Exploring the world of foundations and nonprofits will be the focus of this three-lesson unit. The philanthropy themes are connected to American History benchmarks by relating the development of each of the foundations and nonprofits to local, state, and national events. The study of foundation budgets and annual reports reach economics benchmarks as well as explore issues of accurate reporting, mission statements and holding true to them. The experiential component of this lesson is twofold. Learners will visit the local chapter of the nonprofit agency or local foundation branch. While the learners are visiting, they will interview the director or representative. They will receive and investigate the annual report. A comprehensive report, utilizing peer-editing pedagogy, will be presented. The second experiential component is the creation of a foundation and nonprofit pamphlet for use by learners, counselors, parents and community members. The pamphlet will be available in the High School Counseling Office(s), the school media center and local community agency. As an extension, the learners may volunteer their time, talent or treasure to the foundation or other nonprofit agency of their choice. They can also job shadow in the agency in which they conducted the oral interview to learn more about it.

The learners will:

• demonstrate vocabulary necessary to research and identify different types of foundations: family, corporate, community, independent and grassroots organizations.
  
  
• discover the primary focus of at least five foundations and five nonprofit organizations operating in his/her community, state and nation.
  
  
• locate foundations and nonprofit organizations on a map, discovering the telephone number, and director’s name.
  
  
• relate the history of the organization or foundation as a response to and in cognizance of historical events, issues or crises.
  
  
• keep journal entries reflective of knowledge about the budget process.
  
  
• analyze an annual report of the foundation he/she has gathered information about, and answer questions in regard to the report.
  
  
• participate in classroom discussions which involve budgets, fund-raising, and distribution of funds.
  
  
• develop a plan of action based on results to better inform the community about services available.
  
  
• successfully demonstrate knowledge of budget process through an instructor- constructed testing instrument.
  
  
• develop a detailed action plan to formulate an effective budget.
  
  
• compile a pamphlet for community use.
  
  
• participate in reflection activities.
  
  
• evaluate the service experience.

Unit assessment will be done through assessment of journal writing, essays, presentation on the foundation or nonprofit of the learner’s choice, analyzing an annual report and answering questions regarding it, and conducting an oral interview with a director of a foundation or nonprofit of their choice. Other specifics in the assessment process are:

• The learner will complete a journal question concerning the term “budget.”
  
  
• Evaluate participation in class discussions involving budgets, fund-raising, and distribution of funds.
  
  
• Assess the analysis of an annual report of a foundation or nonprofit done through completion of a worksheet involving specific questions concerning the report.
  
  
• Evaluate the school/home question.

  Instructor-designed test instrument on key terms, knowledge and application of annual reports and budget process.
  

• Teacher observation.
  
  
• Learner participation in discussion and peer groups.
  
  
• Instructor-designed test of philanthropy content.