- Top Workplaces
- The Carver Foundation of Norwalk
The Carver Foundation of Norwalk
Founded in 1938, Carver’s mission is to close opportunity gaps for all children and to ensure they graduate high school on time and are ready for college and careers. Carver operates more than 50 before-school, after-school, and summer programs in all K-12 public schools in Norwalk, the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport, and the Carver Community Center in Norwalk. Carver programming aligns with in-school curricula, takes place within the students’ respective schools, and is led by each school’s daytime certified teachers. Recreational, wellness and cultural components enhance a variety of skills for children. Our primary goal is for all Carver students to transition to the next grade on time and prepared. 100% of Carver seniors graduate high school on time and almost all become first-generation college students. The nation's leading rating agencies give Carver their highest marks for financial excellence, program integrity, and organizational transparency.
Purpose
Defining Carver’s organizational culture is a process because the organization continues to grow. It takes time to build, which we have, and every staff member has a continuing role in cultivating it.
Carver’s executive leadership and Board of Directors impact the direction in which Carver will continue to evolve. It is up to this leadership team to reaffirm Carver’s values, maintain them, and steer the culture in the desired direction.
Due to Carver’s consistent expansion, Carver has a startup culture even though the organization was founded in 1938. Carver leaders influence the atmosphere of the workplace, and the morale that our teams carry. Carver’s well-defined personnel practices reverberate throughout the organization. For example, we regard transparency as one of its key tenets. Carver maintains robust donor privacy policies and we are always upfront and honest with our donors. We also practice these principles internally.
Carver’s culture includes practicing transparency; communicating with our staff members about our goals and progress; giving our staff high visibility into where our organization is currently, and where it’s headed; welcoming honest feedback; and taking the next steps and acting on the feedback we receive. Carver’s culture is intentionally defined, proactively practiced, and launched by leadership. We clearly communicate our values and live our culture in our actions.
Carver’s executive leadership and Board of Directors impact the direction in which Carver will continue to evolve. It is up to this leadership team to reaffirm Carver’s values, maintain them, and steer the culture in the desired direction.
Due to Carver’s consistent expansion, Carver has a startup culture even though the organization was founded in 1938. Carver leaders influence the atmosphere of the workplace, and the morale that our teams carry. Carver’s well-defined personnel practices reverberate throughout the organization. For example, we regard transparency as one of its key tenets. Carver maintains robust donor privacy policies and we are always upfront and honest with our donors. We also practice these principles internally.
Carver’s culture includes practicing transparency; communicating with our staff members about our goals and progress; giving our staff high visibility into where our organization is currently, and where it’s headed; welcoming honest feedback; and taking the next steps and acting on the feedback we receive. Carver’s culture is intentionally defined, proactively practiced, and launched by leadership. We clearly communicate our values and live our culture in our actions.
Vision
By integrating our mission statement into our nonprofit culture, we encourage our staff to have purpose with a passion. We believe that employees who express a higher level of mission attachment are also more likely satisfied and engaged with their work.
By defining Carver’s organizational culture, we also define how we treat our team and set an example for how we want our team to treat one another. Talented people want to work for people who care about them, and when our staff members feel valued and empowered, it directly impacts their motivation and productivity at work.
We demonstrate that all ideas and personal development are valued. We heighten our employees’ excitement and commitment to our mission by making them feel like their work matters. We foster an inclusive culture where they feel like they can communicate freely, express their ideas, and directly influence the success of our organization.
By defining Carver’s organizational culture, we also define how we treat our team and set an example for how we want our team to treat one another. Talented people want to work for people who care about them, and when our staff members feel valued and empowered, it directly impacts their motivation and productivity at work.
We demonstrate that all ideas and personal development are valued. We heighten our employees’ excitement and commitment to our mission by making them feel like their work matters. We foster an inclusive culture where they feel like they can communicate freely, express their ideas, and directly influence the success of our organization.
Mission
Carver’s mission is to close opportunity gaps for all children and to ensure they graduate high school on time and ready for college and careers.
Additional Culture Details
Founded in 1938, Carver’s mission is to close opportunity gaps for all children and to ensure they graduate high school on time and are ready for college and careers.
Carver operates more than 50 before school, after-school, and summer programs in every K-12 public school in Norwalk, the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport, and the Carver Community Center.
Carver programming aligns with in-school curricula, takes place within the students’ respective schools, and is led by each school’s daytime certified teachers. Recreational, wellness and cultural components enhance a variety of skills for children. Our primary goal is for all Carver students to transition to the next grade on time and prepared.
Carver kids are the heroes of the Carver story. Carver leads a highly collaborative citywide system in Norwalk that leverages and coordinates efforts and financial and in-kind resources. We close opportunity gaps for young people. Every school calls its Carver after-school and summer program by its own unique name. Our students are seen by their peers as being motivated, capable, success-oriented, and having the school spirit. That’s because that is who they are.
Students typically participate in Carver programs throughout their K-12 school years. Carver removes barriers to participation and designs its programming with a focus on students achieving successful transitions to the next grade.
Carver operates more than 50 before school, after-school, and summer programs in every K-12 public school in Norwalk, the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport, and the Carver Community Center.
Carver programming aligns with in-school curricula, takes place within the students’ respective schools, and is led by each school’s daytime certified teachers. Recreational, wellness and cultural components enhance a variety of skills for children. Our primary goal is for all Carver students to transition to the next grade on time and prepared.
Carver kids are the heroes of the Carver story. Carver leads a highly collaborative citywide system in Norwalk that leverages and coordinates efforts and financial and in-kind resources. We close opportunity gaps for young people. Every school calls its Carver after-school and summer program by its own unique name. Our students are seen by their peers as being motivated, capable, success-oriented, and having the school spirit. That’s because that is who they are.
Students typically participate in Carver programs throughout their K-12 school years. Carver removes barriers to participation and designs its programming with a focus on students achieving successful transitions to the next grade.
Values
- EQUITY
- Equal is not equitable. Carver provides the resources that help our students thrive. Since our founding in 1938, we are a community that believes all children and youth are defined by their own strengths, abilities, and inherent value. We believe all children and youth are entitled to respect, dignity, equality, safety, and security. We work to expand opportunities wherever children live and learn, with respect for every child’s needs and identities--including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, ability, age, native language, and faith. We recognize that access to opportunity is not equal; our initiatives work to bridge gaps across many of the interwoven systemic inequities that exist in our society--especially for historically marginalized communities. We also recognize that this is an ongoing process that will require intentional thought, education, and action.
Headquarters
Norwalk, CT
Employees
290 US Employees
Industry
Education - Other