In terms of policy leadership, the Council on Foundations’ spring conference, “The Power of Place Based and Community Philanthropy” was extremely timely. The program spoke to the various ways the communities we serve need new approaches, new partners, and new forms of support to succeed in a rapidly evolving - and increasingly worrying – world.

Community foundations are particularly well-suited to meet this growing need. As I’ve written in recent posts, political polarization is straining communities’ ability to effectively govern. Meanwhile, the last Gallup poll found public faith in institutions to be at its lowest in generations.

As a result, our communities are seeking respected leaders who understand their common values, speak for their shared interests, and will foster the smartest pathways to community strength.

The Center for Community Foundation Policy Leadership’s mission is to enable community foundations across the country to be able to meet their own communities’ needs in these ways. As a nationwide policy advocate for the greater good, I’m fairly awed by community foundations’ potential to provide critically important policy leadership in the regions we serve. Because in policymaking, when respected local institutions engage their voices on issues of community-wide concern – in ways that are based on data, best practices, and human stories – policymakers pay attention.

I genuinely believe community foundations are potentially the most capable policy leaders our communities can turn to. Because when we each think of our service areas, what other entities assume responsibility for enabling our future generations to live in a place where hope and prosperity remain possible for all?

We are not policy superheroes, of course. Yet as hubs that connect the various communities we serve by focusing on our shared interests, we are particularly well situated to rally those communities together - despite external forces pulling them apart. We know our people, we see the areas of opportunity and concern, and we have the power to help drive our communities’ success.

While engaging on policy issues is relatively new for our field, community foundations across the country have proven that it’s eminently possible to lead for success in this way. Yet such potential must be tapped and cultivated to have impact. This requires us to reflect on our missions, our policy leadership potential, and how we can most effectively lead on the policy issues that can enable our communities to thrive in this ever-changing world.

If your community foundation is interested in understanding how it can most successfully step into its policy leadership role, I’d be glad to hear your thoughts, help explore your potential, and offer ideas for how your entire organization could benefit by leading your community to a healthier future. To do so, email me at Stephen@CFPolicyLeadership.net.

Or if you want to learn a bit more first, feel free to register here for today's expert discussion on community foundation policy leadership with Innocence Project Policy Director Rebecca Brown, who will talk about the ways community foundations can add important value to various campaigns in any locality.

In any event, thanks for all you do to strengthen your community!