GRASSROOTS GRANTMAKING:A COMMUNITY FRIENDLY TOOL FOR PEOPLE POWERED POSSIBILITIES

Presented by Grassroots GrantmakersJanis Foster Richardson & Shannon Dixon

CommunityMatters in Newport, VTFebruary 4, 2013

People powered possibilitiesin Newport

• Tell us about a time when you were part of a group where no one was paid and you did something amazing together.

Common Denominators

• What were the core ingredients?

What was the magic spice?

People Powered Possibilities Ingredients

$$

$$

Space

Institutions

Groups

People

WHAT IF….

Then

• Then this good thing could happen

If

• If we had this or could do this

What is grassroots grantmaking?• defn: a resourcing approach that focuses on helping people powered

organizations turn possibilities into realities in the community that they call home.

• Distinguishing characteristics:focuses on what people can do better together than what

agencies or institutions can do for themhelps people move from dreaming to doing, from their couch to

an active citizen roleinvests in people and associations as critical change-makers and

resilience builders in communities

Impassioned people change their communities, and community involvement changes people.

Call it the hopeful cycle of public progress.The Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Grassroots Grantmaking: The Premise Premise

Who are grassroots grantmakers? Where can I find one?Foundations• Community• Family• Independent• Corporate

Local governments

United Ways Giving circles

On-line groups• Ioby• Kickstarter• Neighborland

Community groups• Church groups• Neighborhood groups• Women’s groups• Youth groups

Non-groups• Mobs• Soups

A vehicle that you invent

What they have in common

Good idea

3 or more people

Itch to act

Money as an invitation

People powered possibilities

One Small Grant/Many Possibilities

What sprouts from grassroots grantmaking

More like a meadow than a garden

We see a lot of…..

Gardens Music Murals Festivals

Community planning

Activities for youth Clean-ups Beautification

Mutual aid activities

Inter-generational

activities

Welcoming activities

Celebrations of local history

and culture

Community identity projects

Pocket parksCrime

prevention and safety

Extras at school

One small grant, many possibilities

Small Grant

New relationships & perspectives for the

sponsor

More people connecting and

contributing

Test out small business idea

Entrepreneurial venture/job

creation

Try out idea for a community-

based service

More responsive "community

friendly" service system

Build power & capacity to

create change

Changed policies/power shifts/people have a voice

Grassroots Grantmakers: Who We Are

• Community of practice for ppp investors

• Locus for learning• Information & referral• Knowledge bank• Advocate for funding from a

people powered possibilities perspective

• “We begin with residents” orientation

• Community foundations• Independent foundations• Family foundations• Giving circles• Corporate funders• United Ways• Local governments• Community-based organizations• Crowd-funding groups• People who believe in people

powered possibilities

Resources from Grassroots Grantmakers

ConnectionsPersonal helpAction learningWebinarsDocument bankStoriesBlog

Good places to startBegin with:

People you know/relationships you haveAssets you have or can accessA clear sense of your “if/then” equation Funders that focus their work in your place Your community foundation Other local funders

Approach conversations with funders from a sense of curiosity, not a need to “sell”:

How do they do their work? What are they interested in? What resources do they have other than money? Networks Expertise Access to information

Where is the “match”?

What’s on your mind?

People powered

possibilities

What is the opportunity

?

What you can you do

now?

Who would you like to

talk to next?

What would work for

Newport?

What help do you need?

What can you imagine

for a year from now?

Working to strengthen and resource the work ofeveryday people and citizen-led groups

www.grassrootsgrantmakers.org