I launched this topic in June 2005 feeling that there must be other people who visit Omidyar.net who lead non profit organizations working with inner city youth, and that your constant search of operating dollars would make you want to be part of a discussion focused on making such dollars more available.

Based on the number of responses, that does not seem to be the case. However, just to update the topic, the work I've been doing in Chicago for the past 14 years was rewarded in November 2006 when a $2 million award was given to a fund at the Chicago Bar Association (http://www.lend-a-hand.net ) which will redistribute those dollars as grants to volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in Chicago over the next few years.

To get a sense of the magnitude of this, the LAH grants in 2006 totaled around $30,000. In 2007 and for each of the next 10 years, the total could be $200,000 or more.

Imagine if that were happening in your city, or if we could encourage other industry leaders to duplicate this. That would provide more consistent dollars for us to do the work of connecting youth with volunteer tutors/mentors and learning experiences.

You might say, "Well, what is the Tutor/Mentor Connection?" Here's a concept map that you can view to answer that question. http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servl et/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=117 8301962705_378512451_14531&p artName=htmltext

This map is one of several linked concept maps that illustrate how one small organization in a huge city is trying to make an impact on the lives of thousands of at risk youth, and the volunteers who connect with them as tutors/mentors.