FAQ Regarding Sponsorship of the Ready by 21® Partnership
The Forum for Youth Investment is a nonprofit, nonpartisan “action tank” dedicated to helping communities and the nation make sure all young people are Ready by 21. We are dedicated to complete transparency in all that we do, say and believe. Now and again, questions and concerns get raised about our acceptance of funding from Philip Morris USA, an Altria Company (PM USA) for our Ready by 21 Partnership efforts. Below are our responses to some of those questions and concerns that have been raised.
What is Ready by 21?
Ready by 21 challenges state and community leaders to think and act differently about preparing all youth for college, work and life. In February 2007, the Forum launched Ready by 21 and forged a partnership with a handful of respected national organizations. The Ready by 21 framework predates our relationship with PM USA and has in no way been unduly influenced by our relationship with them or any other funder. Our funders have funded us consistently because they believe, as we do, in the power of leaders working together intentionally in communities to ensure better outcomes for children and youth.
Who are the members of the Partnership?
The core Ready by 21 National Partners – the United Way of America, American Association of School Administrators, America’s Promise Alliance, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the National Collaboration for Youth, and the National Conference of State Legislatures – represent national, state and local nonprofit, business, government and education leaders. Together we are committed to providing leaders with information, resources and coaching tools to work together effectively and efficiently to improve the odds for youth.
Do all of the members accept funding from PM USA?
No. The Forum for Youth Investment and four of the Ready by 21 Partners currently accept PM USA funding – the American Association of School Administrators, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the National Conference of State Legislatures and United Way of America. The Forum has been receiving PM USA funding since 2005. AASA, NCSL and CVWF have also been receiving PM USA funding for multiple years. Those Partners with policies in place that prohibit them from accepting tobacco funding are at the table because of their belief in the mission and their comfort with the role that PM USA is playing in supporting it.
Why did the Ready by 21 Partnership choose to work with PM USA?
The Forum and the Ready by 21 Partnership did not make the decision to accept PM USA funding lightly. The Forum’s Board of Directors, senior leadership and Ready by 21 Partners deliberated the risks and opportunities of accepting PM USA funding in light of our combined efforts to provide services to communities across the country. We determined that as long as our integrity would not be compromised and we could maintain our organizational independence, we could make good use of this funding to further our common goals.
What does the money from PM USA fund?
The current planning grant to the Forum supports the formal development of the Ready by 21 Partnership and business plan. This grant has provided partners with the unique opportunity to survey their members, participate in intensive planning with the Partners and within their own organizations, gain a deeper understanding of the combined impact the Partners can have, and develop coordinated plans and operating principles and practices. Partners believe that the work they have completed would not have been possible without PM USA’s support. The Partnership will begin to aggressively share its plans with other corporate and private funders in the second quarter of 2009.
Why is PM USA supporting this work?
As part of its corporate responsibility efforts to reduce youth risky behaviors, including tobacco use, PM USA has developed a multi-pronged approach to helping to reduce youth tobacco use that focuses on parent communications, youth access prevention and positive youth development grant making. This approach stems from the company’s core belief that a positive youth development approach will most effectively prevent youth from engaging in risky behaviors like using tobacco products.
For more information on PM USA’s corporate responsibility, please visit: http://pmusa.com/en/cms/Responsibility/Helping_Reduce_Underage_Tobacco_Use/Our_Focus_Areas/Grant_Programs/default.aspx
Does PM USA have ties to the Partnership?
Yes. PM USA leadership attended our second Partners meeting, at the request of the Partners, to present its Positive Youth Development/Youth Smoking Prevention Strategy and respond to questions. PM USA leadership was invited to sit in on the Partnership’s monthly planning meetings. PM USA does not have “voting status”, but has provided valuable insights on topics such as corporate outreach.
What are PM USA’s attribution requirements and practices?
PM USA requires all grantees to sign an attribution policy which requires all PM USA grantees to treat them as they do any other funder, such as listing them with other funders on grantee websites. PM USA assured us that they are a “hands-off’ funder and has demonstrated this throughout the planning process. Our experience has been that they provide us with the funding to “do what we do best.” They have never made any request that threatens our integrity. PM USA follows its standard practice of alerting all grantees when releasing information about their grantees on their web site or in the media.
1: PM USA is an Altria company. We refer to as “PM USA” with full recognition that they are an Altria company.