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PROGRAM

MAP Summit Grant

The leadership needed to solve the greatest problems of our time will require deep investment.

In 2022, the Morgridge Acceleration Program (MAP) announced a new commitment to investing in the people who will accelerate the social impact solutions we need. After successfully completing the MAP Fellowship, Fellows are eligible to apply for a Summit Grant. This pool of $50,000 is available exclusively to them to expand their social innovation practice while achieving one (or more) of MAP’s objectives:

Awardees commit to sharing the knowledge, experiences, and networks gained from their Summit Grant with the MAP community– and beyond. In the coming months, their stories and insights will be shared on The Reach, the Morgridge Family Foundation’s monthly newsletter. Continue reading to learn more about this year’s MAP Summit Grant recipients.

Join us for the #SummitSeminarSeries
Learn how to identify key elements of an organization's story, explore communications strategies for cross-cultural audiences, leverage board member strengths and more in this engaging webinar. Our presenters will include MAP Summit Grantees Ellie Milano, who partnered with the Global Conservation Corps, and Jessica Chriesman, who partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute.
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Learn to talk about complex issues and share research findings with non-expert audiences, and gain insight into common measurement and evaluation challenges. Our presenters will include MAP Summit Grantees Billy Huang, who partnered with MIT Solve, and Victoria Bruick, who helped launch the podcast pilot for “Good Jobs Unleashed with Dr. Angela Jackson.”
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Introducing the 2022 Summit Grant Recipients
The inaugural Summit Grants have been awarded to five teams of MAP Fellows and Mentors from the 2020 and 2021 Fellowship cohorts. Chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, their innovative proposals demonstrated clear potential to drive transformative social impact. Click through to learn more about each team and how they will put their Summit Grant to work.
Firefly Autism
Developing Career Pathways for Diverse Students
Proposal

To raise awareness of careers in autism for low-income students of color and those affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The Journey

This MAP Summit Grant builds on the work of a 2021 MAP Fellowship project to diversify the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapy professionals. Currently, the majority of ABA professionals are white women. The Firefly and Regis University Masters-level program will focus on accessibility for low-income students of color and those affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Denver metro area. The program needs to build upward and ensure that young people are aware of the opportunities that ABA therapy provides to them as a career. Ultimately, high school students from diverse communities will have the opportunity to learn about careers in autism therapy and will be aware of the paths it presents.

Mentor
Jesse Ogas

Jesse Ogas, a 2021 MAP Mentor, entered the nonprofit sector in 2006 to make a difference and change antiquated fundraising models. As Executive Director, Jesse grew Firefly Autism into a leading agency in the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy nationally and internationally. Currently, Jesse leads DEI at 9News and serves on the board of directors for Firefly Autism. Jesse is a passionate community advocate who has served on a variety of nonprofit boards. He is a recipient of the 9News Leader of the Year award and the Eric J. Duran Community Service Award, which honors a person of Latino descent who has made a positive impact in the Denver community.

Fellow
Beth Thorne

Beth Thorne, a 2021 MAP Fellow, is the Chief of Staff at Project Rousseau, a role she has held since 2016. Previously, she was a consultant with the Center of Public Research and Leadership at Columbia Law School where she advised a leading charter school network on its mental health strategy and a higher education institution on a student leadership development initiative. She is active with Manhattan International Netball Club and Downtown Little League Softball. Beth graduated top of her class from Oxford University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in human sciences and holds a Master’s of public administration from Columbia University‘s School of International and Public Affairs.

MIT Solve
Designing a Data Quality Framework for Impact Evaluation
Proposal

To design a framework for mapping and understanding data quality that will assist MIT Solve in creating effective programming for their entrepreneurial Solver teams.

The Journey

This project builds on previous work from the 2021 MAP Fellowship that assessed the organization’s relationship with Solvers through analysis of existing survey data. The framework will focus on better understanding the impact of Solver teams and the role that MIT Solve plays in the success of those teams. Designing a framework for mapping and improving data quality will then assist in identifying gaps in the impact evaluation model. The framework will help develop data quality assessments to support the larger impact evaluation team in mapping data to a Theory of Change. These assessments will enable MIT Solve to use data in meaningful ways and provide insights for future data collection efforts.

Mentor
Pooja Wagh

Pooja Wagh, a 2021 MAP Mentor, has over a decade of experience in international development, program evaluation and data analysis in the private and nonprofit sectors. As the Director of Community Operations & Impact at MIT Solve, Pooja designs and oversees many of Solve’s core operations, including selecting Solver teams, implementing the Solver support program, engaging Solve’s Member community, and measuring the results of Solver teams’ work and the impact of the partnerships Solve brokers. Pooja holds a Masters in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelors in electrical engineering from MIT.

Fellow
Billy Huang

Billy Huang, a 2021 MAP Fellow, is a social entrepreneur developing solutions to complex social problems. He is interested in social determinants of health, particularly the intersection of housing and community health, and has engaged in both research and practice in these areas. Billy is the Director of Data Analytics and Impact at the Housing Collective, a Connecticut-based housing nonprofit, and the founder of Source Development Hub, a social impact-focused software and analysis group. He leads and consults for several groups on an ongoing basis including the New Haven Commission on Disabilities, the City of New Haven, and the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation. Billy holds Bachelor degrees in biology and history from MIT and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

Global Conservation Corps
Cultivating Intra-Organizational Leadership Skills and Collaboration
Proposal

To deepen nonprofit leadership skills through professional training, proximate exposure to South African communities and the problems they face, collaboration and mentorship with partner organizations.

The Journey

This MAP Summit Grant builds on the work of a 2020 MAP Fellowship project to execute a new strategic vision for the Global Conservation Corps. Through an experiential trip to South Africa, the team will explore programming opportunities and assess challenges to drive an updated business model for the organization. Additionally, this grant provides GCC board members with new leadership skills by providing access to a fundraising consultant, as well as travel opportunities to visit and build new partnerships to accelerate their mission. By investing in social impact opportunities and diversifying the skills of its leadership, GCC will have a Board that is more effective, organized and structured to execute their strategic plan and achieve future growth. Ultimately, the organization will reach more people through education programs in new schools and geographies, with bigger benefits for wildlife and nature alike.

Mentor
Matt Lindenberg

Matt Lindenberg, a 2020 MAP Mentor, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Conservation Corps (GCC), an international nonprofit organization committed to bridging the gap between people and wildlife. Prior to GCC, Matt worked at the Southern African Wildlife College, serving as a field guide, field ranger trainer, community liaison officer and logistics manager. Matt earned his BSc in geography and zoology from the University of South Africa and his MSc at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. For his master’s thesis, Matt lead the reintroduction of seven orphaned female cheetah onto northwest Namibian farmland, with specific focus on survival rates and reproductive success.

Fellow
Ellie Milano

​​Ellie Milano, a 2020 MAP Fellow, is a strategy consultant for nonprofits working on conservation, animal welfare, and natural resource management issues. As Senior Manager for Planning and Facilitation at Impact by Design, Ellie helps nonprofit organizations achieve their greatest impact for people, animals, and the environment. She is passionate about asking the right questions to uncover problems and find solutions. Ellie holds an MSc from Tufts University in conservation medicine, a BS in biology and a BA in environmental studies both from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Following her MAP Fellowship, she joined the Board of Global Conservation Corps, and now serves as the Board’s President.

Jane Goodall Institute USA
Strengthening Organizational Storytelling Capacity
Proposal

To further explore the Jane Goodall Institute’s (JGI) storytelling methods by building an evidence base with contributions from JGI staff and community members, then using those contributions to inform an organizational guidebook and storytelling training across the organization.

The Journey

This work will build on the foundation of a 2021 MAP Fellowship project. JGI staff and community members will be interviewed about current storytelling and communications methods in the organization. These interviews will be reviewed and distilled into a list of common themes. The findings will be collected into a guidebook and developed into a training course for JGI’s team members which will be taught both virtually and in-person in Tanzania and Uganda. The goal is to develop asynchronous training on storytelling, increase stakeholder buy-in, develop JGI’s storytelling model, field test the model, and develop and launch training workshops.

Mentor
Shawn Sweeney

Shawn Sweeney, a 2021 MAP Mentor, serves the Jane Goodall Institute USA (JGI) as associate vice president of communications and policy. Having worked for the organization since 2007, Shawn has worn many hats from youth outreach to community engagement to his current position. He’s enjoyed working with colleagues and partners around the world to help elevate the vision and impact of Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of JGI & UN Messenger of Peace, and JGI’s programs through strategic storytelling and activation with all of the organization’s audiences. Shawn graduated from the Institute for Humane Education with a master’s of education in humane education and from the College of Wooster with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology.

Fellow
Jessica Chriesman

Jessica Chriesman, a 2021 MAP Fellow, is a Birmingham-based filmmaker who tells Southern stories through the lenses of food and culture, social justice and history, and nonprofits and the people they serve. Jessica is the Director of Education and Outreach at Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema where she plans learning opportunities for kids and adults, filmmakers and film fans alike. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with majors in film production and psychology and earned an executive certificate in arts and culture strategy from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice and National Arts Strategies. She is the Chair of the Alabama Humanities Alliance’s Young Professionals Board. 

 

Kapor Center
Building Human Capital through Strategic Communications
Proposal

To develop and launch a podcast that allows the Kapor Center to reach policy makers and business professionals who can benefit from hearing the stories of essential workers directly.

The Journey

This MAP Summit Grant leverages skills gained and relationships built during the 2021 MAP Fellowship and applies them to a new project. So often in business and policy spaces we hear conversations about essential workers but not with essential workers. In pursuit of Kapor Center’s mission to level the playing field in tech, the organization is building strategic communication strategies to encourage business owners and policy makers to rethink their human capital infrastructure. These transformations start with listening to workers, not simply talking about them. Dr. Angela Jackson recorded, and transcribed interviews with 100 essential workers. Their narratives have crucially informed Dr. Jackson’s research and writing, actively informing the work of Kapor Center and other organizations. Through the creation of a podcast, these stories will be given a platform for a wider impact and reach.

Mentor
Dr. Angela Jackson

Dr. Angela Jackson, a 2021 MAP Mentor, is the Chief Ecosystem and Investment Officer at the Kapor Center. As a leader in the future of work space, she has deep knowledge of technological trends that are transforming organizations and human capital infrastructure. Angela’s career started in the private sector leading business development for organizations like Viacom and Nokia. Then, she founded the Global Language Project to transform how we prepare students to succeed in a global economy and workforce. Most recently, Angela completed a doctorate in educational leadership at Harvard University. Her work and writing has been featured in CNN, Huffington Post, and Harvard Business Review.

Fellow
Victoria Bruick

Victoria Bruick, a 2021 MAP Fellow, is a storyteller with a passion for education and supporting the work of nonprofit organizations. She is co-host and producer of the Book Club with Julia & Victoria podcast, producer of The Pandemic Parenting Podcast, and executive assistant at Brink Literacy Project. Victoria earned a B.A. in English and music from Valparaiso University. She was one of 20 undergraduates selected nationally for the J.S. Kemper Foundation’s business leadership program and was awarded a Calling and Purpose in Society (CAPS) Fellowship from the Institute of Leadership and Service. Her poetry has been published by The Academy of American Poets and in Indiana’s Best Emerging Poets.