Here’s one of the ideas I’ve received for trying to help end some of SC’s disparities:
Here’s one of the proposals:
The following are the steps that will produce the I-95 FUTURE FOUNDATION of SOUTH CAROLINA:
1. Bring together the twelve most powerful people who care about this area and its economic problems and set them up as “Founders.” This will bring instant credibility.
2. Have these Founders raise one million dollars in seed capital. Place these funds with an existing organization such as the Palmetto Development Group [PDG].
3. Retain the services of a trusted individual in the national foundation community, such as George Pinnick who founded the FMS, to guide the creation of the organization.
4. Develop initial programs in three areas critical to growth: health, education and economic development. Programs would focus on investments in these areas and not grant making. Let these programs be cutting edge ones that do not overlap existing ones offered by other governmental or private organizations. Once it gives birth to the new foundation, the PDG can then become the development bank for the new initiative.
5. Raise $100 million dollars over ten years from national foundations for investments in the I-95 Corridor. Only then will we achieve scale in our attempt to eradicate extreme poverty in the region.
6. Establish a goal of reducing poverty in the region (currently 22%) to 15% by the 2020 census. This would eliminate all the “red” counties in SC on the Federal government’s map of persistent poverty.
By following the above steps, South Carolina would then join the twenty-three other states in the country that are free of extreme poverty. When our state is free of extreme poverty, it is free indeed.
For further information contact: The Palmetto Development Group
James L. Solomon, Jr., Board Chairman
jamesljr_solomon@bellsouth.net