Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: City Forward Collective
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As:
Mailing Address: 700 W. Virginia Street, Suite 604
City: Milwaukee
State: Wisconsin
Postal Code: 53204
Main Phone: 4149885359
Main Fax:
Organization Website: www.cityforwardcollective.org
Employer ID Number: 39-1590212
Organization Tax Status: 501c3

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: 03/25/25
Requested Amount: 10,000

Project Title: Catalyzing High Quality Education in Milwaukee Schools
Project Description:

By 2035, City Forward Collective (CFC) will place 15,000 more Milwaukee students on the path to proficiency through access to high-quality school seats. This ambitious goal represents our commitment to transforming Milwaukee’s educational landscape to improve academic outcomes and prepare students for thriving and productive lives.

Milwaukee stands at a critical crossroads. The stark reality facing our city’s students demands immediate action: 79% of Milwaukee students are not performing at grade level, and 3 in 10 schools are chronically underperforming. This is not merely a statistic – it represents tens of thousands of young lives being denied the opportunity to reach their full potential.

CFC is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring high-quality school options for all Milwaukee students. We achieve this work through four pillars: Inform, Engage, Advocate and Catalyze.

We Inform: We offer insightful and incisive policy and data analysis about Milwaukee’s K-12 ecosystem and proactively identify evidence-based solutions to challenges faced by Milwaukee’s students and schools. 

We Engage: We regularly convene Collaboratives to connect and mobilize a diverse and powerful coalition of changemakers who care deeply about our children’s academics and futures: parents/families, school executives, teachers and principals, and civic and community leaders.

We Advocate: We boldly support local and state-level policies that create the conditions for excellent Milwaukee schools to thrive.

We Catalyze: We partner with and fund schools to address the challenges of growing excellent schools, including student recruitment, sourcing diverse talent, securing funding, and ensuring safe, high-quality learning environments for all students.

City Forward Collective (CFC) is a team of passionate educators and advocates working to provide a great school for all Milwaukee children whether they attend a Milwaukee Public School, an independent public charter school, or a private school accepting publicly funded tuition vouchers. We bring together parents, educators, board members, elected officials, and other community members to advance our mission.

Total Project Budget: 2.1 million

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): Tate Family Foundation (50K), Arzbaecher Family Foundation (150K), Kelben Foundation (250K), The City Fund (200K), Charter Manufacturing Company (50K)

Project Duration: Jan 2026-December 2026
Geographical Area Served: Milwaukee, WI
Age Group To Be Served: School Age Youth from 3-18

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms.
Contact First Name: Blaque
Contact Last Name: Robinson
Contact Title: Development Director
Contact Phone: 4143797594
Contact Email: blaque.robinson@cityforwardcollective.org