Heads Up runs after-school and summer education and enrichment programs for children and families living in the most under-resourced parts of Washington, DC.

Synopsis:

Heads Up is a considerably stronger organization than it was in 2001, better serving its students, families, and tutors. Its effectiveness and sustainability have increased substantially as well. Heads Up made this progress even as it navigated a leadership transition with the resignation of its founding Executive Director and overcame a revenue shortfall when it did not receive funds from a public agency for which it did considerable work to become eligible.

Key Accomplishments:

Heads Up's increased effectiveness resulted in more than doubling the number of students served daily over four years, growing from 320 to 655; a 70% expansion of its hours of service; an increase in number of schools covered from five to eight; a substantially improved curriculum; an average increase in reading levels of 1.1 grades; and a high parental approval rating of 94%. Based on a study of available 2004 and 2005 SAT-9 reading scores for Heads Up's third and fifth grade students:

• The average year-over-year gain in SAT-9 Normal Curve Equivalent scores was 4.0, greatly outpacing the expected average gain of zero.

• The percentage of Heads Up students scoring at or above national average increased from 30.2% in 2004 to 38.1% in 2005.

• 59% of students had positive gain scores.

Other noteworthy accomplishments that contributed to improved capacity and increased effectiveness include:

• Planning and Focus: Completed business planning in 2002, resulting in a well-defined expansion plan for how they would scale their tutoring program to serve more children in the District. Planning facilitated by McKinsey & Co.

• Human Capital-Board Management:

  • Successfully completed a leadership change

  • Met goals to strengthen senior management, integrating a COO/CFO

  • A good board was significantly improved and expanded, completing the transition from a founder-centric to a governing board.

• New Revenue: Significantly fortified future revenue by securing a continuing, public source of per student funding for nearly 300 students-a third of its students served. Increased awareness of Heads Up among high net worth donors in region after winning 2005 CharityWorks funding. More than quadrupled its annual support from AmeriCorps by winning a national competitive grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

• Performance Reporting: Defined and implemented outcomes assessment and performance management system, and now in process of refining based on experience gained.

• Innovative Partnership: Forged a unique partnership with three well-respected companies-Scholastic, Inc., Michaels Stores, and Binney & Smith-to produce "Read and Create Craft Packs" that opened up an opportunity for a new source of revenue, but more importantly, built awareness of its efforts.

Key Information

Date, years, and stage of VPP Investment:	July 2001; 4.5 years (later-stage; fully funded)
Capital committed and disbursed by VPP:	$2,074,000 committed and funded
Estimated children to be served in 2010:	1,400
Revenue increase & % budget growth:	$2.3 to $3.0 million - 30% increase in four years
Leveraged funding:	$3.9 million
Expansion to new places and coverage:	Three new schools covered