Gilbert Family Foundation’s Post

📣 Introducing Otley Common... This is a story about our towns, our streets, our buildings and our community. The spaces and places we all share, should share and need to share. They lead us to a deeper sense of place and connect us to each other. COMMON places that we can meet, learn, teach, work and enjoy. Places that make us feel proud. Places that speak to us, that we have helped create, we can have a stake in, that we build for the COMMON good. To create a new history – reinvented, renovated and reimagined. What our old COMMON buildings can be. These buildings were never constructed to serve the few, they were created in eras of civic pride, constructed for the common person. This is our collective commission – to become custodians of the building, to give it a new purpose, a new lease of life and meaning for the future and value to our town and all of us that live here. An open building that becomes a beacon, an inviting place for us all to use, to communicate, to comment. A place that combines the wealth of a community, its people, its resources and its spirit. Created from a cooperative approach and a true sense of duty. The building will be a place we all have in COMMON.  Find out how you can donate, invest, support and get involved in our plans to purchase and transform Otley Methodist Church at https://lnkd.in/e5_4S64k

We’re pleased to share a new impact report for the East Metro Main Street Economic Revitalization Program, which supported 42 Saint Paul nonprofits and businesses that faced immense challenges the past four years due to the pandemic, civil unrest and other obstacles. With support from F. R. Bigelow Foundation and other funding partners, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development granted $3.7 million to nonprofits and $3.3 million to businesses in the Snelling-University-Rice Cultural District, the East Side community and along West Seventh Street in Saint Paul. 100% of the funded projects serve communities that have been historically under- and dis-invested by traditional funding, and 85% of the projects are owned or led by people of color. We’re proud to have been a partner in this program and support the vitality of East Metro communities. Read more about the projects and their impact → https://hubs.ly/Q02x4vmn0 #EastMetroMainStreet #SaintPaul #CommunityDevelopment #StPaulMN

This really fines me hope for the future. Is it replicable? I have hope for that. What lessons were learned? People seem genuinely proud and happy in this picture. Can we get more of that? In defense of saving them but also to reinforce a process that includes the people — not THEIR people — in the decision-making and research process. Objective, third-party analysis on all the impacts. To all the people who care profoundly about their communities. Do you think we can model for a New and Improved Chicago Way? We really need it. For ALL the people. Help us, Brandon Johnson , you are one of many hopes. We just hope you can get on board. Reaching agreement is not easy when all kinds of groups within one community haven’t talked in years or decades. And we are well-trained to respond to fear and desperation messages. We get those from enough source. And we are well-trained to give up when money and power — and only money and power talk. That’s messed up.

We love small towns!  These are the wonderful places that form the backbone of America.  They are the main streets where every shop is owned by a local family, and there is a feeling of delight each time you walk through the door.  These are warm, caring communities where you know your neighbors, you care about their families – and they care about you.  There is a community spirit, a community pride, and a sense that these are the places we can truly call home.  And this is precisely why we created the Sunshine Initiative, along with our non-profit Small Town Turnaround organization – to revitalize and regenerate the positive energy that radiates and emanates throughout these wonderful small-town communities.   I grew up in a small town, known as the ‘Sunshine Town,’ Newport, New Hampshire.  Located in the western part of the state, Newport embodies this spirit of community in every possible way.  We cheer for our Newport High School Tiger athletes.  We attend Town Meeting, and we congregate at the Salt Hill Pub.  We love our Winter Carnival, the oldest winter carnival in the nation, and we go all out to welcome guests at our annual Apple Pie Fest on the Newport town common every August.  And these are just a few of the truly ‘Newport’ things that make our town special and unique.   The truth is that every town has its unique aspects, and in a sense, its own ‘story.’  And growing up in a small town or living in one as an adult, you cannot help but pick up the essential elements that define the community.  And, as you do, you develop a deep identity and a feeling of mutual respect and togetherness with others in the community.  It’s really something special. You are more than simply a number – in a small town, you are a valued member of the community – in a word, you are ‘special.’   With this in mind, we are dedicating this edition of the Sunshine Report – to a celebration of our small towns - in New Hampshire and across our great nation.  The more that we can foster a feeling of respect for the individual, the stronger our sense of community.  The greater our civility, the stronger our bonds are to one another.  And not surprisingly, these values form the core of the experiences we find in our small towns.

We’re pleased to share a new impact report for the East Metro Main Street Economic Revitalization Program, which supported 42 Saint Paul nonprofits and businesses that faced immense challenges the past four years due to the pandemic, civil unrest and other obstacles. With support from Mardag Foundation and other funding partners, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development granted $3.7 million to nonprofits and $3.3 million to businesses in the Snelling-University-Rice Cultural District, the East Side community and along West Seventh Street in Saint Paul. 100% of the funded projects serve communities that have been historically under- and dis-invested by traditional funding, and 85% of the projects are owned or led by people of color. We’re proud to have been a partner in this program and support the vitality of East Metro communities. Read more about the projects and their impact → https://hubs.ly/Q02x4CsJ0 #EastMetroMainStreet #SaintPaul #CommunityDevelopment #StPaulMN

This inspiring nonprofit was looking for a solution to refurnish their new office under a tight budget, yet they still wanted to create a warm and inviting environment for their employees and guests. AIS and OMNIA Partners, Nonprofit were able to provide them with the opportunity to purchase brand new furniture that offered substantial savings and allowed for them to stay in budget. OMNIA Partners, Nonprofit harnesses the power of cooperative purchasing to lower costs & simplify procurement decisions. For a nonprofit, like PACE, saving time and money is crucial to continued success and growth, and we are excited to continue our partnership with AIS to make it happen! Discover how this partnership turned a challenge into a savings triumph: https://hubs.la/Q02mhjjq0

You still have time to register for this webinar happening TOMORROW! Join AFN for the release of the new brief Advancing Shared Equity Homeownership as a Tool for Sharing Property and Power. Learn about this proven approach to expand homeownership and asset building TOMORROW, August 22nd at 1pm ET. Hear from #grantmakers and practitioners who are expanding on innovative models that enable more people to access the benefits of #homeownership and community ownership. Click here to register → https://loom.ly/smvfOJ0 #Philanthropy #Funders #HomeownershipEquity

Please know I’m from Brooklyn, with roots at the Christopher Street Pier, hot churches with big hats, and bodega OGs who know everything. So let’s gather. When I say #AskSade I am not playing. Shout out to the program officer who popped into my DMs and gave me permission to share a little: “What are real-time adjustments that we can make as a smaller more local funder committed to the fight, yes reserves, but no endowment?” I’ve got you! Movements are fluid, and so should our funding be. You’re right, philanthropy needs mechanisms for real-time adjustments based on the current climate. Mira (look): 1. Set up rapid-response reserves that don’t require lengthy approvals to deploy. 3 months is lengthy ya’ll! One month is cute. BUT for these grassroots movements at the tipping point, can you do 2 weeks? Breathe with me—can you do 2 days? What would it look like for program officers to hold autonomous rapid response and discretionary pots? What infrastructure do you need to make that happen? Plot twist—I’ve set it up. 2. Pre-Approved Contingency Funds!! What’s that? Ooo — let’s build additional funds into grant agreements. Imagine if funds would be automatically available if a crisis or unforeseen opportunity arises, removing the need for additional approval processes and applications?? We could also just…double grants (but I’m sensing that’s not where you are right now, which is cool #local —we need everyone!) YES, we can talk about pre-approved contingency funds too. Is it realistic? My DMs are open y’all. As Mother would say, “the library is open” as well. Am I reading you right now? (Google the phrase for my folks catching up). 3. Introductions to other funders for your grantees where you’re not *just* “oh they’re wonderful, meet xyz” but you have SET THEM UP. I don’t know sports yall, but an alley-oop doesn’t feel right… …assist! Yep, let’s give our grantees a rapid assist. Imagine if you fully grounded your funder connection AHEAD of that intro email—collaborate with your grantees, co-conspire, DREAM with actionable steps. Make time for this—unprompted. Anticipate asks. We always need more money, I guarantee it. Dear funders, we need you to become an active resource-builder for our work. That’s…also capacity building. More? Sure! #AskMe #AskSade #SadeKnows

📣Check out the *brand new* national community of practice: Community Field Notes, a hub for praxis in community control and ownership! 💥💥 How might #communities gain control over their #land and property? How might Black and Brown communities restore and repair? How might #immigrants build #wealth through ownership of land, #businesses and houses? If you're asking these questions, or curious for some answers, join us in the kickoff virtual session this Friday! ps. Check out the Resource Hub on the website if you want to start learning more from a curated set of reports, guides and manuals! #Economicjustice #communitywealthbuilding #accesstocapital #cooperative #communitylandtrust #landbanking