Between 2010 and 2014 half of America’s new firms were concentrated in just 20 counties. Here are 5 ways to help entrepreneurs and small business leaders in undercapitalized communities around the U.S.
Research into how nonprofits and local governments learn from “lived experts”—people who have first-hand experience with their community’s challenges—suggests ways to make government more responsive to people’s needs.
Changing hearts and minds on any social issue – especially climate change – requires building connections with people through language and stories rooted in shared values.
By Lateefah Simon & Timothy Silard Patrisse Cullors is creating a network of rapid responders, as an alternative to police, to support victims and survivors of state violence and mass criminalization. Raj Jayadev is helping individuals who face incarceration, their families, and their communities play an active role in their defense. Nicole Pittman is taking […]
By Miriam Temin, Sajeda Amin, Thoai D. Ngo, & Stephanie Psaki The majority of adolescent girls—girls aged 10 to 19—live in low- and middle-income countries, and are well poised to build the capabilities they need to fulfill their potential, and to contribute to the health and well-being of their families and communities. Empowering them represents […]
By Alison Corwin When we talk about “building the capacity” of frontline and grassroots leaders who are changing structures, policies, and systems, what does that really mean for funders? Many funders use antiquated and static systems of inquiry to identify and make judgements about which groups are well-equipped to achieve social change. The truth is […]
By Sylvia Acevedo Last month, women on college campuses around the world gathered for Women Entrepreneurship Week, an annual event that brings budding female entrepreneurs together with female startup founders through workshops and panel discussions. Last year, it attracted participants from 76 universities in 15 countries. Programs like these promote and support women’s entrepreneurship—and we […]
By Linda S. Campbell For more than 30 years, I have worked with vulnerable communities in the United States, including low-income mothers with children, Black men with HIV/AIDS, and people experiencing hunger in a gentrifying city hailed as a “hot food destination.” I have learned that the fundamental challenge they face is not lack of […]
By Ann Mei Chang Innovation is as essential to social purpose as it is to business profits. But too many organizations embrace the latest fad—whether it be a contest, crowdsourcing tool, or technology platform—while their long-standing operating norms remain unchanged. Not surprisingly, the disruptive potential of these approaches drives an initial surge of excitement, followed […]
By Dr. Adrienne Boissy Interrupting is a powerful urge. We want to quickly find out what we need to know and are eager to steer conversations in that direction. While this isn’t necessarily bad, most of us want people to listen to us when the tables turn. When that doesn’t happen, human nature leads us […]