Perhaps most important, philanthropy must no longer treat middle America as its proving ground to test new ideas. The success of local democracy work hinges on this question: Does it aim to extract learning for the funders, or is it a genuine effort to support local communities? We have to invest in people’s capacity to solve problems by engaging them in the work.
A Second Chance to Get Rural America Right
Genuine engagement means giving up decision making to the people closest to the issue.