Redefining Philanthropy

I’m officially re-committing to this blog today. 

I commit to delivering an imperfect, honest chronicle of our journey towards realizing a simple yet bold vision: A Community That Works Well for All People, including the commitment to embody our values: Equity, Opportunity and Shared Stewardship.   

I’ll share our journey to redefine the potential of place-based philanthropy from my lens: a CEO with nearly twenty years of experience in a very special community and innovative institution. I’ve been here long enough to see resilience emerge after crisis. Residents are gaining self-confidence and a greater sense of agency; institutions are acknowledging the need for collective action and relationships built on trust and a general shift from a mindset of “I cannot” to “I can” to “We can do better”. I have deep pride in the people I’m privileged to work with, both at Incourage and in our community, for their commitment to one another and our shared future. 

Incourage itself has adapted over the years. We’ve worked with great intentionality to create an organizational culture of reflective action: challenging embedded orthodoxies, examining our own behavior, policy, practice and power, as well as framing strategy and decisions through a values lens with a vision objective. When we assessed our investment portfolio through this lens, the choice was clear. The board moved quickly to a position of full support for what one member deemed, “the logical next step”. If we were to truly realize our commitment to place then our financial resources should be values-aligned to maximize mission impact and realize vision. This prompted deeper dialogue and reflection on the full range of resources Incourage possesses - how we assign value to them and in what ways they had been utilized to shape new economic opportunities and cultural norms. 

In early 2014, the Incourage board of directors approved and subsequently led an organizational commitment to align 100% of all Incourage resources or capitals to mission. Driving change happens not just through financial currency, but rather through all of our capitals—moral, human, intellectual, social, reputational working together with financial. The ensuing work resulted in a strategy map articulating guiding principles, capitals, key levers and desired short-, mid- and long-term outcomes toward realizing vision.

February 16, 2016 marked the unanimous approval by Incourage’s board of a 100% mission and values-aligned Capital Deployment Policy—what some call an Investment Policy Statement. Twenty-four months in the making with the wise expertise of individuals willing to forge relationships outside their respective fields to work collaboratively in place: impact investment advisor, traditional investment advisor, and cultural anthropologist. 


An early exemplar of our connected capitals strategy is the Tribune – a “community accelerator” designed with deep resident participation. Tribune is more than a building:  it is testament to the resilience of a community. It represents hope, inclusiveness and development strategies that conserve, restore and leverage resources for generations to come. 


“We did then what we knew how to do, when we knew better we did better.”     ~Maya Angelou

This favorite quote serves as a constant reminder. Realizing a community that works well for all people requires a commitment to not only ‘knowing better’ but also ‘doing better’. This guides our work at Incourage and it seems that it should be applicable to philanthropy writ large.  When we know better we must all do better.  We must practice reflective action in philanthropy: constantly examining our structures, business practices and cultural norms within our institutions and the broader field. Not just an episodic focus on the issue of the day or minor tweaking of practice.   

Join me in this blog as we build on experience, learn, adapt and implement a place-based strategy that challenges embedded orthodoxies and redefines philanthropy to nurture communities that work well for all people. Our communities and the nation need and deserve nothing less.  

Kelly    

People: our most important asset

People make communities. At Incourage, we believe human capital is our greatest asset and that positive community change happens through individuals realizing their full potential, recognizing their interdependence with one another and engaging in honest, respectful dialogue about our shared future. Individuals who are willing to reflect, learn and grow, start important conversations, and build relationships are the real change agents.    

It is particularly heartening to see young adults who care about this place.  Young adults who are making positive change happen. 

Although I could give you many examples, today I will share just one that recently inspired me:

In his blog posted December 1, former resident Jonathon Engelien penned an authentic and heartfelt expression of his connection to Wisconsin Rapids. In his words, “You’re so much more than an aged paper mill town. You’re a place where real people develop lives and experiences … I want to care about you, I do care about you, and I want other people to feel the same way.” 


Not only did Jonathon grow up here, he is also one of seven artists selected to work on permanent art installations for the renovated Tribune Building through the ArtPlace America grant Incourage received in 2014. This initial blog post officially kicked off Jonathon’s artistic process to engage the community in how it views and identifies with the south Wood County area, in positive, neutral or negative ways.

His blog struck a chord with more than 2,800 readers, prompting an online response and dialogue. This kind of open, honest communication is helping us talk about our past and future; our individual and shared experiences; and our challenges and opportunities. People care. It is that deep compassion for one another and commitment to this place that brings forth positive community change. 

Celebrating our assets, understanding our journey and working together to realize a shared vision of the future are all elements of Jonathon’s story.  It is his story, though.  Each of us has a story and an experience. 

Take a few minutes to read Jonathon’s blog, read the comments and join the conversation. 

Kelly

Tribune: Our Community Accelerator

This morning, residents have once again demonstrated support, pride, and a sense of ownership and appreciation for local assets, as evidenced by the strong turnout at today’s announcement by Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch of the $472,000 grant for the Tribune from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). This important grant and the partnerships it represents accelerates our efforts and will leverage key investments from other philanthropic, private, and public resources. On behalf of Incourage’s board, staff, volunteers – and the over 800 residents involved in the Tribune to date – I extend our appreciation to the City of Wisconsin Rapids, including Mayor Vruwink, Common Council members and staff, and the State of Wisconsin/WEDC for their support and partnership.

left to right: Jason Scott, WEDC; Naletta Burr, WEDC; Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor
Rebecca Kleefisch; Kelly Ryan, Incourage; and Mayor Zach Vruwink, City of Wisconsin Rapids

The turnout this morning represents the most recent and relevant example of the growing movement underway in our community, displaying the sense of community, pride, and appreciation for local assets that were also evident during our 4th annual community picnic. On August 5, more than 5,000 members of the community came together in front of the historic Tribune building to celebrate our region and its residents by participating in a community picnic. The picnic’s remarkable attendance by residents of all ages demonstrates our commitment to and recognition of what the Tribune represents: Our increasing sense of shared ownership, responsibility to each other and commitment to place. 

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch
and Kelly Ryan, Incourage

As many of you know, over 800 residents have invested 5,500+ hours in planning the Tribune’s physical layout and functions, as well as championing and advocating for its LEED-certified “green” environmental design. The term we use to describe this unique enterprise is “community accelerator.”  

What does that mean?  

The Tribune will accelerate economic growth, impact, and value, promoting connections among individuals and institutions. It will provide economic value in the form of training for entrepreneurs and support services to capitalize on our local food and agricultural assets. Training offered through the Tribune will incorporate Incourage’s learning from six years of investing in workforce development, accelerating best practices and lessons learned with new and emerging entrepreneurs and small businesses in our area.  

The Tribune will accelerate our understanding of environmental sustainability and its connection to future economic prosperity. Nearly $4 million of renovation investment will support the Tribune’s status as the first LEED Gold Certified building in the community. It will serve as a demonstration and learning lab for current and future generations.

The Tribune will accelerate additional development in the immediate surrounding area and south Wood County region, as demonstrated by recent real estate transactions involving downtown commercial properties on both sides of the river. 

The Tribune will accelerate learning and connections among individuals and institutions. Residents are framing our community’s future, and not just inside the building’s walls. Incourage staff continue to facilitate ongoing meetings of over 200 people engaged in Tribune interest groups – with focus areas spanning the local food system to downtown development. Incourage itself is learning and documenting our experience with the Tribune – of particular note related to today’s WEDC announcement is how to leverage complex financing and investment strategies and partnerships previously not deployed in this area, such as New Markets Tax Credits. Understanding and executing innovative approaches to successful community development is vital to our collective future.  Incourage will share lessons learned with local institutions in order to accelerate best and emerging practices in community development throughout our region. 

Ultimately, the Tribune will accelerate creativity, new thinking, narrative and the ability to take risks and “fail forward” - essential attributes of a community that is open to change and new thinking in its approach to shaping a strong and inclusive local economy. We are building on a heritage of innovation, vision, commitment and perseverance in our community, and, together, we are accelerating positive community change.

Kelly