Blog

We’re sharing a deep dive discussion on the topic of participatory grantmaking that was part of this past spring’s 2021 Collective Impact Action Summit. In this deep dive, we explore what is participatory grantmaking, how is it different from more traditional approaches to philanthropy, and how does this approach shift decision-making power to communities, putting them in charge of funding the solutions they want to see.

In this powerful keynote address from the 2021 Collective Impact Action Summit, author, entrepreneur, poet, and activist Sonya Renee Taylor shares from her book The Body is Not an Apology, and discusses key questions about how we view ourselves and each other, how we judge who is worthy of acceptance and justice, and how we can break out of systems that tell us that the only way to survive is to devalue others.

In this powerful address from the 2021 Collective Impact Convening, Rev. Dr. William Barber (Repairers of the Breach) issues a call to action to not return to the “normal” of pre-covid, and to recognize the systemic inequities that existed before and contributed to why the pandemic has had such a devastating impact on so many people and communities. Rev. Dr. Barber describes that what’s needed now is for folks to come together, and through the strengths of coalitions, work to challenge these systemic inequities that have existed for too long.

In this dynamic discussion from the 2021 Collective Impact Action Summit, Melody Barnes (Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions) leads a conversation on the importance of narrative in collective social change efforts. Joining Melody are Crystal Echo Hawk (IllumiNative), Rashad Robinson (Color of Change), and Nayantara Sen (Real Food Real Stories.) This discussion is introduced by Sheri Brady (Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions) and includes a poetry performance by Seattle poet, organizer, and attorney Troy Osaki.

You are invited to bring your expertise to the CI Action Summit’s Coaching Floor. This year’s Action Summit will feature a dedicated virtual space for attendees to consult with coaches and technical assistance providers about their work.

It’s been an unforgettable year.

With the U.S. election coming up, creating a plan to vote can be a helpful step to ensure your voice is part of the process. The Forum team, located across the United States, shares how they are prepping to participate in the upcoming election.

In early July 2020, we asked how folks are responding to the moment we find ourselves in. The survey focused mainly on how collaborative work has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also recognized intersecting contexts of a prolonged economic downturn and increased focus on the Movement for Black Lives. Read more to see how Forum community members are navigating this time, what is working well, and what they are finding challenging.

We have recently started a series of podcast roundtable discussions. Before we began, we asked for your most pressing questions related to your work in collaboration, collective impact, pandemic response, and support for Black communities.

To our community members, Now is not the time to look away. Especially for those of us who can so easily turn our face from seeing/hearing/feeling the injustice that continues to spread in our communities.