On February 2, 2024, The Ford Family Foundation held a Q&A with the authors of a recent article on rural community building
What happens when a foundation invests in community building for the long haul? The Ford Family Foundation has made the transition from individual leadership development to broad, community-led community building over the past decade. Rural residents know this from the community building approach and field coordinators supporting community-led action across the region.
Through this work, the Foundation has learned alongside community builders. The result is a transformed organization with a 10-year strategic plan focused on helping rural communities build the futures that they want to see — places where children and families can thrive.
On February 2, 2024, Foundation staff and community partners held an interactive Q&A webinar based on the recent article published in The Foundation Review, Community Building as a Philosophy, Not an Initiative.
Panelists
Max Gimbel, director of Rural Community Building
Kasi Allen, director of Learning and Knowledge Management
Anne Kubisch, CEO emerita, The Ford Family Foundation