The Manoomin (Wild Rice) Project

Program Mission Statement:

(self-reported)

The Manoomin Project works with at-risk youth, local juvenile courts and Native American Tribes to restore 7 wetlands and lakes by planting once-native wild rice. The ongoing project teaches at-risk youth an appreciation for their natural environment, native customs, and good environmental stewardship, while having fun in an outdoor setting. It’s an alternative program for youth who are on probation that teaches self-esteem, respect for American Indian faiths/traditions/culture, and the importance of protecting the environment, all this with a faith-based influence (plus additional religious input if desired by the teen).

Score Summary

Overall Score:	Excellent
Practice Principles:	Excellent
Faith Related Elements:	Better
Outcome Measures:	Better
Change Process:	Excellent

Program Facts

• Paid (FTE) Staff Working: 3
• Program Participants Last Year: 62
• Meets about 4 time(s) with each participant per month
• Participants remain in the program for 12 months

Board Activities

Funding Overview

(self-reported)

	This Program	This Organization
Organization Budget: $98,700 Program Budget: $16,400
Foundation Grants	60%	33%
Government Grants/Contracts	0%	0%
Individual Gifts	30%	17%
Business/Corporate Gifts	10%	10%
Congregation/Denominational Gifts	0%	15%
Dues/Fees/Income	0%	0%
Other	0%	25%
	Average Program Funding From All Samaritan Programs	Average Organization Funding From All Samaritan Organizations
The next charts display the average funding sources for all programs currently in the Samaritan Guide for your comparison. Average Organization Budget: $3,820,907 Average Program Budget: $480,643
Foundation Grants	24%	18%
Government Grants/Contracts	3%	8%
Individual Gifts	36%	33%
Business/Corporate Gifts	9%	8%
Congregation/Denominational Gifts	9%	10%
Dues/Fees/Income	7%	9%
Other	10%	11%

It is important to maintain diverse income sources for your programs and for your oganization as a whole. Doing so provides long-term financial stability to your organizations and programs. It is also important to note that government funding often comes with stipulations and restrictions. More information is available in the Raising Resources Toolkit - pdf.

Score Details

Program Focus
Program Mission	Clarity and specificity of the program's mission statement.	Excellent
Target Population	Clarity and specificity of the programs target clientele.	Excellent
Eligibility Criteria	Clarity and specificity of the program's eligibility criteria.	Good
Program Requirements	Well defined requirements for client participation.	Better
Referrals From Other Organizations	Do other organizations recommend this program to their clientele.	Good
Referrals to Other Organizations	Does this program recommend other programs to their clients?	Excellent
Volunteer to Staff Ratio	Are volunteers effectively incorporated into the program?	Good
Past Participant Recruiting	Are past program participants recruited as volunteers?	Excellent
Evaluation and Practice Princples
Practice Principles	How supports and resources are provided to increase outcomes.	Excellent
Outcome Measurement	The ability to measure stated program outcomes.	Better
Change Process	Specific and measurable statement of the program's goals.	Excellent
Faith Related Elements	Integration of faith related elements.	Better
Measurement Frequency	Frequency of measuring client outcomes.	Excellent
Program Evaluation	Level of the budget allocated to measuring client outcomes.	Excellent
Institutional Stability
Organization Age	A measure of the organization's durability.	Excellent
Board Oversight	How involved in the program are the members of its board?	Excellent
Program Duration	Average duration of a clients participation with a program.	Better
Finances
Budget Diffusion	Diversity of the programs funding sources.	Good
Government Funding	Does this program accept little or no government funding?	Excellent

Program Score Details

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Outcomes & Measures:

(self-reported)

Scoring for this section is based on the organizations ability to provide at least three clear and specific outcomes with corresponding measures in which a relationship is shown between outcomes and measures.

Outcome 1: The successful planting of seven wetland sites with wild rice that was one an essential and vital part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan ecosystem but disappearing due to many reasons including logging and other man-related impact. Surveys by at-risk youth and American Indian guides in summer of 2006 showed the rice is thriving.

Measure Used:
On-site surveys, maps, documentation and photos that show the rice thriving.

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Outcome 2: Increased self-esteem and self-empowerment in at-risk youth

Measure Used:
Interviews by media with at-risk teens involved in project. Project feedback from probation officers who are in charge of the at-risks teens’ case files. Spontaneous statements by at-risk youth to project donors and other supporters during “Blessing of the Wild Rice” gathering.

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Outcome 3: Reduction of racism and prejudice

Measure Used:
The numbers of positive interactions between the at-risk youth and Native Americans and other project participants. Interviews by media with the at-risk teens and other participants.

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Outcome 4: Enhancement of personal skills involving research, reading and presentations by the at-risk youth who have planted the wild rice and those who have conducted growth surveys and testing to determine if the wild rice is thriving and under what conditions.

Measure Used:
Selected communications and presentations by the youth participants at public gathering. This include impressive conduct and interpersonal skills during “Blessing of Wild Rice” gathering. Photographs of youth interacting with adults and of the youth participating in American Indian traditional ceremonies at the gathering.

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Outcome 5: Building collaborative partnerships between Native Americans, environmentalists, juvenile courts and faith traditions.

Measure Used:
Numerous meetings between representatives of these sectors who have also suggested similar collaborations on other projects

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Change Process:

(self-reported)

Scoring for this section is based on the organizations ability to provide clear, measurable, client-focused stages of change based on participant participation.

At-risk youth have gained self-esteem, knowledge about the environment and appreciation for the Native American culture.

For the fourth summer, the teens are participating in a practical hands-on project that will benefit both the land and the residents of the Upper Peninsula.

Juvenile court officials and probation officers have noticed a change in some of the at-risk youth including in their attitudes toward American Indians and other cultures.

Youth are exposed to a wide-range of faith-based values and have the chance for further religion education if they desire.

This is accomplished by close interaction between the teens and members of the Native American community during day-long walking trips to remote sights, on-site planting and participation in Indian traditions/blessings; and sharing meals and classroom time with Native American.

This positive exposure and interaction between the at-risk youth (some from low-income white families with dysfunctional family situations) helps break down barriers and prejudice.

Some of the prejudice is simply lack of exposure or knowledge of Native American culture.

The teens are learning how to take water acidity tests and other in-the-field measurements, the different stages of wild rice, and other ways to document a ongoing project.

Different groups of at-risk teens are used in every outing so the evaluation is independent and they can see the impact that peers are having on the environment.

This also maximizes the interaction between numbers of teens and the American Indian culture and ceremonies.

These skills can be applied to other projects or jobs held by the youth in the future.

Program Score - Historical Review

Note: Significant decreases in scores may be the result of incomplete data in a Samaritan Award application.

End Notes

Incomplete Applications

Significant decreases in certain scores may indicate failure to comprehensively complete certain sections of the Samaritan Award application. Please be sure to fill out every question in the Samaritan Award application.

Relative Scoring

Total program scores are partially computed against other programs from within the same pool of applications and so are not cumulative.

Additional Reference Material

More information on scoring and methodology may be found on the Samaritan Guide and Award website.

Acton Institute Relationship

The Samaritan Guide and Samaritan Award are projects run by the Acton Institute. Inclusion in the Guide does not signify endorsement by the Acton Institute. More information on why the Acton Institute runs this project is available online.