The Opportunity
Utilizing the powerful narrative of the film UnCharitable, Social Current and the UnCharitable social impact team are embarking on a transformative journey, hand in hand with communities across the nation. Together, we recognize the urgent need to dismantle structural barriers that obstruct our ability to effectively address pressing social issues.
Social Current has assumed the role of catalyst, convener, and activator, initiating a collaborative effort to propel systemic shifts within the social sector and support them within communities. At the heart of this endeavor lies a profound commitment to amplifying the voices and experiences of the communities most affected by these issues. We are committed to a community-centered and participatory process, engaging with diverse groups, listening to their needs, and co-creating solutions that reflect their lived realities. Through inclusive processes, we aim to empower communities to lead the charge for change within their own contexts.
Together, we will work to secure essential funding and form an initial cohort of communities who will serve as incubators for innovative strategies, enabling us to experiment, iterate, and refine approaches that challenge existing perceptions and redefine the nonprofit sector, and establish new approaches to solve social problems which can then be scaled across the US and Canada.
To do this, we plan to establish robust coordination mechanisms at the national and local level. Social Current will provide the national infrastructure, facilitate cross-community collaboration and learning, lead resource development and sharing, and support collective action among communities. A critical component is a comprehensive marketing and communications campaign, leveraging storytelling to drive narrative change and elevate crucial conversations sparked by UnCharitable.
In addition to narrative transformation, we are committed to equipping communities with practical resources and tools. These resources will support grassroots efforts to address systemic challenges, ensuring that local initiatives are informed by best practices and collective wisdom.
Recognizing the interconnectedness of policy and practice, we will develop a dual-track advocacy strategy. At the national level, we will advocate for legislative reforms that provide the necessary frameworks and support for nonprofit and community innovation. Simultaneously, we will empower communities to advocate for local policy changes that reflect their unique needs and aspirations.
By centering community voices and fostering collective action, we believe we can catalyze profound and lasting change and co-create a future where together we can solve the most complex social problems.
Community Pilot Criteria
Established Community Steering Group
- Lead coordinating entity
- Staff for site specific coordination and oversight for five years, including: Project Director, Fund Development Director, and Support Staff.
- One staff position to lead and coordinate pilot site marketing activities.
- One staff position to lead and coordinate pilot policy and advocacy activities.
- Community-based organization/association representatives
- Lead philanthropist
- Community foundation
- Higher education representative with community college/university affiliation
- Political representative
- Corporate/business representative
- Community members/ representatives with lived experience and expertise
Identified Funding/In-Kind Resources
- 5-year budget/$1.05M per year
- Funding secured for Year 1 & 2 ($2.1M) at launch. This includes a $250K per year contribution to the national coordination/campaign costs and includes community expenses such as:
- Community movie screenings, books, kits,
- Bold Training, events
- Stipends/expenses for trainees and participants of working groups, etc.
- Staffing resources stated above (Note: If existing staff can be redeployed to this effort, staff costs may be reduced)
Community Pilot Processes
Steering Group Engages in Inspired Thinking & Discussion including the following activities:
- Step 1:
- Provide a letter of interest to participate and complete the consideration process (questions/interview process TBD)
- Step 2 upon acceptance:
- Host a community UnCharitable movie screening and dialogue
- Complete the Bold Training including on-line interactive responses
- Read The Flat Org Chart and use it as a catalyst for group/community conversation
- Discuss the primary/priority proposed issue/challenge to address
- Step 3:
- Host first kick-off meeting with Steering Group, representatives from UnCharitable, and Social Current
- Host meeting of Steering group and major donors/funders
- Develop commitment to establish Year 1 & 2 funding