I consider public engagement to be one of the most crucial and desirable forms of communications — in part because it is truly two-way. It’s about listening, not just talking. Knight Foundation agrees, and to show how much they believe in public engagement and the power of community foundations to be leaders in brining people together to solve problems, they are making a very sizable financial commitment.
According to Philanthropy News Digest:
The initiative, which is designed to deepen the foundation’s focus on fostering informed, engaged communities, will help community foundations enlarge the donor-advised funds that support the work of local nonprofits. Between 2000 and 2007, Knight provided a total of $69 million to create donor-advised funds at twenty-five community foundations… “Information is an essential community need and community foundations were established to meet core needs,” said Knight Foundation president and CEO Alberto Ibargüen. “They also only exist and thrive because of community engagement and contributions. That makes them ideal partners to help us understand and advance local community engagement, focused on ensuring that these communities have the information they need to manage their affairs in our democracy.” (read the full story here.)
More and more foundations are recognizing the need for more sophisticated two-way communications with their communities. Social media are great, but they are not a substitute for the real hard work of systematically engaging communities — bringing people together in moderated settings to have meaningful, structured conversations on pressing issues that drive toward workable solutions.
About Michael Hamill Remaley
Michael Hamill Remaley is the President of Hamill Remaley Communications. Previously, he was Director of Communications at the Russell Sage Foundation and Prior to that was Vice President and Director of Communications at Public Agenda. He has held a variety of positions at organizations such as The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, TCC Group and the Center for Social Policy and Community Development.