Neighborhood Linkages

(From Neighborhood Leader, Spring 2007 issue)

Dear Neighbor,

The story of Rev. Ric Wilberg and the Joyful Noise Music School once again demonstrates the power of NLI's network. When the graduates of our leadership programs work together, wonderful results tend to follow. That is why NLI's role as a connector and network-builder is so important.

But NLI does more than just connect grassroots leaders to one another. We also create what we call "neighborhood linkages," connections that link our grassroots leaders to local institutions that desire community input and involvement.

NLI's work with The Cleveland Foundation is a perfect example of the neighborhood linkage concept. In addition to being a grantee of the foundation, NLI is also a program partner.

The partnership began in 2003, NLI's first year of existence. At the time, The Cleveland Foundation was launching Neighborhood Connections, an initiative designed to provide small grants for neighborhood improvement projects. Foundation staff sought out NLI to help applicants navigate the grant process and to assist grantees with project planning and management.

We also spread the word about the grants throughout the NLI network. Our efforts to publicize the grant program have been quite successful. Since 2003 more than 40 projects involving graduates of Neighborhood Leadership Cleveland have received Neighborhood Connections grants.

In addition to being recipients of grants, NLC graduates have played an important role as grantmakers. Over the past four years, nine of our graduates have been selected to serve on the Neighborhood Connections Grant Making and Monitoring Committee. NLI staff provided initial training for the committee.

In 2006 The Cleveland Foundation started another new initiative called Project Access. Project Access makes training available to faith-based and community-based organizations. Once again The Cleveland Foundation sought the involvement of NLI to make the link to grassroots leaders.

And once again we put the word out. As a result, seven members of the first graduating class of Project Access were also graduates of Neighborhood Leadership Cleveland. Jacquie Gillon and I served as trainers and coaches for several of the participants.

I am grateful that organizations such as The Cleveland Foundation recognize the importance of reaching out to grassroots leaders and that they see NLI as an effective vehicle for doing so.

Thanks to the neighborhood linkages that NLI creates, community institutions get citizen input and participation, and community residents get access to much-needed resources.

Warmest regards,

Don