2013 Annual. Report POMEGRANATE CENTER. Building Better Communities Together

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "2013 Annual. Report POMEGRANATE CENTER. Building Better Communities Together"

Magdalen Sparks
5 years ago
Views:

1 2013 Annual Building Better Communities Together Report POMEGRANATE CENTER

Center started with an intuition that creativity, traditionally employed by artists in their studios, was what society at large needed Planned obsolescence must stop and be replaced with a more

2 For 27 years, Center has empowered neighbors to come together to design and build gathering spaces. Recognized for success in transforming and connecting communities, Center is now focusing on transferring its hard-learned insight to interested organizations and individuals. Center started with an intuition that creativity, traditionally employed by artists in their studios, was what society at large needed Planned obsolescence must stop and be replaced with a more respectful, less wasteful way of life. Since Center s beginnings in 1986, we ve been searching for a better way, testing ideas one project at a time. Now widely recognized for collaborative practices, constructive community engagement, and building gathering places dedicated to community, we have built more than 40 gathering places. We use a model that focuses on collaboration and ownership by many. In our model, community members define the vision, designers serve that vision, then everyone builds together in the spirit of a modern day barn-raising. In 2013, we launched the Center Network: a combination of training, organizational partnerships and hands-on projects. This strategy allows us to share our knowledge more deeply with communities across the nation and empowers others to lead arts-based community engagement. A recent study measuring the impact of our work and showing the effectiveness of Center s model found that: Collaboration serves every phase of the work, from idea generation to design and action Joint participation creates deep ownership Inclusive and decisive public processes successfully navigate around cultural, religious and political differences (See highlights of this study on the following page) The next cycle of Center s work is all about sharing our methods with interested organizations and individuals through a mix of training and hands-on application. Our long-term goal is to graft our methods onto many communities. In addition to our intensive trainings, we are developing condensed introductory curricula for governments, businesses and nonprofits. It is an exciting time. Contact us if you would like to join a training, invite us to facilitate at your workplace, or partner on a community build. Thank you for your support, Butterfly Park San Diego, CA Milenko Matanovic Founder and Executive Director

Building Community and Places In 2013 we had the pleasure of teaching our model to San Diego-based ARTS (A Reason to Survive), a nationally recognized non-profit organization that believes in the

Manzanita Gathering Place stands out as our first project led by an organization and individuals trained in our method.

3 Building Community and Places In 2013 we had the pleasure of teaching our model to San Diego-based ARTS (A Reason to Survive), a nationally recognized non-profit organization that believes in the power of the arts to transform lives. Together we built Butterfly Park and Manzanita Gathering Place. Manzanita Gathering Place stands out as our first project led by an organization and individuals trained in our method. With our mentorship, Center Fellows graduates and ARTS successfully transformed a neglected street end at the edge of a canyon into a beautiful space where community members can now enjoy views of the sunset, meet informally, and host neighborhood gatherings. Participants noted a strengthened sense of community identity and a renewed belief in their neighborhood s resourcefulness. MEASURING IMPACT excerpts from the study of our San Diego work: Manzanita Gathering Place National City, CA 3 out of 4 community members who participated in the project are keeping in touch with each other 7 out of 10 say that they are more likely to participate in future community discussions 7 out of 10 indicated an increased sense of safety resulting from the project 9 out of 10 community members indicated that they anticipate future involvement in similar projects 9 out of 10 organizations involved said they benefited significantly from their participation Find more information about the study on our website, contact us for a copy of the executive summary -William Cleveland, March 2014 Center for the Study of Art & Community

Building Partnerships: Network Through the continued support of Tully s (Green Mountain Coffee Roasters) through 2013, we were able to secure the support of Rokenbok Foundation/Orca Fund in San Diego.

4 Building Partnerships: Network Through the continued support of Tully s (Green Mountain Coffee Roasters) through 2013, we were able to secure the support of Rokenbok Foundation/Orca Fund in San Diego. Thanks to a generous 5-year grant from Paul Eichen and his Orca Fund, we are engaging organizations across the country to adopt our approach locally for their own communities. We infuse our knowledge into local organizations so they can continue the collaborative process locally for the benefit of their community. We want to help you create a Center movement. Center s arts-based method of collaborative community building is the best model we have ever encountered. It has become clear that what you have to teach can benefit communities all over the country. This grant will help you create a network of community builders versed in your methods and able to support each other in building communities for many years to come. Paul Eichen Rokenbok Foundation/Orca Fund IN 2013 WE LAUNCHED A PARTNERSHIP with Blue Mountain Action Council and Sherwood Trust and laid the ground work to train Fellows and build two gathering places in the Walla Walla, WA area. Partners Pillar Manzanita Gathering Place

Building Leaders Through our Fellows Intensive Training, mentoring programs, and technical assistance, Center prepares community members and civic leaders to inspire and engage others to build

5 Building Leaders Through our Fellows Intensive Training, mentoring programs, and technical assistance, Center prepares community members and civic leaders to inspire and engage others to build stronger, healthier, more connected communities. In partnership with the San Diego Foundation, Rokenbok Foundation/ORCA Fund and ARTS (A Reason to Survive), trained a group of individuals in the San Diego area. With support from the Boeing Foundation we trained individuals in the Seattle area. In 2014 we will be training Fellows in Walla Walla, WA with support from our partners Blue Mountain Action Council and Sherwood Trust. We trained 64 Fellows from 3 regions: Seattle, Walla Walla, & San Diego FELLOWS IN THE FIELD Working with underserved communities, it is critical that I approach each project with a well defined plan of action.the Fellows Training and ongoing support from the Center has given me the tools and confidence to take on these challenging projects. - Ilisa Goldman Landscape Architect, Rooted in Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting An 8-hour meeting that usually devolves into back and forth discussion, with only a few people speaking, and rarely coming to a common understanding was a huge test. The methodology transformed the gathering into a focused, organized and safe meeting of collective wisdom and multiple voices. -Ginger Daniel Executive Director, Architects Without Borders-Seattle Facilitation is tough, community projects are tough, and it s worth learning from people who have been doing this for a long time. It s not magic, there are real skills you can learn, and the Fellows Training is the best way I ve seen to learn them. I can t recommend it enough. -Skye Schell Community Projects Director, Forterra Fellows Training San Diego, CA

2013 Financials Other Highlights Revenue Expenses 36% 16% 25% 35% 14% 34% 30% 15% Fee for Service Foundations Corporate Individuals Made Possible By.

Our expenses remained low, thanks to the generous in-kind support of Rowley Properties Inc., who has donated our office space for 21 years, and because of our amazing Volunteers.

Foundation Orca Fund/Rokenbok Foundation Rowley Properties, Inc.

Stacy and Marty Chilberg William and Paula Clapp Elizabeth and Jeff Johnson Meg Olsen Mark Pigott Mary Pigott Ron and Eva Sher Barbara Thomas led a workshop for civic leaders at the City Resilient

6 2013 Financials Other Highlights Revenue Expenses 36% 16% 25% 35% 14% 34% 30% 15% Fee for Service Foundations Corporate Individuals Made Possible By... Center s work to build community, places, and leaders is made possible through the support of foundations, corporations, and individuals. We send our deepest gratitude to each of you. Our expenses remained low, thanks to the generous in-kind support of Rowley Properties Inc., who has donated our office space for 21 years, and because of our amazing Volunteers. Education and Training Design and Build Gathering Places Pulling it all together: admin, marketing, communications, and fundraising Network and Mentoring FOUNDATION & CORPORATE Anonymous Boeing Foundation Orca Fund/Rokenbok Foundation Rowley Properties, Inc. Seattle Foundation Silton Family Foundation Szekely Family Foundation The Peg and Rick Young Foundation Titcomb Foundation INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS ($1000 AND OVER) Grant Abert Joe Barrett Paula Begoun Stacy and Marty Chilberg William and Paula Clapp Elizabeth and Jeff Johnson Meg Olsen Mark Pigott Mary Pigott Ron and Eva Sher Barbara Thomas led a workshop for civic leaders at the City Resilient summit in Brooklyn, NY, sponsored by PopTech, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Brooklyn Academy of Music Lianne Dalziel, member of the New Zealand Parliament and current Mayor of Christchurch, visited Center. Milenko will travel to New Zealand in 2015 for talks, workshops, and consulting commenced work with the Makah Tribe in Neah Bay, WA, to build an art-filled hand-crafted beach shelter Milenko gave the keynote speech for the Western States Campus Compact Conference in Portland, OR Local friends came to our office for the annual Carve-a-thon, where we designed and carved five cedar panels as a fundraiser and example of our participatory community-design process Landscape Architecture students from Washington State University visited Center to learn about our work Milenko spoke at NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego, CA

7 Get Involved Make a gift: This work is made possible by the generous support of community members like you. Become a Fellow: Sign up for a scheduled training or contact jayne@pomegranate.org Host a presentation: For more details about inviting Milenko to speak at your event call Center at Become a network partner: We are creating a network of Partners across the nation. To learn more contact caitlin@pomegranate.org

Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation Grant Guidelines

Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation Grant Guidelines Mission To nurture environmentally healthy and culturally vibrant communities in Metropolitan Detroit, consistent with sustainable business