The Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG), a group affiliated with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), is pleased to establish the Edward Blakely Award. Announced in on October 13, 2011, this achievement award will be given each year to a worthy honoree who has supported the cause of social justice, particularly in urban planning or development, for communities of color. This award, to be presented at the annual POCIG business meeting, may go to planning or related academics or to professionals who ... (continue)

Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) released its 8-page white paper “An Evolving Relationship: Executive Branch Approaches to Civic Engagement and Philanthropy” in May 2010. This white paper is based on a briefing memo prepared for a White House meeting earlier in 2010 between leaders of the philanthropic community and Executive Branch officials. The meeting focused on the topics of service, civic engagement, social innovation and public participation and where there might be shared interests between the two groups. (continue)

Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) released a report in 2009 called “The New Laboratories of Democracy:  How Local Government is Reinventing Civic Engagement” authored by Mike McGrath from the National Civic League. It can be downloaded from the PACE website at http://pacefunders.org/publications/NewLaboratoriesofDemocracy.pdf. The PACE report details the innovative methods local governments around the country are using to increase civic engagement by the public. “Local governments are at the cutting edge of finding new tools and methods to increase civic engagement in this country. We ... (continue)

“Where is Democracy Headed?” (2008) is a report published by the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (DDC) which summarizes more than four years of the DDC’s learnings about deliberation, decision-making, and problem-solving. The publication was drafted by Peter Levine (Tufts University) and Lars Hasselbad Torres (Global Peace Tiles Project), then revised by DDC members through a wiki. Its findings were gathered from interviews, face-to-face discussions, and the wiki. The report was published with the support of the Kettering Foundation and has two major sections. The first part ... (continue)

A special issue of the National Civic Review (the National Civic League‘s quarterly journal), released in August 2009, focuses on cutting edge forms of dialogue, deliberation and public decision-making at the local government level. NCL teamed up with PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement) to create this special issue, which is based on the recent PACE white paper by Mike McGrath, “The New Laboratories of Democracy: How Local Government is Reinventing Civic Engagement.” To receive a complimentary print edition of this issue (NCR 98:2), contact ... (continue)

“Funding and Fostering Local Democracy: What Philanthropy Should Know about the Emerging Field of Deliberation and Democratic Governance” was written by Matt Leighninger and published in April 2009 by PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement). This guide provides a detailed description of how local civic engagement has grown and developed over the past decade and aims to help funders, public officials and community activists better understand the possibilities, and limitations, of various approaches to working with the public. The guide includes a list of some ... (continue)

The Foundation works to realize the social benefits made possible by the public interest use of communications. Provides links to online tools for community organizing and community building. (continue)

A roundup of recently announced Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from private, corporate, and government funding sources. The Foundation Center also offers the Philanthropy News Digest, another weekly e-newsletter packed with important information about the funding world that effects us all so much. Go to http://fdncenter.org/newsletters/ to subscribe. (continue)

TechSoup provides instructional articles and worksheets for nonprofit staff members who utilize information technologies, as well as technology planning information for executives and other decision makers. Our introductory articles and message board support are aimed at those who do not have much experience using technology, but we also provide more advanced information. (continue)

The Public Forum Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization committed to developing the most advanced and effective means of fostering public discourse. The Forum tailors projects that advance the exchange of information and ideas by combining issue expertise with advanced program development and communications skills. By offering unfiltered access to all sides of an issue, and through partnerships with foundations, print and broadcast media, policymakers, opinion leaders and corporate philanthropy, the Public Forum Institute serves local communities across the nation, contributing to a more informed public. (continue)