Grassroots leaders embody the values of democracy and inclusiveness . They bring the interests of low-income and minority people to local and state programs and to public policy arenas. Involving grassroots leaders in solving the problems that affect their communities typically results in better, smarter approaches to addressing community issues. Grassroots leaders hold government accountable to individuals and communities . Grassroots leaders can mobilize the voices of many into a unified call for elected and appointed officials to be responsive to low-wealth communities.
Grassroots leaders are essential for bridging the faultlines of race and class in communities .
Across all of the Foundation s grantmaking programs, we have seen that the best way to bridge differences is for people to get busy working together on specific issues or projects. When grassroots leaders, who are often low-income or people of color, work at parity with mainstream leaders, everyone learns new respect, skills, and perspectives that help to bridge differences. Investing in the development of grassroots leaders accelerates and increases the positive impact they have in their communities . Intentional, well-designed programs help uncover new and diverse leaders. We have learned through our grants and through gatherings of grantees that organized leadership programs for grassroots leaders can accelerate their learning curve, stimulate action, and encourage thoughtful reflection so that their community improvement work gets done faster and better.