LISC Chicago’s Post

It's official! The Trust for Civic Life has launched! An exciting day for folks building civic infrastructure, particularly in rural communities. From Hollie Russon Gilman, Ph.D.: The Trust is a new philanthropic collaborative and learning network with a simple mission: support local efforts that bring residents together to solve challenges they decide are most critical for their community to thrive. In times of polarization, we believe this is one critical step in the process of rebuilding trust in each other and forging a deeper democracy. https://lnkd.in/gQwUbPPH #democracy

SE Michigan will be a better place to live when nonprofits meet their missions. When all people have housing, when cancers are cured, when people stop contributing to climate change etc. Yet, despite decades of incremental progress, the issues nonprofits exist to buffer or erase persist. This is partially due to isolation and segregation. Even when there's overlap in our missions and visions, nonprofits often tackle their work alone. To transform our future, we need to work together across organizations, sectors, communities, and identities. And to collaborate across difference, we need to build relationships based on trust and accountability. The renovated NEW Center will create space for authentic, organic connection and collaboration between mission-driven people across our ecosystem. It will become a place where changemakers come together and no one is pushed to the margins. With space to bring everyone impacted to the table, we'll finally be able to make real progress towards a just and thriving society. Learn more about the NEW Center Transformation and how you can support by visiting our website: https://lnkd.in/gjGxmWpt

SE Michigan will be a better place to live when nonprofits meet their missions. When all people have housing, when cancers are cured, when people stop contributing to climate change etc. Yet, despite decades of incremental progress, the issues nonprofits exist to buffer or erase persist. This is partially due to isolation and segregation. Even when there's overlap in our missions and visions, nonprofits often tackle their work alone. To transform our future, we need to work together across organizations, sectors, communities, and identities. And to collaborate across difference, we need to build relationships based on trust and accountability. The renovated NEW Center will create space for authentic, organic connection and collaboration between mission-driven people across our ecosystem. It will become a place where changemakers come together and no one is pushed to the margins. With space to bring everyone impacted to the table, we'll finally be able to make real progress towards a just and thriving society. Learn more about the NEW Center Transformation and how you can support by visiting our website: https://lnkd.in/gjGxmWpt

We have been hired as a consultant by RootED Denver (a nonprofit organization supporting great schools in Denver) to gauge community interest in our concept within DPS communities. Over the next two months, we will be contacting and meeting with schools, community-based nonprofits, neighborhood groups, and neighborhood organizations to get their feedback on the following questions: From your perspective, is declining enrollment due to population shifts a problem? What is the degree/extent of the problem? What is the shared understanding of the problem? How should the problem be approached (our model incentivizes districts to participate as partners, lifts community desires, finds compromises through information and neutral facilitation, builds cross-sector coalitions, and funnels resources into communities from foundations through community nonprofits)? What would be an adequate timeline for community-led work in resolving the problem (in the presentation, we use a hypothetical timeline of two years)? Thank you, Ambar Suero and Patrick Donovan for all of your support!

We all believe that SE Michigan will be a better place to live when nonprofits meet their missions. When all people have housing, when cancers are cured, when people stop contributing to climate change etc. Yet, despite decades of incremental progress, the need is still there. Nonprofits and the issues they exist to buffer or erase persist. This is partially due to isolation and segregation within our communities. Even when there's overlap in our missions and visions, nonprofits often tackle their work alone. To transform our future, we need to work together across organizations, sectors, communities, and identities. And to collaborate across difference, we need to build relationships based on trust and accountability. The renovated NEW Center will create space for authentic, organic connection and collaboration between mission-driven people across our ecosystem. It will become a place where changemakers come together and no one is pushed to the margins. With space to bring everyone impacted to the table, we'll finally be able to make real progress towards a just and thriving society. Learn more about the NEW Center Transformation and how you can support by visiting our website: https://lnkd.in/gjGxmWpt

Take a listen to learn more about why EquaSpace matters to our nonprofit ecosystem. We have absorbed a lot of insights from The Nonprofit Centers Network #nonprofitleadership #socialpurposerealestate #realestateforgood #nonprofits

Standing between two remarkable partners and incredible women, Megan Henderson and Angie Gallaway, at the Near Southside, Inc. member meetup hosted at the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth location. On my right, the great Megan Henderson with the Near Southside—an organization wholly committed to revitalizing Fort Worth’s Near Southside. Their mission extends beyond mere redevelopment; they foster connections between local businesses, nonprofits, and the community. Near Southside has partnered with us on two fronts as: 1. Business Association (T1T Community Leader): They lead the charge in empowering their city by uniting businesses and driving positive change through the That1Things platform. 2. Near Southside Arts (Nonprofit Arm): Their vision? To be Fort Worth’s creative epicenter—a hub for artistic expression. And on my left stands Angie Gallaway, with the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth. We’re confident that either you or someone you know has benefited from their invaluable services. As we continue to collaborate across sectors, amplifying organizational impact, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to these partners. Together, we’re building a regenerative ecosystem that bridges business with community needs, allowing everyone to make an impact and leave their mark on the community. To all who seek community engagement, join us in demonstrating the value of shared experiences. Let’s make a lasting impact. #socialimpact #changemakers #chambersofcommerce #socialinnovation #circulareconomy

In 2022, Audacity Group collaborated with the Baltimore Family Alliance and utilized the #MyBmore Project to unite residents and ideas to promote change in Charm City. The findings from the final report are the north star for organizations like #MyBmore Project, which are committed to filling the gap between the information our communities need to engage and the resources they need to feel empowered. 1️⃣ No More Silos 🔸 We are intentionally insulating our efforts in Baltimore. The information that most impacts the local community needs to reach the people that the local community says they listen to the most: grassroots organizations, nonprofits, and artists. 🔸 Grassroots, Nonprofits, and artists require one organization that is held accountable for keeping their community informed, engaged, and connected to resources and business development. 2️⃣ Who Is Serving the People Who Serve? 🔸 Our first line of defense in Baltimore is grassroots leaders and nonprofit organizations. Still, they are stretched beyond means and grossly under-resourced, and if not immediately addressed, the city will risk losing its most critical support on the ground. 3️⃣ Uplift Your Storytellers 🔸The best way to uplift positive storytelling in Baltimore is to amplify the impact made by the grassroots and artivists in Baltimore. 🔸Grassroots and Nonprofit leaders are the city's stars, and their narratives align with each of the critical indicators needed for a healthy city: housing, transportation, education, workforce development, innovation, youth empowerment, health, and wellness. 🔸Baltimore must redefine the grant funding structure. If the grassroots could receive this funding directly, they could build capacity, allowing organizations to be weaned off services and provide opportunities for others. Dionne Joyner-Weems #MyBmore #MyMaryland

📣📣📣 Today the Trust for Civic Life announced its first slate of grantees. Check out the link below if you’re curious about what solar panels on churches, small business loans, hands-on farming, and mobile libraries have in common. Spoiler alert: They’re all examples of how people across rural and small town America are innovating around collective decision making in ways that demonstrate small "d" democracy in action. At Omidyar Network, our Building Cultures of Belonging work is predicated on a belief that belonging requires more than just interpersonal or intergroup connection — it necessarily must be grounded in co-creation, agency, and voice. It’s not just about connections, it’s also about the containers that shape those connections — the places and spaces where people come together to problem solve across lines of difference. Recognizing the need to reimagine and reinvest in those containers — the civic infrastructure that constitutes the seams of our fraying democracy — is what led us to help establish the Trust for Civic Life, a grantmaking collaborative launched this year that connects national and regional philanthropy with rural efforts that strengthen community bonds, civic engagement, and everyday democracy. Proud to Chair this effort and be in active partnership with the Trust team, led by Charlie Brown, as well as Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Stand Together, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and many others. https://lnkd.in/eU_BJH4E

The findings from the final report are the north star for organizations like #MyBmore Project which are committed to filling the gap between the information our communities need to engage and the resources they need to feel empowered. Learn more at www.mybmoreproject.com!