PACE News
'A Second Front for Democracy Reform'
Chris Gates, the Executive Director of Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, and Nick Penniman, the Executive Director of Fund for the Republic, recently co-authored an article, 'A Second Front for Democracy Reform', which calls for a new trans-partisan effort to repair our ailing political process. In their article they make the case that the issues of money in politics, low voter turnout and a lack of faith in the political process should united Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike in an effort to make our process more fair, inclusive, representative and equitable. They also make the case for philanthropy to play a leadership role in bringing all sides together to find common ground. Click here to read the full article.
PACE Welcomes New Board Members
PACE is happy to welcome four new philanthropic leaders to the PACE Board of Directors. They are David Bley, Director of the Pacific Northwest Initiative at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, WA; Cris Doby, Program Officer of the C.S. Mott Foundation in Flint, MI; Mary Manuel, Managing Director of the McKay Foundation in San Francisco, CA; and Catalina Ruiz-Healy, Vice President of the Rappaport Family Foundation in San Francisco, CA. We are excited to bring these fresh voices and diverse perspectives to our work.
PACE - Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement is a learning community, not a funding community, of grantmakers and donors committed to strengthening democracy by using the power, influence and resources of philanthropy to open pathways to civic, democratic and community participation. PACE does not make grants or serve as a conduit for those seeking grants from PACE members.
Civic Engagement: There are many ways in which people participate in civic, community and political life and, by doing so, express their engaged citizenship. From volunteering to voting, from community organizing to political advocacy, the defining characteristic of active civic engagement is the commitment to participate and contribute to the improvement of one’s community, neighborhood and nation.
PACE is a national learning community of grantmakers and donors committed to strengthening democracy by using the power and resources of philanthropy to open pathways to civic participation. Formerly known as the Grantmakers Forum on Community and National Service, PACE recently renamed itself to signal a broader approach to educating grantmakers about effective civic engagement strategies that strengthen our communities. These strategies include community problem solving, civic education, leadership training, and political reform.
Chris Gates is the first Executive Director of PACE, named to that posititon in 2006. Gates is the former President of the National Civic League, and an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. Leadership of PACE offers Chris the opportunity to sustain his career-long commitment to promoting democratic renewal, citizen activism and meaningful participation in community affairs. Gates is a national leader and frequent speaker on topics relating to the state of our democracy, the interaction between citizens and government, and innovative community problem solving.
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