Alongside the launch of our five-year strategic plan, we joined several important conversations about innovations in philanthropy, partnerships with nonprofits, and building community in October.
Rise Up Cambridge, the innovative, first non-lottery cash assistance program and the cross-sector partnership between our city, the Foundation, and our city’s anti-poverty agency, CEOC, was highlighted at Philanthropy Massachusetts Annual Meeting focused on the power of collaborative learning and action and the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network’s Conference, ‘Idealism in Action.’
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and Tina Alu, executive director of CEOC, joined Geeta Pradhan in discussions about the partnership that led to the program and gave advice on how others can pursue this kind of collaborative project in their own communities.
Geeta also joined the Shorenstein Center for a conversation about two innovative new hyper local nonprofit news outlets — the New Bedford Light and the Newton Beacon — and shared her thoughts on the importance of local media in Cambridge, a city defined by drastically different perspectives, wealth and poverty, global citizens and long-time locals.
“When you have that kind of a contrast, you have a city that is pulled apart. Really what we need is local news to give our diverse community the shared fabric it’s missing,” said Geeta.
At the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, she joined Steve DiSalvo, president of Endicott College and David Shapiro, the ceo of YMCA Greater Boston, in conversation with William Jarvis, managing director and philanthropic executive of Bank of America Private Bank on Bank of America’s newly released annual study of philanthropy. Geeta elevated the importance of centering collective giving and honoring all levels of donations “from five dollars, to five hundred thousand dollars” in community-based philanthropic work.
As we take on a big, bold agenda for Cambridge, we know we need innovative thinking, strong partnerships, collaborative action, and a community that’s connected.
Conversation is key.
