Comments for Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation http://www.grdodge.org/blog a society more humane - a world more livable Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:39:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 Comment on More New Tools for Nonprofits and Foundations by Stefan Pasti http://www.grdodge.org/blog/2008/12/16/more-new-tools-for-nonprofits-and-foundations/#comment-355 Stefan Pasti Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:38:52 +0000 http://www.grdodge.org/blog/?p=300#comment-355 I discovered the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation website in the process of searching for foundations which were actively seeking innovative solutions to the challenges ahead. The “Economic Xchange” Forum seems to be something like what I was looking for (esp. the “Ideas from the Field” area—“Our most innovative and effective strategies usually come directly from experts in the field”), but I could not discover a way to contribute information to the forum, so I have decided to post information here. I am the founder and outreach coordinator for The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative (www.ipcri.net). I believe more and more people, in more and more parts of the world, are coming to the conclusion that all of us have important responsibilities associated with resolving a significant number of very serious challenges in the years ahead. In June, 2008, I completed a 161 page proposal titled “1000Communities2” (“1000CommunitiesSquared”) (http://ipcri.net/images/1000Communities2.pdf). The “1000Communities2” proposal advocates organizing and implementing Community Visioning Initiatives in 1000 communities (communities—or segments of rural areas, towns, or cities—with populations of 50,000 or less) around the world 1. which are time-intensive, lasting even as much as 1½ years (18 months), so as to give as much importance to developing a close-knit community as it does to a) accumulating and integrating the knowledge and skill sets necessary for the highest percentage of people to act wisely in response to challenges identified as priority challenges b) helping people to deliberately channel their time, energy, and money into the creation of “ways of earning a living” which are directly related to resolving high priority challenges c) assisting with outreach, partnership formation, and development of service capacity for a significant number of already existing (or forming) organizations, businesses, institutions, and government agencies d) helping to build a high level of consensus for specific action plans, which will help inspire additional support from people, businesses, organizations, institutions, and government agencies with significant resources 2. which expand on the concept of “Community Teaching and Learning Centers” (created by the “Teachers Without Borders” organization) so that such local community points of entry function as information clearinghouses, meeting locations, educational centers for ongoing workshops (on a broad range of topics related to the Community Visioning Process, and building the local knowledge base), practice sites for developing “teacher-leaders”, a location for an ongoing “informal” “Community Journal”, a location for listing employment opportunities—and provide a means of responding quickly (by changing the emphasis of workshop content) to new urgencies as they arise 3. and which suggest—as a way of emphasizing the need for an exponential increase in compassion for our fellow human beings—that communities (with the resources to do so) enter into “sister community” relationships with communities in other countries where there has been well documented calls for assistance with basic human needs. The Fall, 2008 issue of The IPCR Journal/Newsletter includes 3 essays describing the “1000Communities2” proposal [see the "Keynote Documents" section of the IPCR Initiative homepage (www.ipcri.net)]. Another more detailed introduction to the proposal is titled “Transitioning from Less Solution-Oriented Employment to More Solution-Oriented Employment” (which can be accessed near the bottom of The IPCR Initiative homepage). The contents of the “Current Educational Materials Outreach Package” is also at the bottom of The IPCR Initiative homepage, and features the document “The “1000Communities2” Proposal: Creating a Multiplier Effect of a Positive Nature”. The Worldwatch Institute recently published an “Letter to the New Education Secretary” which outlines the potential of emphasizing education strategies as a response to the economic crises (http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5971). The “1000Communities2” proposal describes one way of using innovative educational strategies to create a multiplier effect of a positive nature, which will both bring to light the local and regional appropriate solutions, and accelerate the transition to solution-oriented employment. With Kind Regards, Stefan Pasti, Founder and Outreach Coordinator The IPCR Initiative I discovered the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation website in the process of searching for foundations which were actively seeking innovative solutions to the challenges ahead.

The “Economic Xchange” Forum seems to be something like what I was looking for (esp. the “Ideas from the Field” area—“Our most innovative and effective strategies usually come directly from experts in the field”), but I could not discover a way to contribute information to the forum, so I have decided to post information here.

I am the founder and outreach coordinator for The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative (www.ipcri.net). I believe more and more people, in more and more parts of the world, are coming to the conclusion that all of us have important responsibilities associated with resolving a significant number of very serious challenges in the years ahead.

In June, 2008, I completed a 161 page proposal titled “1000Communities2” (“1000CommunitiesSquared”)
(http://ipcri.net/images/1000Communities2.pdf).

The “1000Communities2” proposal advocates organizing and implementing Community Visioning Initiatives in 1000 communities (communities—or segments of rural areas, towns, or cities—with populations of 50,000 or less) around the world

1. which are time-intensive, lasting even as much as 1½ years (18 months), so as to give as much importance to developing a close-knit community as it does to

a) accumulating and integrating the knowledge and skill sets necessary for the highest percentage of people to act wisely in response to challenges identified as priority challenges
b) helping people to deliberately channel their time, energy, and money into the creation of “ways of earning a living” which are directly related to resolving high priority challenges
c) assisting with outreach, partnership formation, and development of service capacity for a significant number of already existing (or forming) organizations, businesses, institutions, and government agencies
d) helping to build a high level of consensus for specific action plans, which will help inspire additional support from people, businesses, organizations, institutions, and government agencies with significant resources

2. which expand on the concept of “Community Teaching and Learning Centers” (created by the “Teachers Without Borders” organization) so that such local community points of entry function as information clearinghouses, meeting locations, educational centers for ongoing workshops (on a broad range of topics related to the Community Visioning Process, and building the local knowledge base), practice sites for developing “teacher-leaders”, a location for an ongoing “informal” “Community Journal”, a location for listing employment opportunities—and provide a means of responding quickly (by changing the emphasis of workshop content) to new urgencies as they arise

3. and which suggest—as a way of emphasizing the need for an exponential increase in compassion for our fellow human beings—that communities (with the resources to do so) enter into “sister community” relationships with communities in other countries where there has been well documented calls for assistance with basic human needs.

The Fall, 2008 issue of The IPCR Journal/Newsletter includes 3 essays describing the “1000Communities2” proposal [see the "Keynote Documents" section of the IPCR Initiative homepage (www.ipcri.net)]. Another more detailed introduction to the proposal is titled “Transitioning from Less Solution-Oriented Employment to More Solution-Oriented Employment” (which can be accessed near the bottom of The IPCR Initiative homepage). The contents of the “Current Educational Materials Outreach Package” is also at the bottom of The IPCR Initiative homepage, and features the document “The “1000Communities2” Proposal: Creating a Multiplier Effect of a Positive Nature”.

The Worldwatch Institute recently published an “Letter to the New Education Secretary” which outlines the potential of emphasizing education strategies as a response to the economic crises (http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5971).

The “1000Communities2” proposal describes one way of using innovative educational strategies to create a multiplier effect of a positive nature, which will both bring to light the local and regional appropriate solutions, and accelerate the transition to solution-oriented employment.

With Kind Regards,

Stefan Pasti, Founder and Outreach Coordinator
The IPCR Initiative

]]> Comment on Newark’s Green Future by tedlwo http://www.grdodge.org/blog/2008/10/10/newark-green-summit/#comment-353 tedlwo Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:01:35 +0000 http://www.grdodge.org/blog/?p=12#comment-353 There’s a great video on San Francisco I Am where hundreds of teens in the Bay Area ditched their video games at home and headed for the biggest green festival in the nation. The Festival was held in San Francisco and the kids learned AND taught one another about climate change and green jobs. Even Chuck D from Public Enemy was there. You can check out the video here: http://www.sanfranciscoiam.com/videos/c898d779b574 There’s a great video on San Francisco I Am where hundreds of teens in the Bay Area ditched their video games at home and headed for the biggest green festival in the nation. The Festival was held in San Francisco and the kids learned AND taught one another about climate change and green jobs. Even Chuck D from Public Enemy was there.

You can check out the video here:

http://www.sanfranciscoiam.com/videos/c898d779b574

]]> Comment on Newark’s Green Future by In The News 2008 : Apollo Alliance http://www.grdodge.org/blog/2008/10/10/newark-green-summit/#comment-351 In The News 2008 : Apollo Alliance Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:01:03 +0000 http://www.grdodge.org/blog/?p=12#comment-351 [...] The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation blog October 10, 2008 Newark’s Green Future Summit [...] [...] The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation blog October 10, 2008 Newark’s Green Future Summit [...]

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