AnnuAl RepoRt 2011

Making A Mark

At Fight For Children, we fight to ensure that low-income children receive a great education and stay healthy so they can learn.

ouR Mission

Dear Friends:The past year has been one of transition for Fight For Children. We were

saddened to lose our founder and chairman Joe Robert in late 2011 after

his long struggle with brain cancer. However, Joe left his mark on Fight For

Children and inspired us to follow in his footsteps to do even more to help

low-income children succeed in school and in life. We believe we are doing

just that.

The following pages take a look at some of Fight For Children’s recent

accomplishments and how we made our mark on the lives of children in

Washington. We fully launched our Ready to Learn DC initiative around

three strong pillars: schools, teachers, and families. We fostered increased

collaboration among public and charter schools by strengthening our

Quality Schools Initiative that focuses on improving academic achievement

in K-12 schools. We also made sure our grantmaking was closely aligned

with our programmatic initiatives.

Joe Robert cared deeply about the children of Washington, DC, and all of

us at Fight For Children are determined to keep his passion and spirit alive.

With your ongoing support, we know we will able to continue our work to

make the lives of our city’s most vulnerable children brighter. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Raul Fernandez Michela English

Chairman President & CEO

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Making A lasting MarkJoseph e. Robert, Jr. 1952-2011Joe Robert once said, “My passion is kids. They can’t support themselves; and they can’t change the school system; and they can’t argue with the politicians who don’t give enough money. A little kid can’t do those things…somebody who really cares needs to do it for them.” Joe was a rare and special person who recognized early in his life the power of giving back, and he founded Fight For Children in 1990 to do just that.

For 23 years, Joe led the fight for low-income children with courage, determination, and strength. Under Joe, Fight For Children stood up for children and made sure all of them—regardless of where they lived or how much money their families had—were given a chance to reach their full potential in school and in life. Tens of thousands of children are better off because of Joe.

Before he passed away, Joe challenged Fight For Children to think boldly and to do even more to help low-income children in Washington succeed. He asked his friends and family to make sure Fight For Children remained strong. He also made an exceptionally generous $5 million pledge to support Fight For Children’s basic operations for the next five years so that more of the money Fight For Children raised would go directly to help children.

We will answer his call. His passion to help kids will continue to be the inspiration and fuel behind Fight For Children as we carry on his legacy and strive to ensure all kids in DC receive a great education and stay healthy so they can learn.

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MAking A MARk on ChilDRen’s FutuRes

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in 2011, the impact of Fight For Children’s Ready to learn DC initiative grew substantially. the goal of Ready to learn DC is to ensure all kids in Washington, DC receive a quality early childhood education and are ready to learn when they enter kindergarten. Ready to learn DC is built upon three pillars: schools, teachers, and parents.

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pillAR 1: sChools

Work with the City to hold schools and other early childhood education programs accountable for making sure children are ready for kindergarten

• Ensure that everyone—parents, schools, and city

leaders—understand what “readiness” means

• Set standards that all schools and programs

must follow and support them so they can meet

quality standards

• Track the progress and assess readiness of all

DC children

• Direct public money to the programs that really

work

since July 2011, Fight For Children has supported

city-wide efforts to hold schools and other early

childhood education programs accountable

through the DC state early Childhood Development

Coordinating Council, which is chaired by Fight For

Children’s skip Mckoy.

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pillAR 2: teACheRs

ensure that all schools and programs in high need neighborhoods have great early childhood education teachers, supportive school leaders, and the right tools to be successful

• Create a steady supply of excellent teachers

for public schools and community-based

organizations

• Ensure that school leaders understand the

needs of early childhood students and provide a

supportive environment for teachers

• Share best practices across all programs—

public, charter, and community-based—to

encourage excellence in the classroom

since the fall of 2011, Fight For Children has

led the early learning network in the DC

promise neighborhood initiative in Ward 7.

We also completed our early childhood strategic

plan, leading to the launch of Joe’s Champs in 2012

(see sidebar).

pillAR 3: pARents

give parents useful information so they can make good choices on where to send their children to preschool and be actively involved in their children’s education

• Give parents accurate information about which

schools are doing a good job preparing children

for kindergarten

• Assist parents in understanding and using

school quality data to make informed choices

• Give parents the information and guidance

they need to be involved participants in their

children’s education

in 2011, Fight For Children produced and distributed

over 5,000 free DVD copies of “Ready to learn

DC: A guide for parents to Choosing a great

preschool” to DC residents.

“ Fight For Children’s leadership in driving home the importance

of quality in early childhood education will have a lasting

positive impact on young people in the District of Columbia.”

— DC Mayor Vincent Gray

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looking ForwardIn October 2012, Fight

For Children launched

Joe’s Champs which

will support and feed

the City’s ambitious

K-12 reform efforts. The

program is named in

honor of Joe Robert

and its launch is being

supported by several

of Joe’s close friends.

Fight For Children will

work with proven, highly

effective teacher training

partners, including the

Urban Teacher Center

and the Capital Teaching

Residency (a partnership

of KIPP: DC and E.L.

Haynes Public Charter

Schools) to train 100

preschool teachers.

These teachers will

be placed at schools

with leaders who are

motivated to make their

schools highly effective.

Learn more at www.

fightforchildren.org/

joeschamps.

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Fight For Children’s Quality Schools Initiative not

only serves to recognize great schools that are

improving results for low-income children, it also

brings together educators across the city to learn

how these schools are successful and how their

schools can achieve the same positive results.

On April 13, 2011, DC State Superintendent of

Education Hosanna Mahaley joined Fight For

Children at our annual School Awards Luncheon

to recognize four outstanding DC schools. One

of these outstanding schools was Cleveland

Elementary, a District of Columbia Public School

located in the historic Shaw neighborhood serving

296 students in preschool through fifth grade.

Cleveland Elementary won a Quality Schools

Initiative Rising Star Award which came with a

grant of $25,000.

With the Quality Schools Initiative award,

MAking A MARk on pRoMisingsChool leADeRsBringing educators together to learn from one another in a creative and collaborative manner is one way Fight For Children is investing in professionals dedicated to providing children in DC the best possible education.

“ there is nothing like seeing a child excited about

taking a test on a computer and receiving immediate

feedback on how they did.” — Belinda Omenitsch - Instructional Coach, Cleveland Elementary School

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Cleveland Elementary made some much needed

technology upgrades in their classrooms and

computer lab. The purchase of Smartboards

(or interactive whiteboards) for classrooms

has assisted teachers in creating a more

exciting, interactive and experiential learning

environment for their students. Additionally,

Cleveland Elementary outfitted their computer

lab with new laptops. The updated computers

have allowed teachers to integrate new writing

and reading programs with assessments that

offer instant data on which concepts the student

comprehends and which areas he/she needs

additional help in mastering.

Other winners of the 2011 Quality Schools

Initiative Awards were DC Preparatory Academy,

Thurgood Marshall Academy, and Elsie Whitlow

Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter

School. Learn more about these great schools at

www.fightforchildren.org/qsi.

As part of the Quality Schools Initiative, Fight

For Children hosted three roundtables in

partnership with The Meyer Foundation, each led

by the outstanding staff from our 2011 Quality

Schools Initiative Champions of Quality—

Thurgood Marshall Academy and DC Prep

Academy. Principals, administrators, teachers

and instruction coaches who attended shared

ideas and discussed innovative practices for

overcoming common challenges they all face

within their schools.

“i heard information that principals don’t often get to hear. it was really

helpful to hear how other schools are implementing change and reform.

We all have the same issues; we’re just dealing with them differently and

can learn from each other.”

—Janice Talley - DCPS Principal, Powell Elementary School

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MAking A MARk on the FutuRe oF DC

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in addition to its own programs, Fight For Children uses proceeds from Fight night to invest in other local non-profit organizations. Fight For Children has made grants to over 150 local organizations since 1990. in 2011, Fight For Children awarded over $800,000 to 19 organizations, including the four winners of the 2011 Quality schools initiative. organizations that Fight For Children is currently supporting with grants of $100,000 or more include:

Appletree institute for education in novation

AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation is

executing a pioneering effort that brings together

entrepreneurial innovation in early childhood

education, ongoing rigorous evaluation, and public

and private investment to close the achievement

gap before children enter kindergarten.

AppleTree’s seven charter schools educate 700

children ages 3 and 4 in Washington, DC. Fight For

Children is proud to provide matching funds for

AppleTree’s 2010 $5 million federal Investing in

Innovation grant, which is supporting AppleTree’s

work to refine, codify and document its successful

Every Child Ready model, as well as provide

resources to significantly increase AppleTree’s

enrollment. www.appletreeinstitute.org

Children’s national Medical Center

Fight For Children is pleased to collaborate with

Children’s National on an innovative three-year

community assessment of families living in DC’s

Parkside-Kenilworth neighborhood and their

behaviors affecting diet, recreation, and health

care. Children’s National will use funds from

Fight For Children to focus specifically on the

well-being of infants and toddlers. This project is

part of the DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative,

a coordinated effort led by Cesar Chavez Public

Charter School, which aims to dramatically

improve education and health care in Parkside-

Kenilworth by coordinating a wide range of social,

medical, and educational programs. Fight For

Children is also supporting a mobile dental clinic

operated by Children’s National that serves low-

income children. www.cnmc.org

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Fight night grants

Each year, the Chairman of Fight Night

selects a local non-profit organization

to receive a special grant from Fight For

Children. Fight For Children is proud

to support Jim Jones, Fight Night 2011

Chairman, and the Marine Corps – Law

Enforcement Foundation, a foundation that

provides scholarships for higher education

to the children of Marines or federal law

enforcement personnel who have made the

ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.

www.mc-lef.org

Fight For Children also uses a portion of the

proceeds from Fight Night to support the

Alexandria Boxing Club, which was founded

in 1991 using funds from the very first Fight

Night. The Alexandria Boxing Club is a

structured after-school program for children

focusing on character development and

self-respect. Fight For Children is proud to

continue supporting this worthy organization

making a positive impact on children’s

academic achievement while encouraging

physical activity and discipline.

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Additional grants were made to the following

organizations in 2011:

• Cleveland Elementary School (made through

the Community Foundation for the National

Capital Area)

• DC College Access Program*

• DC College Success Foundation

• DC Preparatory Academy

• DC Public Education Fund

• Early Childhood Education Leadership Institute

at the University of the District of Columbia

• Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom

Public Charter School

• GreatSchools

• Kennedy Center Community Partnerships

Program*

• Thurgood Marshall Academy

• Venture Philanthropy Partners*

* Indicates a donor designated gift. From time to time, donors request that a portion of their gift to Fight For Children be directed to other organizations serving children in Washington, DC, whose goals are consistent with Fight For Children’s mission of improving the lives of low-income children.

“ i would like to thank Fight For Children for supporting

quality education in the District of Columbia. Without a

challenging high school program, my future would look

much different. And i like the one that i’m looking at now.”

— April Graham, Thurgood Marshall Academy 2012 Graduate and Current Freshman at Bates College , speaking at Fight For Children’s Quality Schools Awards Luncheon on April 10, 2012.

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Income 2011 (Audited) 2010 (Audited)

Fight Night $2,025,350 $1,839,843

School Night $695,525 $675,140

J.E. Robert Companies/Joe Robert donation1 $907,000 $907,000

Foundations $213,748 $429,139

Other2 $193,137 $125,776

Donated Facilities3 $85,976 $152,320

Net assets released from donor restrictions4 -$63,301 -$36,699

total $4,057,435 $4,092,519

Expenses

Programs $637,566 $764,898

Grants to other organizations $800,235 $1,004,400

Events

Fight Night $1,135,803 $1,041,107

School Night $457,612 $418,631

Other events $79,894

Support and administration

Fundraising and management staff costs $487,021 $432,989

Rent $164,532 $246,023

Other expenses $177,441 $160,026

Total $3,860,210 $4,147,968

Change in net assets $197,225 -$55,449

Net assets at beginning of year $2,170,186 $2,225,635

Net assets at end of year $2,367,411 $2,170,186

1 In 2010 and 2011, J.E. Robert Companies contributed in-kind services, including staffing, payroll, and IT. Fight For Children recorded these expenses at market value on its financial statements. In addition, Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Fight For Children’s chairman, made a personal contribution of $150,000 in both 2010 and 2011. Mr. Robert also donated $100,000 in 2010 and 2011 to School Night, resulting in total contributions from him and his firm of over $1 million each year.

2 Includes other events, interest, rents collected from subleases, and individual donations. 3 Donated facilities decreased from 2010 to 2011 due to a change recommended by Fight For Children’s outside auditors in how the market value of donated facilities is calculated.4 Includes temporarily restricted funds used by Fight For Children for its Parent Engagement, DC School Chooser, and grantmaking programs.

We are proud of our stewardship of the financial resources entrusted to us by our donors. We ended 2011 with a small surplus and once again received a clean audit. you may request a copy of our audit by calling 202-772-0417.

FinAnCiAls

Revenues 100%=$4,057,435

Our special events comprised

two-thirds of revenue in 2011.

Support from Joe Robert

and J.E. Robert Companies

equaled 22%, with the balance

coming from donations from

foundations, individuals, and

corporations.

expenses 100%= $3,860,210

We allocate staff costs

to major programs and

activities, including our

events, as reflected in our

financial statements. Fight

Night continues to be the

organization’s single largest

expense due to the size and

complexity of the event.

Functional expenses 100%= $3,860,210

This chart summarizes major

functional expenses by type,

not by programs. Staff was

granted a small salary increase

in 2011, the first since 2008.

l Fight Nightl School Nightl J.E. Robert Companies In-Kind Support &

Personal Support from Joe Robert l Foundation and Public Supportl Donated Facilitiesl Other

l Grants to Other Organizationsl Fight Nightl Support and Administrationl Program Servicesl School Night

l Staffingl Event Expensesl Program Expenses (non-staff)l Grantsl Other Expenses

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50%

17%

22%

4%5%

2%9%

21%

5%35%

31%21%

29%21%

17%

12%

50%

17%

22%

4%5%

2%9%

21%

5%35%

31%21%

29%21%

17%

12%

50%

17%

22%

4%5%

2%9%

21%

5%35%

31%21%

29%21%

17%

12%

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The late Joseph E. Robert, Jr. created Fight Night

in 1990 as a way to marshal resources to help

low-income kids in the nation’s capital secure a

brighter future. Fight Night brings together 2,000

heavyweights of business and government,

entertainment and community service, as well as

legends from the sports and boxing world, for an

evening of fun, auctions, exciting entertainment

and live professional boxing bouts. In 2011, Fight

Night raised over $2 million.

Joe Robert at his final Fight Night on November 10,

2011, surrounded by several members of Fight For

Children’s Board of Directors.

Fight night 2011

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Launched in 1998, School Night has raised over

$22 million for education programs for low-income

children. School Night is also a celebration of

excellence in DC Schools and shines a spotlight

on the winners of Fight For Children’s Quality

Schools Initiative. Ziggy Marley performed at

School Night 2011, which was chaired by Audrey P.

Marks, Ambassador of Jamaica.

sChool night 2011

2011 DonoRsWe are grateful to the many generous individuals, corporations, and foundations that make our work possible.

$500,000 - $1,000,000J.E. Robert Companies

$250,000 - $499,999Joseph E. Robert, Jr.

$100,000 - $249,999DC Office of the State

Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Donald E. GrahamThe J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott

FoundationVornado/Charles E. Smith

$50,000 - $99,999CityBridge FoundationEmbassy of the United Arab EmiratesRichard Kay and SentrillionKimsey FoundationEsteban NeelyN.E.W. Charitable FoundationProsperity PharmacyRepublic National Distributing

CompanyFredrick D. Schaufeld and Swan

InvestorsThe Weiss FoundationThe William H. Donner Foundation

$25,000 - $49,999Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc.Children’s National Medical CenterSteven and Alexandra Cohen

FoundationThe Community Foundation for the

National Capital RegionThe Cupid FoundationEugene & Agnes E. Meyer

Foundation

FedExFernandez Foundation, Inc.Fort Lincoln New Town CorporationFreddie Mac FoundationMichael & Elizabeth GalvinGEICOGeneral DynamicsGregory SalvaggioHamilton InsuranceRobert G. HisaokaMorino InstituteOraclePartnership to Fight Chronic DiseaseMitchell P. Rales Family FoundationRobert RosenthalMichael SaylorKristin & David Steinberg Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999American Continental GroupAnatol SurakAsurionAT & T Services, Inc.Bajaj Family FoundationBank ofAmericaBB&TBET NetworksBuildingHopeThe Carnival FoundationCITThe Ryna & Melvin Cohen Family

FoundationCORE Capital PartnersCS Capital Advisors, LLCDigital Management, Inc.Dynology CorporationEagle BankMark EinEMC CorporationEmergent

ENTERGYKen FalkeFirst Washington Realty Inc.Fridman Mikhail MaratovichFried & CompanyIntralot/DC09Ray JacobsenWilliam S. JanesJK Moving & StorageJones Group InternationalKatten Muchin Rosenman, LLPTed LeonsisLockheed MartinLockton CompaniesMC DeanMcQuade Brennan LLPMillennium Realty Advisors LLCMixon Private Foundation, Inc.Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.New Media StrategiesP. AvenPricewaterhouseCoopersW. Russell RamseyREDPEG MarketingJohn R. ReynoldsRoger W. SantSE SolutionsPete & Burson Snyder FoundationEarl W. StaffordTelosVerizon

$5,000 - $9,9991901 Group LLCAccentureArchdiocese of WashingtonKeith W. BelcherCarl BergeronBlack Swan GroupGary Block

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Steve BogomilskyBooz-Allen & Hamilton Inc.Brownstein Hyatt Farber SchreckCareFirstCharles E. Smith Commercial Realty LPClark ConstructionCNA EducationDonatelli DevelopmentEducational Testing ServiceFensterheim & Bean, P.C.FlexjetTerence C. GoldenUwe HalvelandHolliday Fenoglio FowlerIron Bow TechnologiesJE Richards, Inc.Mark C. JohnsonKearney & CompanyAnnette M. & Theodore N. Lerner

Family FoundationDean F. MorehouseNewmark & Co. Real Estate, Inc.Nolan FinancialOccidental Petroleum CorporationPine Creek PartnersPresidio Networked SolutionsPRM Consulting, Inc.RLJ Development, LLCRobert RosenthalSageView Advisory GroupEdwin A. SheridanDoug SmithSunTrust BankTolson Family FoundationVenable LLPMark L. WalshWashington RedskinsWells FargoWells Fargo Securities, LLCWilliams

$1,000 - $4,999The Allbritton FoundationAmerica’s CharitiesCharles R. ArmstrongASAP Services CorporationAspen Wealth ManagementDennis W. BakkeThomas J. BaltimoreMichael Beckerman

Ross BierkanBlake Real Estate, Inc.Charles X. BlockBrookfield PropertiesBroughton Construction CompanyDavid CalecaDean CannonCare Pharmacies, Inc.Cavalier MaintenanceAl ChecchiDerek H. CoburnRaymond CooperCortopassi Family FoundationCresaPartnersCrystal City Business ImprovementRomano D’AlessandroDuane DavisDarryl H. DennisJustin DevinneyAnthony R. DolanEd DonaChris DonatelliJohn DrewTerry EakinLe Roy Eakin, IIIWilliam H. Edwards, Jr.Michela A. EnglishJulian EpsteinJohn M. Fahey, Jr.Sean FarrellFidelity Charitable Gift FundDavid W. FisherJosh FreyTony GiachintaPhil GibbsAndrew R. GlasgowTommy Gletner, jr.Greenberg TraurigHess ConstructionJohn HillLarry HollenMichelle HoneyMary HowellDavid R. IgnatiusThe Kane CompanyKane International LimousineJohn KaneJD KatzFrancis KirleySam W. Klein Charitable Foundation

William M. LanePeter LinnemanJames LintottJohn F. Maher Family FoundationRafat MahmoodMalek Family Charitable TrustAlex MarshallJames MartinC. Thomas McMillenLamell McMorrisEric R. MuendelGautham NageshNordstromAndy OckerhausenManny OrtizGregg PetersmeyerGeorge PurcellQuincy Jones Productions, Inc.Dave RennysonRhone ReschNataki ReynoldsGeorge RuhlenSaks Fifth AvenueBob SchiefferMichael J. ShusterPiyush SodhaGeoffrey L. StackWalter Steimel, Jr.Courtney StrausLily TalakoubTRUISTBill TrzosChristopher TurnerSean UlsakerRobert D. VincentWalton Family Foundation, Inc.Rex R. WempenJonathan WillenChris WilliamsJames E. WilliamsWilson-Thornhill FoundationMichael YavinskyLuke Yeransian

Raul Fernandez (Chairman)Chairman and CEOObjectVideo

James Abdo President and CEOAbdo Development

gina AdamsCorporate Vice PresidentFedEx Corporation

Michela englishPresident & CEOFight For Children

g. David FensterheimPrincipalFensterheim & Bean, P.C.

the honorable Adrian M. FentyFormer Mayor of the District of Columbia Business Advisor

Michael kimsey Co-Founder, President & Executive DirectorKimsey Foundation

Charles “Chuck” kuhnPresidentJK Moving Services

Anthony A. lewisVice President–Open DevelopmentVerizon Wireless

Dr. kurt newman President and Chief Executive OfficerChildren’s National Medical Center

Joseph. e. Robert iii Sergeant, United States Marine Corps

Fredrick D. schaufeld Founder and ChairmanNEW Customer Service Companies

Reginald Van lee Executive Vice PresidentBooz Allen Hamilton

the honorable Anthony A. Williams Former Mayor of the District of Columbia President & Executive DirectorFederal City Council

Curtin Winsor Founder and ChairmanBank of Georgetown

Members as of November 1, 2012

BoARD oF DiReCtoRs

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Fight For Children would also like to acknowledge the dedication of four board members who served

in 2011 and 2012: Patti Austin, Katherine Brittain Bradley, Terrence Golden, and Quincy Jones.

Fight FoR ChilDRen stAFFMichela englishPresident & CEO

kristen Fagley Marketing and Event Manager

Anna FaryarProgram Assistant

simon JacksonDirector, Development

John “skip” MckoyDirector, Programmatic Initiatives

Martine sadaranganiProgram Manager

kim stevensonExecutive Assistant

Jeff traversDirector, External Relations

liz WarneckiAdministrative Manager

Judy WrenchAccounting Manager

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our Core Beliefs• All children, regardless of income or family

background, can achieve at high levels.

• A great education gives children the tools they

need to be successful adults.

• Children need to be nurtured physically,

emotionally, and mentally to maximize their

potential in school and in life.

• Children get a great education when engaged

families, effective educators, and strong

communities work together and remain

focused on their success.

how We Work• We consider evidence and data to be critical

tools in planning approaches and evaluating

outcomes.

• We learn from and share best practices

whenever possible.

• We utilize multiple methods to address

problems and believe solutions should be

tailored to meet the needs of the community

we are serving.

• We magnify our impact by leveraging our

relationships and investments in pragmatic

ways.

• We believe success is more likely to occur

when philanthropists, non-profit organizations,

businesses, and the public sector collaborate.

• We operate in ways that are transparent,

ethically sound, and respectful of others’

beliefs.

1726 M Street, NW, Suite 202

Washington, DC 20036

202.772.0400

www.fightforchildren.org

facebook.com/fightforchildren

twitter.com/fight4children

United Wayof the National Capital Area

Designation #9818