpaced those at schools that did not receive Comer supports.

1994 Parenting Matters Initiative Parenting Matters is an early example of the Foundation’s efforts to support parents, caregivers, and community members to be strong child guardians and advocates.
It supported efforts such as the creation of a parent helpline, an educational curriculum used broadly by Detroit schools and nonprofits, a mini-grant program to fund parent education programs through churches and small groups, and professional development for paraprofessionals who support caregivers.
12 1996 Youth employment initiatives 1996-CURRENT The Skillman Foundation’s significant investments in youth employment include: 1996: Creation of Work Alternatives for Youth, an employment and job training program for young Detroiters 2009: Establishment of the Detroit Youth Employment Consortium, a cross-sector group of private-sector employers, nonprofit and for-profit youth employment experts, funders, and public officials working together to expand youth employment in the city 2012: Establishment of Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, in partnership with the Detroit Youth reaching annual summer program Employment Consortium, City that provides youth with real-world, Connect, and City of Detroit.
Each paid employment experiences.

In organization brought its collective 2019, GDYT engaged more than efforts to the table to create a wide- 8,000 youth 1998 Mission narrows to serve Detroit children Between 1994-1998, the Foundation’s grantmaking became increasingly focused on serving Detroit youth, in line with Rose Skillman’s desire to reach children with greatest needs.

By 1998, 80% of grants were being directed to serve Detroit kids.
The board voted in 1998 to officially focus the Foundation’s mission accordingly.

13 2000 Skillman Branch of the Detroit Public Library The Skillman Foundation donated $5 million to renovate, restore, and reopen the Downtown Branch of the Detroit Public Library.

Upon its reopening in December of 2000, it was renamed the Robert and Rose Skillman Branch.
The donation was the largest ever made to DPL in its 138-year history, made by the Foundation in honor of Detroit’s 300th anniversary (celebrated in 2001).

2001 A Call to Service 2001-2006 A Call to Service was a 5-year, $5-million initiative to support neighborhood churches to provide enrichment activities for children.

Participating churches partnered with five or more other houses of worship, community organizations, or schools to provide continuous care for children in their program.
The initiative increased collaboration between churches and established quality afterschool programs for nearly 1,500 Detroit kids.

2003 Culture and Arts Youth Development Initiative The Culture and Arts Youth Development Initiative provided children access to art programs led by professional artists and promoted ways in which the arts could be used to support youth development.

The initiative was not the Foundation’s first engagement in the arts.
Prior to 2003 we had awarded over $15.5 million to arts and culture organizations.

We continue to support art programming to help youth explore their talents and express their thoughts and emotions.

14 2003 Michigan’s Office of Foundation Liaison established Alongside other Michigan foundations, The Skillman Foundation helped launch the Governor's Office of Foundation Liaison.
The OFL identifies and brokers innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations between the State and grantmakers to encourage programs and policy reforms that would improve the lives of all Michigan residents.

The creation of this nonpartisan position marked the State's first formal partnership with the foundation community.
The Skillman Foundation also helped sponsor a similar function with the City of Detroit’s Mayors Office, supporting a foundation liaison during Mayor Dennis Archer's 1994-2001 term.

2004 Neighborhood level grantmaking becomes a focus 2004-2012 The Skillman Foundation transitioned to being an embedded funder, working with community to create neighborhood-level change, in 2004.

This practice carried through the Good Neighborhoods Initiative, which concluded in 2016.
While we continue to be ingrained in the community, and make targeted investments in specific schools and neighborhoods, our intentions of doing so are currently directed at creating citywide and system- level change to have a positive and prolonged impact on all Detroit children.
“The Foundation became an embedded foundation with an incredible focus on neighborhoods and schools.” DR. LILIAN BAUDER Foundation Trustee, 1990-2015 15 2004 Good Schools Initiative Through the Good Schools Initiative, Data from the first several years of the the Foundation identified high- Good Schools Initiative showed that, of performing and improving schools Detroit’s K-12 schools, high schools in Detroit, publicly celebrated their were struggling the most.
In response, successes, and provided them with we invested in two key efforts.

The first additional supports—up to $100,000— was Michigan Future Schools (2009- to continue their upward trajectories.

2015), an initiative led by Michigan While its priority was to showcase outstanding Detroit schools and educators, it also helped to strengthen schools.
Good School awardees showed an increase in student achievement, student learning opportunities, access to technology, and professional development for teachers.

Awardees became models for their peers, sharing best practices through a Good School Resources Center, which also provided schools with technical assistance and direct supports.
These investments broadened the Foundation’s focus beyond the traditional public school system to consider all city schools that were doing a good job of educating children, regardless of governance type, including public charter, private, and parochial schools.

A Good Schools Guide became the first of several Detroit efforts to provide families with a directory and assessment of city schools so they could make better-informed choices about the best educational options for their children.
Future Inc. to create new, small, high- quality high schools in Detroit.

Michigan Future Schools helped launch 11 high schools, some of which are among the city’s highest performing today, including Detroit Edison Public School Academy, Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, and Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine.

Our second major high school investment within the Good Schools Initiative was to the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Great Detroit Venture Fund.
The Fund created small, personalized learning environments in high schools with graduations rates of less than 60% for three consecutive years.

Beginning in 2012, the Foundation supported the conversion of Cody and Osborn High Schools.

After 2012, the Foundation continued to invest in Detroit schools under the banner of the Good Neighborhoods Initiative.
“(The Good Schools Guide) put information into the hands of parents so they could make informed decisions about where their children went and what they could expect when they got there.” STEPHEN EWING Foundation Trustee, 1995-2014 16 2006 Good Neighborhoods Initiative 2006-2016 The Good Neighborhoods Youth development opportunities Initiative was a decade-long increased from 10,000 to 14,000 $120-million commitment to from 2010 to 2014.
And in 2013, the improve conditions for children Foundation established the creation in six Detroit neighborhoods: of the Youth Development Resource Brightmoor, Chadsey-Condon, Cody Center to improve youth development Rouge, Northend Central, Osborn, program quality and youth outcomes.

and Southwest Detroit.

Selected due to high concentrations of children and levels of need, these six neighborhoods were home to nearly one-third of the city’s youth population (roughly 65,000 children).
GNI’s four strategy areas were education, youth development, community leadership, and safety.
“We took our Trustees on what we called ‘listening tours’ in the neighborhoods... That, to me, was so important: to develop strategies that came directly from the voices of the community.” CAROL GOSS Foundation President, 2004-2013 Significant outcomes of GNI included: New organizations, including five neighborhood governance groups, were formed with resident leaders at the helm, increasing community members’ ability to influence local conditions on behalf of children.
These organizations continue to operate today, advancing vital community-level and citywide change on behalf of children.

Crime rates declined by 40% in all GNI neighborhoods over the years 2009 to 2016, with youth victimization rates decreasing by 47%.

Early support for targeted blight removal in one GNI neighborhood informed an expanded approach involving 12,000 projects, the most aggressive blight removal effort to date in Detroit.
High school graduation rates “The Foundation sought to use increased from 65% to 81% in GNI its resources to improve the conditions neighborhoods.

Summer youth employment opportunities increased from 2,500 slots available citywide in 2008 to 8,000 paid jobs with training in 2016, through a broader public- private collaboration the Foundation helped to create.
in different areas of the city where there was infrastructure to allow the Foundation to build a better future for children.” DAVID B. LEWIS Foundation Trustee, 2004-2015 17 2006 Community Connections Small Grants Program 2006-2016 Through the Community Connections Small Grants program, The Skillman Foundation has granted approximately $6 million to resident-led projects that improved opportunities and conditions for youth.
Grant awards ranged from $500 to $5,000 and were selected by neighborhood residents.

2008 Boys of Color / My Brother’s Keeper 2008-CURRENT The Foundation articulated a of color regularly face.

The Skillman specific focus on supporting boys Foundation folded our Boys of Color of color in 2008—a response to work into the My Brother’s Keeper parents imploring the Foundation to platform, partnering with the City of help protect and promote their sons.
Detroit and more than 100 civic, social, While the Foundation had a history of investing in efforts to support boys of color, naming a concentrated initiative was a clarion call to urge community action on their behalf.

The Foundation’s Boys of Color work positioned it as a national leader alongside other foundations pursuing these same aims.
Together, we helped influence then-President Barack Obama to launch the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, calling on communities across the country to close the opportunity gaps that boys and men and corporate leaders to form MBK Detroit.

As a result of longstanding and combined efforts, in December 2015 the Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA) ranked Detroit highest in efforts to reduce disparities for boys and men of color.

Our boys of color work continues under the MBK Detroit mantle.
This includes the MBK Detroit Innovation Challenge, developed in 2016 in partnership with CBMA, to solicit ideas from community members and provide seed funding for grassroots programs and leaders.
18 2009 Excellent Schools Detroit established The Skillman Foundation nonprofit organization that supported convened a broad coalition parents in navigating school options of education stakeholders in by providing clear, comparable Detroit committed to redesigning data about the city’s K-12 schools the city’s educational system, and facilitated collaboration across operating as Excellent Schools Detroit’s district and charter schools.

Detroit.
Partners included the City It rooted several initiatives that are of Detroit, Detroit Public Schools, addressing some of Detroit’s most Detroit’s charter school sector, pressing education issues, including Detroit Federation of Teachers, the City of Detroit’s Community Detroit Regional Chamber, Kellogg Education Commission, 482Forward, Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Detroit College Access Network, McGregor Fund, Detroit Parent and Hope Starts Here—Detroit’s Network, Detroit PAL, and the Early Childhood Partnership.
Having NAACP.

Excellent Schools Detroit passed its pursuits along, Excellent grew to become an independent Schools Detroit sunsetted in 2018.

2012 Youth safety strategy 2012-2016 Listening to young people and Police Department and Detroit Public other residents in the Good Schools.

Neighborhoods, it became clear that safety was a major concern— and community members were rallying to do something about it.
The Foundation had invested in safety efforts through the years, but in 2012, we named youth safety as a core focus area.
Our overarching objectives were to increase the actual and perceived safety of children by engaging and aligning a broad cross- section of stakeholders—residents, community leaders, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations, and critical civic institutions such as the Detroit Key investments included: safe routes to schools (community patrolling, blight removal), neighborhood police officers, youth violence intervention through efforts such as Ceasefire and DLIVE, and CompStat tables—convenings of neighborhood stakeholders who review crime data and devise collaborative strategies to address persistent problems.
Our investments in safety continue, particularly those that shield and deter young people from violence.

19 2013 Supporting Detroiters through City bankruptcy In addition to our ongoing hit, exponentially growing the grantmaking support to steady— number of abandoned properties.
and in some cases, improve— Our efforts included a pilot blight conditions for Detroit children removal program in Brightmoor, a during the Great Recession and partnership with the Detroit Blight City of Detroit bankruptcy, The Authority to map blight across the Skillman Foundation made a city, and help to direct $21 million 20-year, $3.5-million pledge to in federal funding to Detroit’s blight Detroit’s "Grand Bargain" fund.

Our removal efforts.


funding was specifically directed to preserving the pensions for City of Detroit retirees, which were on the chopping block in the Grand Bargain settlement.

Additionally, in 2014, alongside the Ford and Kresge Foundation, we supported the creation of the City of Detroit’s first-ever Office of Development and Grants.

As of Another set of investments specific December 2019, the office that has to Detroit’s recovery were our attracted more than $1 billion in efforts to remove blight.
The city’s outside funding to support dozens population had been in decline of initiatives that improve Detroiters’ for decades when the Great quality of life.

Recession and foreclosure crisis 20 2013 Detroit Children’s Fund established The Skillman Foundation spurred youth of Detroit.
DCF is forming the establishment of Detroit strategic partnerships with public Children’s Fund in 2013 to provide school leaders to implement a vehicle for increased corporate, strategies that will significantly philanthropic, and individual funding improve student success.

As to reach Detroit’s K-12 schools.
Chairman of The Skillman DCF is a nonprofit organization Foundation, and as a board member focused on making high-potential of Detroit Children’s Fund, I am investments to expand successful proud to be involved with two great schools, greatly improve lower organizations who are both working performing schools, and discover tirelessly to bring equity and and develop talented educators opportunity to Detroit’s children.” BILL EMERSON Foundation Trustee, 2014-current so that every child in Detroit can receive an excellent education.
The Skillman Foundation continues to grant a portion of DCF’s general operating support and works closely with its program staff to ensure efforts are complementary across the two organizations for the best impact on schools and students.

In 2019, Detroit Children’s Fund granted $7 million to improve education for Detroit kids.
“With The Skillman Foundation’s support, Detroit Children’s Fund has become a leader in the effort to improve public education for the 2014 Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren established In December of 2014, The Skillman Foundation convened a diverse group of cross- sector leaders who came together to address the growing deterioration of school quality and finances under state emergency management.
Through the Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren, Detroiters regained control of their schools and their children’s fate.

Its advocacy resulted in $667 million from the State of Michigan to address the fiscal health of Detroit Public Schools.

It ended a decade of 21 unsuccessful state-appointed emergency management and restored local control to Detroit citizens through an elected school board and new superintendent.
Its call for more coordination and accountability across the charter and traditional public-school landscape was taken up by the formation of the City of Detroit’s Community Education Commission.

While its first phase of work focused on legislative action, its second phase set an agenda around the most pressing issues in education that Detroiters could advance.
Efforts seeded by the Coalition that carry forward this agenda include: the City of Detroit’s Community Education Commission; Teach 313, a citywide educator talent initiative; and Every School Day Counts Detroit, a collective effort of schools and community groups working together to support student attendance.
2015 Cody Rouge Initiative 2015-CURRENT Launched by Skillman Foundation Through the Cody Rouge Initiative’s Trustees, the Cody Rouge advocacy and funding support, Cody Rouge/ Initiative seeks to create a model Warrendale was added to the City of Detroit’s for collaborative public-private $130-million Strategic Neighborhood investment aimed at shifting the Fund.

Unique among other neighborhood trajectory of a neighborhood.
development plans, a child-centered Investments are reflective of design was created for Cody Rouge—and community input, aligned to have was informed by neighborhood youth the greatest impact, and are focused who conducted community research and on child well-being and outcomes.

provided recommendations.

This process Cody Rouge, a west-side Detroit serves as a model for future community neighborhood, was selected largely development projects, locally and nationally.
due to the strong resident and youth leadership developed during the Good Neighborhoods Initiative.

The Cody Rouge Initiative invests in education and career preparation for area youth as well as in neighborhood infrastructure and environment.

Current partners are: The Skillman Foundation, DTE Energy, General Motors, Quicken Loans, Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance, Trinity Health, City of Detroit Planning Department, and Detroit Public Schools Community District.
22 2016 Right to Literacy Lawsuit 2016-2020 In 2016, seven Detroit students filed a lawsuit against the State of Michigan to assert that literacy is a constitutionally protected right.

They blamed substandard performance in school on poor conditions within classrooms, including missing or unqualified teachers, physically dangerous facilities, and inadequate books and materials.

The Skillman Foundation provided funding for students to pursue their case, as well as continued advocacy.
After a four-year court process, judges on Michigan’s Sixth Circuit Court ruled in favor of the Detroit Seven.

The Foundation helped lead negotiations between the students and the State of Michigan.

The result of this was Governor Whitmer’s acknowledgement of the ruling through a settlement, proposing legislation to provide Detroit public schools $94.4 million for literacy-related programs and to return some financial independence to the district.
The settlement also provides the plaintiffs with monetary support to pursue their educational goals.

The Skillman Foundation and Detroit Public Schools Foundation are supporting the youth to develop their education and career plans.

The Right to Literacy lawsuit advanced the movement for equitable, quality education for all, with the Detroit Seven serving as a catalyst for others to urge courts across the United States to declare that all children have the right to learn to read and write.
23 2017 Opportunity Agenda for Detroit Children 2017-CURRENT The Skillman Foundation launched saw the chance to take the progress the Opportunity Agenda for Detroit and learnings developed from our Children in 2017, a citywide strategy neighborhood work and amplify these that works to provide equitable across the city to reach all Detroit kids.

opportunities for all Detroit children by influencing system-level changes.

It developed after 11 years of Good Neighborhoods work, fueled by two key developments.
We saw gaps in what was sustainable and possible at the neighborhood-level without citywide—and statewide— system-level changes.

Additionally, major context changes were underway in post-bankruptcy Detroit.

Opportunities to advance system-level changes were increasing.

Strong system leaders had emerged, investments in the city were growing, and the global narrative of Detroit began turning from gloom to glow.
The Foundation The work the Foundation had been doing for decades to support the development of school-aged children transferred to a pointed ambition to ensure that all Detroit kids have the opportunities they need to direct their future and lead their city and country to greater prosperity.

In order to do so, we focus on the K-12 system, including afterschool and college and career pathways, because it has an outsized impact on child well-being and youth outcomes.
Read more about the Opportunity Agenda for Detroit Children on pages 48-59.

24 2018 Community Education Commission established The Community Education Commission formed in response to a call from the Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren for increased coordination, quality, and accessibility across the city’s school districts.
With support from The Skillman Foundation, the CEC’s initial projects included the GOAL Line, a bus line connecting families with a variety of school and afterschool options, and the reinvigoration of a Detroit Schools Guide.

2019 60-year grant total: $652,598,718 “In our 60-year history, we have invested more than $650 million to bolster children and their communities—and we hold assets of approximately $500 million to continue to do so.

That is the power of endowed philanthropy.


We’ve been able to span our impact across many generations.

We have responded to the needs of our youth and their families in an ever-shifting context, pivoting to address the most pressing issues of the time.

Endowed philanthropy allows us to be steadfast and nimble.

The Skillman Foundation is a fierce, consistent champion for Detroit children.

The societal and systemic changes we seek to make require both patience and urgency.
Patience to stay diligent, knowing that these changes take time, and urgency that balances our long view with the fact that kids can’t wait.” TONYA ALLEN Foundation President, 2014-current SKILLMAN FOUNDATION PRESIDENTS ROSE SKILLMAN, 1960-1964 LEONARD SMITH, 1964-1999 WILLIAM BECKHAM, 2000 KARI SCHLACHTENHAUFEN, 2001-2003 CAROL GOSS, 2004-2013 TONYA ALLEN, 2014-CURRENT 25