Nonprofit Stories
Haw River Assembly | The Voice for the Haw River
“Our goal is to serve everyone. Obviously, everyone needs clean water.” -Elaine Chiosso, Executive Director, Haw River Assembly Forty years ago, community members came together in hopes of saving their beloved Haw River. The building of the Jordan Lake Dam was on the horizon and would forever change the river that was central…
Durham Success Summit | Redefining Success and Making Space at the Table
“We’ve failed young men long enough and let’s not do what’s always been done. We want to go deeper.” -Derek Rhodes, Executive Director, Durham Success Summit Derek Rhodes was born and raised in Durham, and recognized early on that he was fortunate to have had family and mentors that helped him “get…
Board Leadership Boot Camp: Helping Nonprofits Thrive
About 4 years ago, Michael Williams began volunteering for Executive Service Corps (ESC), helping them provide affordable consulting and capacity building services to nonprofits in the Triangle. Since 1987, ESC’s 72 volunteer consultants do pro bono work provide support nonprofits in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake counties. Volunteers come from a variety of management backgrounds,…
Nurturing Youth and Community
It’s a picture-perfect autumn afternoon, and the SEEDS two-acre urban farm is a hive of activity. As you walk through the whimsically designed gates, the space stretches ahead, a fusion of cozy backyard and childhood wonderland. A sprawling herb garden embraces the top tier of the property and offers up fragrant plants that can be…
Social Justice Through Art
How would people living on death row believe they have a story to share? How would they consider their story even matters? Society would relegate them to its “outskirts” along with others deemed unworthy of story, where difference is uncounted. Lynden Harris and the team at Hidden Voices are working to amplify the stories of…
Q&A with the Compass Center for Women and Families
The following is an interview with Cordelia Heaney (C), Executive Director of Compass Center for Women and Families, conducted by Julia Da Silva (J), Programs and Scholarships Associate. J: Tell me a little about the Compass Center. C: Compass Center for Women and Families helps all people navigate their journey to self-sufficiency, safety, and health. We…
Tackling Systemic Homelessness Together
With your help, we have granted $642,450 to community development organizations through Fund for the Triangle since FY 2013-2014 Lack of affordable housing, financial insecurity, and systemic unemployment are intersecting crises of global proportions. While Chapel Hill and Durham’s dearth of affordable housing is typical of most U.S. cities, Community Empowerment Fund’s (CEF) approach to…
Conserving Land and Legacy
With your help, we have granted $767,111 to environmental organizations through Fund for the Triangle since FY 2013-2014 While strolling through Good Hope Farm on a sunny afternoon, one gets the curious feeling that the farm is a living, breathing organism all on its own. A resident farmer pulls up to tend to her plot,…
After-School Program Reconnects Children to the Earth
Is it possible to reconnect young people with the earth? Connecting with nature is tough for children who are coming of age in the digital era and kids without access to outdoor activities. Between the allure of screens, other extracurriculars, peer pressure to stay inside, and inequitable opportunities, it is no wonder kids are not…
The Push to Merge
The M word. Often suggested by funders recognizing the abundance of nonprofit organizations doing similar work in a community, and equally feared by nonprofit leaders doing that work. Over the last few years, mergers have become a hot topic in the philanthropic world, bringing both their negative connotation of failure, as well as their assumption of ease and necessity.…
Access to Camp Combats Summer Learning Loss
Summer vacation is supposed to be a relaxing, idyllic time away from school for students. But the reality for many low-income children is a summer with too little stimulation and lack of access to enriching summer activities. That reality leads to the phenomenon commonly known as summer learning loss: Many students head back to school…
Marbles Kids Museum: Success for the Next Generation
The following is an interview with Hardin Engelhardt (H), Education & Evaluation Specialist at Marbles Kids Museum, conducted by Meg Buckingham (M), senior marketing & communications officer for the Foundation. M: Hardin, can you tell me a little more about Marbles Kids Museum, and why our readers should care about your mission? H: Ok!…