August 2022 Newsletter: Moving From Exhaustion To Healing and Hope
People on the front lines of change are exhausted and have been for far too long. The rules have changed. There are tussles about who is invited to the table and who is left out. The issues we are dealing with are increasingly contentious and difficult to address. Many feel stuck or even overwhelmed. But together, we can create a path forward. The Harwood team is working in a constellation of interconnected areas to help public innovators, communities, and organizations across this country move toward healing and hope.
Work on the Ground With Communities
The Institute's work with communities is one part of our strategy to demonstrate that Americans have the public will and ability to address society's fault lines.
We are going deep in a select group of locations, including Reading PA, Jackson, MS, Alamance County, NC, Clarksville, TN, Lexington, KY, Union County, OH, and Logan County, OH, each with unique demographics, histories, stages of development, and challenges.
Individually, they each represent a different fundamental issue we face in this nation. As a whole, they show proof that by using the Harwood approach to change how we work together, we can create a more hopeful path forward.
The Catalytic Community Guide Program
One of two new programs launching this year, the Harwood Catalytic Community Guide Program is a new 12-week intensive training program for individuals who have a desire to guide their community to create lasting change using the road-tested Harwood approach. In this highly interactive and deeply engaging program, participants learn the mindsets and tools to guide others toward harnessing their innate capabilities and unleashing their potential.
The Harwood Circle of Catalytic Funders
Our second new initiative, the Harwood Circle of Catalytic Funders, is an intimately connected group of funders committed to collectively discovering and developing new ways to accelerate and deepen impact in communities and people’s lives. The Circle is for philanthropic entities that have already used The Harwood Institute approach, and for those new to it that expressly seek to learn from it. Our goal is to forge a growing number of philanthropic entities that see the power of taking intentional actions in working with communities and see possibilities for broader engagement of their peers while creating the reach and momentum needed to meet the challenges of our times.
Rich’s Healing and Hope Tour: Covington, Kentucky
Following the release of the Civic Virus report, Rich has been touring the nation to share a message of healing and hope with communities from Alamance County, NC, and Jackson, MS, to Ripon, WI. Most recently, he gave the keynote address at the annual Grantmakers of Kentucky meeting in Covington.
This speaking tour has become a catalyst to bring people together for energizing conversations that foster belonging, spark action, and move us forward.
At the event, Rich encouraged attendees to think about how they do their work, not just what they do. Rather than placing unrealistic expectations on grantees to represent the change society needs to move forward, Rich urged the group of funders to turn outward, focus on shared aspirations, and begin changing the way they engage in their communities.
The Harwood Summit: Healing and Hope
After a two-year hiatus, we are thrilled to be convening the Harwood Summit in person from October 20-22. This year's theme is Healing and Hope, an exploration of how we can reignite authentic hope in our communities and our lives.
Our very setting for this year’s gathering—the National Constitution Center—provides a reminder of the principles and ideas that shaped our nation. We are reminded of who we are, the progress we’ve made, and the challenges that remain for us to create a more perfect union.
The Summit is an invite-only event for leaders across different sectors to come together and wrestle with tough challenges without the need to perform. It is an energizing and transformative experience. If you’re interested in attending, please click the link below to request more information.
Harwood Team Update!
Von Gordon, Harwood Board Member
Please welcome Alluvial Collective (formerly the Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation) Executive Director and Youth Engagement Manager Von Gordon to our board of directors! Von believes in building deep relationships and creating transformation and movement towards belonging and justice for communities, organizations, and individuals. He is a member of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership Network. He serves on the board of directors of Operation Shoestring and supports the work of the Mississippi Afterschool Network. He also serves on the Community Advisory Councils of the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Junior League of Jackson. Learn more about Von.
Tristan Wood, Network Engagement and Marketing Director
We are excited to welcome our new Network Engagement and Marketing Director, Tristan Wood, to the Harwood team! Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, Tristan is an accomplished professional in the non-profit arena. She spent the first chapter of her career as a marketing and membership specialist for professional societies and trade associations, honing her ability to develop strategy and drive brand recognition and market expansion. Learn more about Tristan.