Posted by Gayle Gifford on August 20, 2008 in Big ideas, Communicating, Good reads, Public engagement, Strategic Thinking
As you may know, I’ve been very concerned about the growing trend in our sector to undervalue the contributions of the tiniest of the organizations and associations among us. While I know that there are many organizations of the smallest size that no longer exist or are barely scraping by, I also know that some very powerful and transformative work is happening down in those grassroots trenches … whether that work is the one-on-one mentoring from a sports coach to the community preservation advocacy of a small neighborhood association.
So it’s great, for a change, to read a book by someone who really gets it. I’ve just finished my first read through of Peter Block’s latest book Community, the structure of belonging and believe it is a must read for anyone who is thinking about community and social capital.
(A small confession — I’ve been a fan of Block’s since I got hooked on Stewardship while I was a grad student at Antioch New England University and then fell madly in love with The Answer to How is Yes (thanks to colleague David Rynick for recommending that one ). I’ve been asking students to read The Answer to How is Yes in the master’s class on strategic communications and organizational change that I teach at Simmons College in the spring. Students love it or hate it, but it always produces some deeper thinking on their part. ) Read More >>
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Posted by Gayle Gifford on August 4, 2008 in Big ideas, Nonprofit Highlights, Public engagement, Research, Strategic Thinking
Before network weaving and social capital became the buzz words, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor was quietly inventing collaboration and community building on a bi-state scale in their small corner of New England.
I wanted to unearth the case study about the Corridor as I believe that nonprofits and their funding partners can learn a lot from their story.
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor spans 24 cities and towns in Connecticut and Massachusetts. It is the cradle of the industrial revolution in America, the story of the technological and economic shift from field to factory Read More >>
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Posted by Gayle Gifford on June 3, 2008 in Big ideas, Public engagement
This is the red chestnut that we planted last fall in front of our house through the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program. My wonderful neighbor Anisa Raoof took it upon herself to recruit a group of neighbors who, in exchange for receiving free street trees, agreed 
to help plant, water and nurture them.
In October, neighbors assembled with shovels, rakes and hoses to work with the City Forester and crew to plant 16 new trees up and down our street. Kind of like a barn raising, only for trees.
Half of the cost of the trees is paid for by the city. The other half comes from the Mary Elizabeth Sharpe Street Tree Endowment. Through the commitment of the late Mary Elizabeth Sharpe and her environmentalist daughter-in-law Peggy Sharpe, Providence has one of the most progressive street tree planting programs in the country.
The street tree program is brilliant. The tantalizing offer of free street trees brings neighbors together in a collaborative effort that is the best of urban community. With each tree planted, the city moves closer to its goal of a 30% canopy cover (up from its current 26%) by 2020. And all of us benefit from the beauty, shade, lower utility bills, interception of storm water, cleaner air and wonderful birds and other wildlife that trees bring us. Plus, trees boost the property value of homes by up to 10%.
So each time I look at my beautiful new red chestnut, I’ll be reminded of the extraordinary impact that just a few people.. through their philanthropy, community partnership and general neighborliness … have made possible.
Happy watering,
Gayle
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Posted by Gayle Gifford on June 1, 2008 in Helpful sites, Public engagement
We just wanted to let you know that you can find a free pdf version of our booklet, Meaningful Participation, an activist’s guide to collaborative policy-making in the products section of our site. Click here to download the file.
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