Main | Introducing CIC staff member Ed Vielmetti »
March 29, 2006
Ted Chen, WK Kellogg Foundation
Ted Chen from Kellogg joined the CIC seminar by teleconference.
Before the call we talked briefly about a Time Magazine story on "Generation M" and its multitasking habits, and Steven Johnson's book "Everything Bad is Good For You".
Ted talked about two programs they have in place right now as illustrating their priorities. A "New Options for Youth" program aimed at a new credentialled alternative to the HS diploma and associates degree. "Generations of Hope" is a model for an intergeneration living and learning community.
The students had prepared some questions, and we talked through them.
How do new programs start? Some combination of established networks of relationships, new proposals over the transom, and proposals that show good fitness but that need to be cultivated into doable projects. "Co-create and develop" projects. Look to find innovative individuals; 90% of what they get is good, looking for the 10% great.
How do you see these projects scaling? Look at Dee Hock, chaordic development of VISA; build at virtual, articulated scale from the bottom up, "no one owns it", development by users.
What are characteristics that make a project appealing? Leadership on the ground and collective energy; partnerships (more than one organization), a concerted effort that can't be done just with .edu or .gov or .org; an "uncommon result"; innovation and disruptive technologies.
What do you do to stay on track? Foundations do not in general share their networks; insular, bad on PR, dissemination. 80% of his work is networking, dialog and finding people. Reading is 20%; Wired Magazine, Fast Company, and a tidal wave of reports. Academics are bad on "how to solve problems".
How do organizations continue the energy when the money is gone? Foundations are bad at exit strategy. $ -> systems change, not just operations. Self funding is not an expectation, but in some instances the .org has not explored as well as they can.
Where is the education and learning? Cross-field programs set you well in the future. "New knowledge" comes from bridging between fields, not just siloed down from specialties.
Ted is a UM graduate - we were comparing campus notes, I remembered shanties burning on the Diag, he remembered the 1989 basketball championship and riots on South U.
Posted by emv at March 29, 2006 04:00 PM