PACE News
PACE & Knight Release 'Connected Citizens' Report
Earlier this year, PACE and the Knight Foundation gathered local and national leaders for a day-long conversation in Detroit to exchange ideas for how we better engage communities in our increasingly connected, yet still fragmented world. The insights shared through the TED-style learning event were invaluable, and we have collected them in a new report, Connected Citizens Detroit: A Snapshot of Civic Engagement. While many of the lessons center on Detroit's growing community of social entrepreneurs, we know they will resonate with all of those who, like us, are continually searhing for new ways to help communities shape their futures.
PACE and Kettering Announce 'Accountability in Philanthropy' Project
As the joint forces of accountability and transparency overtake field after field--from politics, to government, to business, to nonprofits—some are now wondering what the accountability movement might mean to the field of philanthropy. Is it appropriate for philanthropy to become more publically accountable? Does accountability to the public or the field being served outweigh the legal accountability to the founding intention of a foundation? Do the tax benefits associated with philanthropy dictate a different level of transparency about how decisions are made? PACE and the Kettering Foundation will spend the next two years exploring these topics through a series of conveneings, a survey of the literature and interviews with thought leaders, which will lead to the development of a white paper which will summarize what we've learned and heard.
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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