WELCOME TO
Education. Civic Participation. Democracy.
We develop and support educational initiatives that give young people a greater voice in shaping the societies they will inherit.
A New Focus on Civic Education
After more than fifteen years supporting educational and community projects, Linley Foundation made a strategic decision to concentrate its resources on civic education and participation.
At the center of this work is the Civic Portrait, a civic education model and technology platform designed to capture, explore, and connect the aspirations of young people.
The America I Want is ...
A Civic Portrait
Two or three sentences. No explanation of the process.
Our first Civic Portrait—and the Foundation's principal focus—is The America I Want, a national civic education initiative that gives students across the country a voice in a national conversation about America's future.
VISIT THE AMERICA I WANT →
FROM A NATIONAL CIVIC PORTRAIT TO A GLOBAL IDEA
The America I Want is our first Civic Portrait. Once the model is established nationally, it can be adapted for other democratic societies -giving young people the opportunity to explore the future they want for their own countries and, eventually, compare their aspirations across borders.
Where We Began
OVERSEAS
Linley Foundation's beginnings were modest and practical.
For more than fifteen years, the Foundation supported educational and community projects, primarily in northeastern Brazil. Rather than pursue a single large program, we worked with local educators and community leaders on projects where relatively small investments could make a tangible difference.
They also helped shape a conviction that now informs the Foundation's work in civic education:
Education is most powerful when people are not simply taught an idea, but are given the opportunity to experience and practice it themselves.
That conviction is at the heart of The America I Want.
Espelho Project
2005 / 2007
An educational program in northeastern Brazil used the care of abused horses to teach children compassion, reading, and writing.
Emergency Housing
2008
Following severe flooding in Rio Tinto, Brazil, Linley helped fund the rebuilding of homes for families who had lost them.
Community Health
2015
Working with local leaders, Linley helped fund the land and construction of a permanent community health clinic in Barra de Mamanguape, Brazil.
SOS Donkeys
2007 / 2015
Linley helped support a sanctuary for abandoned donkeys displaced as traditional forms of transportation gave way to motorcycles.
Looking Forward
2015 /2020
Linley provided scholarships and educational and technical training to help young adults pursue opportunities beyond their economic circumstances.
School Improvements
2017 / 2019
Linley funded improvements to rural schools to help provide students with educational facilities comparable to those available in urban communities.