The chief aim of the Foundation's three programs is to help develop good Schools and good neighborhoods for children. The Good Schools and Good Neighborhoods programs are the primary focus of the Foundation's grantmaking. The Good Opportunities program area is set up to support the Foundation's primary work and to invest in special opportunities that can accomplish significant results for children. Though we make grants throughout Metropolitan Detroit, the bulk of our grant dollars will be spent in six Detroit neighborhoods – Brightmoor, Cody/Rouge, the Northend, Osborn, and Chadsey/Condon and Vernor in Southwest Detroit – and on innovative and successful schools throughout the city of Detroit.

Good Neighborhoods

Launched in January 2006, the program provides full-scale support to six Detroit neighborhoods where more than 65,000 children live, roughly 30% of the city's child population. Half of the children in these neighborhoods live in poverty. This program encourages the creation of safe, healthy and vibrant neighborhoods where children, with support of caring adults, programs and experiences, can develop fully.

The six neighborhoods are:

• Brightmoor
• Cody/Rouge
• Northend (also known as Central)
• Osborn
• Chadsey/Condon, in Southwest Detroit
• Vernor, in Southwest Detroit

The goal of the Good Neighborhoods program is to ensure that children experience safe, healthy and high-quality environments where they can thrive: neighborhoods with resources, opportunities and assets for children to develop fully and pursue prosperity. The objectives and sub-program areas to achieve the goal are:

Transform Target Communities

Public and Private Investment: Increase public and private investments to strengthen services and impact in targeted neighborhoods.

Concentrate High Quality Programs and Services for Children 0-18 in the Neighborhoods

High-Quality Youth Development: Increase opportunities and availability of high-quality, youth development programs.

Human Service Delivery: Establish effective neighborhood-based human service delivery systems for children, youth and families.

Develop People and Places

Community Assets: Improve the availability of child-friendly spaces; enable a cadre of natural helpers; and maximize the assets, capacity and impact through neighborhood-wide collaboration and partnerships.

Increase Income, Assets and Wealth for Families

Wealth Building: Use wealth-building strategies to build resiliency of children and families.