October Newsletter: 17th Annual Harwood Summit; Campaign Swings Through Florida, Chicago
“At the Summit, I was reminded that this is what hope looks like in practice: people coming together to wrestle with hard questions, to imagine something better, and to build a new social contract.” - Summit Participant
CELEBRATING OUR 17TH ANNUAL HARWOOD SUMMIT
“Immense insight, renewed hope, and a fantastic venue.” - Veronica Britto, Chief Librarian of Adult Programs, Services, and Public Engagement at the Free Library of Philadelphia
Last week, we held our 17th Annual Harwood Summit at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA. We remain committed to hosting an annual Summit because leaders desperately need a different kind of space to navigate this tumultuous moment and rejuvenate themselves for the work ahead. There are no speeches, presentations, Powerpoints, or panel discussions at the Summit. Instead, across three days, dozens of national leaders came together for a carefully-crafted, rolling conversation that sits at the nexus of leaders’ personal and professional lives.
Across small- and large-group discussions, we wrestled with pressing topics like hunkering down and its risks, what it means to uphold dignity for others and ourselves, and the cultural and human challenge we face as we seek to move forward in a more hopeful way. Leaders came away reawakened, recentered, regrounded, and rejuvenated.
Reflecting on the experience attending our Summit for the first time, one leader shared, “If you ever feel hopeless… if you ever doubt that good, decent people are still doing good, decent work… if you ever question how we’re going to find our way back to each other during a time of such division… look no further than The Harwood Institute. I was extremely fortunate to be included in this very special gathering with people who care deeply about being agents of change. I came home from the Summit equal parts inspired and also completely filled up with even more questions!”
TAKING THE CAMPAIGN TO THE SUNSHINE STATE
This month, Rich took the campaign on a weeklong swing through Florida’s Suncoast region. On the campaign trail this year, he’s often said, “Talk without building breeds cynicism.” The good news? Americans are determined to build together. Three quick examples from our time in the Sunshine State.
1. The Institute has been working deeply in rural DeSoto County. Local action teams focused on youth, health, and the faith community have been engaging people to find out what really matters to them. Now, our Unleashing Impact Public Innovators Lab—one of the Harwood School’s signature, time-tested offerings—equipped dozens of DeSoto County leaders and residents to begin to take action that will unleash a chain reaction of actions.
2. Just north of DeSoto in Manatee County, we held a series of roundtables with nonprofit, business, faith, and other leaders. As Rich talks about in The Little Field Guide for Sparking Community-Led Change, the Institute starts all of our deep work in communities with these roundtables to make an entreaty, build trust, and offer a down payment that this work will be different from typical efforts.
3. In Sarasota, community members gathered to cap off The Patterson Foundation’s New Civic Path Book Circles. Over 250 people from four counties participated in a Book Circle to explore how they can strengthen their communities by building with others in new ways. To harness the energy coming out of this event, The Patterson Foundation then hosted a special screening of Selma, Beacon of Hope to continue strengthening and activating the network of Book Circle members.
Amid a time of chaos and deep divides, this Florida swing exemplifies the ways the Institute and our campaign are bringing people together across the country. Not just to talk. But to build. And we’re not stopping anytime soon as we head to Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Maryland, and DC in the coming days.
CHICAGOLAND CAMPAIGN SWING: LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL CIVIC INSTITUTIONS
Local libraries are essential civic institutions. It’s why, on our Campaign for the New Civic Path, we’ve sought to partner with libraries at every turn. To highlight their work. To lift them up amid these contentious times. To underscore their importance to our local communities and the very fabric of our nation.
Earlier this month in Chicagoland, we held a pair of campaign events—first a public author event hosted by the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff, Lake Bluff Public Library, Lake Forest Library, and the North Shore Civic Club followed by a convening of dozens of library leaders from across the region.
Our time with these librarians stands out. They are exhausted. The challenges they face are mounting. And they’re being asked to fill gaps in their communities that no other groups are stepping forward to fill. Yet they are determined to keep going. Whether or not you lead a library, you may be feeling similar pressures these days. But we know you are determined to keep going too. Our campaign is here to support you. Let’s go together.
THE HARWOOD SCHOOL - BUILT FOR TODAY’S CHALLENGES, BACKED BY DECADES OF SUCCESS
These days, it can feel downright impossible to find a more hopeful path forward. Our Campaign for the New Civic Path was launched expressly to help people forge a new way forward. We’re not stopping anytime soon. But that’s just one part of our larger strategy to help leaders, organizations, communities, and the country meet this moment.
Enter the Harwood School: built for today’s challenges, backed by nearly four decades of innovation and experience. Our School has equipped thousands of leaders with our time-tested, practical approach that is rooted in how change actually happens. Leaders trained in our approach are creating transformational change in all 50 states, in every sector of society. Our School helped them find a way forward. It can help you find a way forward too.
Don’t just take our word for it. Explore our School Catalogue for stories of impact from the Harwood School in communities like Eugene, OR; Fort Collins, CO; Alamance County, NC; and elsewhere.
IS AMERICA ON THE VERGE OF COMBUSTION?
In a recent piece for The Fulcrum, Rich posed a central question: Are we on the verge of an American combustion? “Combustion” contains a double meaning. It can imply the potential for destruction. But, like in an engine, it can also be the very force that injects enough energy to get things moving again. Read Rich’s latest in The Fulcrum for how we can foster the latter type of combustion to propel ourselves and our communities forward.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Finding a New Civic Path in Challenging Times: A Safe Haven for Funders | January 22-23, 2026
The Second Annual Safe Haven for Funders will gather a select number of philanthropic leaders working in complex spaces and seeking to make a real difference in their communities and society for a unique event designed to leave you feeling refreshed, regrounded, and reenergized. Learn more about the Safe Haven.
Getting Started Public Innovators Virtual Lab | March 2026
You want to make community work for all of us. Our Getting Started Lab, a signature offering of The Harwood School, can teach you how. A result of nearly four decades of innovation and learning, this Lab offers the very best of the time-tested Harwood approach in an accessible, high-impact experience. This isn’t your typical approach. And it’s not your typical training. This Lab will catalyze you to develop the capacity and capabilities you and your team need to create real, lasting change. Learn more and register for our next Getting Started Lab in March.
The Harwood Institute in the News
Are We on the Verge of an American Combustion? via The Fulcrum
Ask Questions and Listen via The Patterson Foundation
Celebrating Those Who Show Up via The Patterson Foundation
Follow our revamped social media presence for hope, inspiration, and connection.
