PUBLISHED ON JUL 18, 2013

The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (EMCF) has approved investment of up to $2.75 million over three years in Youth Guidance to further expand its B.A.M. (Becoming a Man) program in Chicago and other parts of Illinois. The investment will consist of funding from EMCF, which seeks to transform the life trajectories of vulnerable and economically disadvantage youth, and the Social Innovation Fund (SIF), an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) that is focused on overcoming challenges confronting low-income Americans in need.                                                                              

“It’s been quite a summer for B.A.M. We just returned from the White House, where President Obama welcomed B.A.M. youth for his Father’s Day celebration. We are thrilled that the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, along with the President, Mayor Emanuel, Chicago Public Schools, and other local leaders, recognizes that B.A.M. is a program that makes a significant difference for at-risk youth and is worth investing in,” stated Youth Guidance’s CEO Michelle Morrison. “B.A.M. helps young men find evidence of their worth, strengthen their connection to and success in school, and reach their full potential. This funding will enable us to bring B.A.M. to more youth and to have lasting positive impact on those who can benefit from the program. Our biggest initial challenge will be to raise the matching funds we need to meet the grant requirements and carry out our growth plans so we can improve the lives of more of Chicago’s young men. Maintaining B.A.M.’s quality and integrity as we bring the program to more youth is our top priority – and we are confident that we will achieve that.”

The University of Chicago Crime Lab evaluated the B.A.M. program as part of the Chicago Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence Among School-Age Youth. The results showed that B.A.M.:

• Reduced violent crime arrests by 44%
• Reduced weapons crime and vandalism by 36%
• Reduced the likelihood of attending school in a juvenile justice setting by 53%
• Increased graduation rates by 10-23%
• Reduced failing grades by 37 percent

Youth Guidance is one of only three organizations selected for funding from 191 applicants nationwide, as part of EMCF’s second open national competition for EMCF SIF grants. “We congratulate CEO Michelle Morrison and all at Youth Guidance who have worked to make the BAM program so successful. We look forward to continuing our work as partners to evaluate the effectiveness of the work they are doing with Chicago-area youth,” said Roseanna Ander, Executive Director of the Crime Lab.

This news comes after the February announcement by Mayor Rahm Emanuel that the city of Chicago would provide an additional $2 million to expand the B.A.M. program. The University of Chicago Crime Lab is now beginning a two-year evaluation of the expanded B.A.M. program that will combine the cognitive-behavioral therapy of B.A.M. with intensive tutoring provided by Chicago tutors working for the Boston-based Match Education. The two-year evaluation is also generously supported by the MacArthur Foundation and other funders, and will work to better understand the social, emotional and educational impacts of BAM.

Read the full press release from Youth Guidance.

Read the Crime Lab's National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) paper on the B.A.M. program.

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