My Brother’s Keeper 2016 Progress Report

Posted by White House on May 2, 2016

My Brother’s Keeper
2016 Progress Report
Two Years of Expanding Opportunity and Creating Pathways to Success

Two years have passed since the President signed a Presidential Memorandum in 2014 establishing the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Task Force (the Task Force), a coordinated Federal effort to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential.

In response to the President’s call to action, nearly 250 communities in all 50 states have accepted the President’s My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge; more than $600 million in private sector and philanthropic grants and in-kind resources and $1 billion in low-interest financing have been committed in alignment with MBK; and new federal policy initiatives, grant programs, and guidance are being implemented to ensure that every child has a clear pathway to success from cradle to college and career.

The Task Force, which makes available evidence-based policies and practices, and leverages existing data to inform interventions and improve accountability, is organized around key life milestones that have been shown to be predictive of positive outcomes later in life:

1. Entering school ready to learn;
2. Reading at grade level by third grade;
3. Graduating from high school ready for college and career;
4. Completing postsecondary education or training;
5. Successfully entering the workforce; and
6. Reducing violence and providing a second chance to justice-involved youth.

Since MBK’s first anniversary report a little more than one year ago, more than 50 additional communities have accepted the My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge, including those in seven new states, independent private sector support for grants and in-kind resources has more than doubled to more than $600 million, and more than 80% of the recommendations the MBK Task Force sent to the President two years ago are complete or on track.

This report tracks progress achieved in the past year on efforts to make a measurable difference in the lives of young people. These priorities fall into three interdependent priorities articulated by the President: (1) engaging state and local communities; (2) increasing engagement by businesses, philanthropic organizations, and nonprofits; and (3) reviewing and reforming public policy.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/images/MBK-2016-Progress-Report.pdf