The best learning comes from people who are right in the middle of the work - deeply engaged, deeply committed, and constantly exploring what they can do to be more effective.
Kathy Szenda Wilson, Director of Neighborhood Grantmaking at the Battle Creek Community Foundation, responded to one of our weekly update's "question of the week" with insights about the relationship between grantmaking criteria and the amount of money requested.
Read what Kathy had to say about her experience in Battle Creek.
Sandy Heierbacher, Founder and Co-Director of the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation, joined her colleagues in the public engagement field to respond to President Obama's "Open Government Directive" by developing seven Core Principles for Public Engagement to better define quality public engagement.
Read what Sandy shared with recently about developing the document, and what Paul Leistner, Neighborhood Program Coordinator with the City of Portland's Office of Neighborhood Involvement says about the contribution that the Principles are already making to public dialogue in Portland.
Helen L'Annunziata is coordinator for Better Together, a grassroots grantmaking program in northern California's Humboldt County. The program is part of a broad county-wide initiative call First 5 Humboldt, designed to improve the health of families and community through asset and capacity building, and social cohesion. These play out in a wide range of arenas, including employment, education, housing, health, and transportation.
Read what Helen shared with us recently about the role that Better Together is playing to advance social justice and build a movement for social change in Humboldt County.
Tom David is Senior Strategist with the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI), a program that began with a focus on building technological capacity of community clinics in California. CCI is now thinking more deeply about the ways clinics can help expand their networks in communities to promote health.
Read what Tom shared with us recently about the evolution of CCI and new Networking for Community Health program - a program that reflects the values of grassroots grantmaking.
Cheryl King Fischer is Executive Director of the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund, a funder/activist collaborative that works to ensure civic engagement in community projects that build and maintain healthy, safe, and environmentally sustainable communities,
Read what Cheryl shared with us recently about her work with NEGEF and how grassroots grantmaking through an environmental lens is working to tap into the creativity, energy and power of formal and informal groups.in New England.
Drew O'Connor is co-director of The Civic Canopy, a Denver, Colorado based networking organization that “helps bring together the players and capacities needed to work on a critical community issue.” O’Connor’s sense is that a well and healthy community is one that focuses on results, is inclusive, has high-quality dialogue, acts and learns from what they do. These characteristics comprise a cycle that becomes stronger the more it’s practiced.
Read what Drew shared with us recently about his work with The Civic Canopy and what he is learning about the relationship between community resilience, effective local democracy and grassroots grantmaking.
Four years ago, Sharnita Johnson, Program Officer at the Skillman Foundation in Detroit, was asked to design a small grants program that would provide a new community change avenue for the foundation and more directly address the concerns and wishes of neighborhood residents. Sharnita designed and launched a new grassroots grantmaking program and then selected a local intermediary to manage the program.
Read what Sharnita (Grassroots Grantmakers board member) shared with us recently about launching a grassroots grantmaking program and what she has learned about the value-added of working from a "we begin with residents" perspective.
Richard Rodrigues, Program Coordinator for the Hawaii People's Fund, is committed to telling the real story of Hawaii and sharing a vision of a ust, equitable, and sustainable society, particularly as it affects hawaii's indigenous population.
Read what Richard shared with us about the work of the Hawaii People's Fund and his commitment to revealing the story of the disparities between those with and without resources in Hawaii.
Donna Newton, Liaison to Greensboro's Building Stronger Neighborhoods grassroots grantmaking program and Advisor to the Greensboro Neighborhood Congress, came to this work after a highly successful career as an insurance company executive. Her ability to move ideas into action has been an invaluable asset for Building Stronger Neighborhoods. Donna has found new challenges in this new position, however, that have helped her develop new skills and helped her see new qualities in herself.
Read what Donna says about transitioning from a private sector career to work with a grassroots grantmaking program.
Margaret Mwale is associate director for community relations for the grassroots grantmaking program that is funded by an annual offering collected by Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation.
Read what Margaret says about the Presbyterian Committee for the Self-Development of People.
Kirk Noden, Executive Director of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative,is an experienced organizer. Kirk had worked in Chicago and Birmingam, England before he moved to Youngstown, Ohio. where he discovered that there is one vacant lot for every 2.5 people.
Read what Kirk says about the opportunities and challenges of working in Youngstown.
Doug Woodard, Project Advisor for the Battle Creek Community Foundation's Neighborhood Venture Investment Program and former small business owner, says that if he had been required to do that is required to establish a non-profit organization when he launched his small business, he probably would not have been successful.
Read what Doug and others associated with the Battle Creek Community Foundation's Neighborhood Venture Investment Program are doing to support grassroots, social entrepreneurs with a social vision to build on their experience with their first grant, and what they are learning about the challenges associated with the traditional non-profit models.
“When we talk about capacity building, sometimes we're really talking about confidence,” says Sarah McCarthy, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Resource Center of Colorado.
Read what Sarah has learned about the importance of $100 grants for building confidence and capacity.
Julie Black is Citizen Engagement Associate at the Calgary Foundations, and manages two grantmaking programs that promote belonging and neighbourliness in Calgary's neighborhoods.
Read what Julie has learned about the value of neighbourliness in a young and rapidly growing city, and how work at the Calgary Foundation has changed her perspective on her community.
Kathy Szenda Wilson is Director of Neighborhood Programs at the Batle Creek Community Foundation, and manages the foundation's highly successful Yes we can! Neighborhood Grants program.
Read what Kathy has learned about working with a resident-led grantmaking committee and creating space for resident voice in the Battle Creek community.
Betty Alonso, Associate Director of Programs at the Dade Community Foundation in Miami, was recently selected to serve as the Chair of Grassroots Grantmakers' Board of Directors. Betty began her involvement with Grassroots Grantmakers as a member of a planning committee that designed a 1-day conference in 2004.
We all get connected to this work in different ways and for different reasons. Read what led Betty to develop her passion for resident-centered work, and what is keeping her commitment strong.
Remember when you were new to the world of philanthropy? What were your feelings and perceptions as you tried to find your place in the complex puzzle of community change?
We recently asked Tom O'Brien, Program Director of Neighborhood Connections, The Cleveland Foundation's grassroots grantmaking program, to share what he is learning as he is shifting from his long time role working on the ground to his new role as grantmaker.
Read Tom O'Brien's personal story here. Learn how he is tapping into his memories of what it was like on the other side of the table to establish a climate of "radical hospitality".
Read the editorial that Kathy Szenda Wilson, Director of Neighborhood Programs for the Battle Creek Community Foundation, recently wrote for her local newspaper.
Read the op-ed piece that Sarah wrote to make a case for a larger investment in community building and local intermediaries such as neighborhood resource centers.
Kathy Szenda Wilson, Director of Neighborhood Grantmaking at the Battle Creek Community Foundation, responded to one of our weekly update's "question of the week" with insights about the relationship between grantmaking criteria and the amount of money requested.
Sandy Heierbacher, Founder and Co-Director of the 
Helen L'Annunziata is coordinator for Better Together, a grassroots grantmaking program in northern California's Humboldt County. The program is part of a broad county-wide initiative call 
Tom David is Senior Strategist with the 
Cheryl King Fischer is Executive Director of the 
Drew O'Connor is co-director of 
Four years ago, Sharnita Johnson, Program Officer at the Skillman Foundation in Detroit, was asked to design a small grants program that would provide a new community change avenue for the foundation and more directly address the concerns and wishes of neighborhood residents. Sharnita designed and launched a new grassroots grantmaking program and then selected a local intermediary to manage the program.
Richard Rodrigues, Program Coordinator for the Hawaii People's Fund, is committed to telling the real story of Hawaii and sharing a vision of a ust, equitable, and sustainable society, particularly as it affects hawaii's indigenous population. 
Donna Newton, Liaison to Greensboro's Building Stronger Neighborhoods grassroots grantmaking program and Advisor to the Greensboro Neighborhood Congress, came to this work after a highly successful career as an insurance company executive. Her ability to move ideas into action has been an invaluable asset for Building Stronger Neighborhoods. Donna has found new challenges in this new position, however, that have helped her develop new skills and helped her see new qualities in herself.
Margaret Mwale is associate director for community relations for the grassroots grantmaking program that is funded by an annual offering collected by Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation. 
Kirk Noden, Executive Director of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative,is an experienced organizer. Kirk had worked in Chicago and Birmingam, England before he moved to Youngstown, Ohio. where he discovered that there is one vacant lot for every 2.5 people.
Doug Woodard, Project Advisor for the Battle Creek Community Foundation's Neighborhood Venture Investment Program and former small business owner, says that if he had been required to do that is required to establish a non-profit organization when he launched his small business, he probably would not have been successful. 
“When we talk about capacity building, sometimes we're really talking about confidence,” says Sarah McCarthy, Executive Director of the 
Julie Black is Citizen Engagement Associate at the Calgary Foundations, and manages two grantmaking programs that promote belonging and neighbourliness in Calgary's neighborhoods. 
Kathy Szenda Wilson is Director of Neighborhood Programs at the Batle Creek Community Foundation, and manages the foundation's highly successful Yes we can! Neighborhood Grants program.
Betty Alonso, Associate Director of Programs at the Dade Community Foundation in Miami, was recently selected to serve as the Chair of Grassroots Grantmakers' Board of Directors. Betty began her involvement with Grassroots Grantmakers as a member of a planning committee that designed a 1-day conference in 2004. 
Remember when you were new to the world of philanthropy? What were your feelings and perceptions as you tried to find your place in the complex puzzle of community change? 
