Dear Friend,

It may come as a surprise that although we have made more than $70 million in grants over the past dozen years, the average grant was “only” in the $25,000 range. Can you have an impact on serious social issues with small grants? Is our model too “retail” to accomplish our big mission of improving the lives of people in Brooklyn?

 A smart, high performing nonprofit focused on low-income young women recently wrote to us about the importance of our early support of their “big idea.” They wrote about how, thanks to that very modest first grant (and similar support since) theirs is now “a thriving, award-winning, and scalable model that empowers young women to be leaders in their community.”

The philanthropic sector, which grew so rapidly during the 1990s assumed characteristics of the economic sectors from which the wealth was derived – finance, real estate and technology. The language of philanthropy became one of large investments, venture capital and data-driven solutions to age-old social problems.

Ambitious philanthropy that invests millions of dollars in addressing chronic conditions of poverty is invaluable. But our brand of community-based philanthropy also is highly effective—and necessary—to create change through cumulative impacts. Smaller grants, strategically made and carefully nurtured, can--and do--have big, positive outcomes.

The Brooklyn Community Foundation's model of grantmaking is characterized by listening, learning, and acting locally.  We know our community, we search out good leadership, and we are willing to take risks on innovative approaches. And, regardless of size, our grants fund big ideas on a community scale.

So even if you are of modest means, know that philanthropy is not only the purview of the very wealthy. We can all be a philanthropist, and by working together we can do even more good for Brooklyn. Please join us as help us build a stronger Brooklyn, together. You can also join the conversation: "Like" our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

  From Volunteers to Leaders

Last month, we hosted a panel series here at the Foundation’s office in DUMBO, where we welcomed the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) and Transportation Alternatives (TA) to speak about their advocacy work and how it has helped transform the streetscape of today. These organizations know the value and meaning of community engagement: gathering insights, building consensus and taking action.

The Foundation helped jumpstart TA’s Biking Rules campaign, an initiative which helps educate riders about riding safely on urban streets and which also culminated in a small PSA film competition hosted at BAM earlier this year. Similarly, we’ve been supporting the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative for nearly a decade, helping them leverage additional public and private funding in support of a plan to create a 14-mile greenway for pedestrians and bikers along north Brooklyn’s waterfront.

What's almost more astounding than seeing these organizations transform streets, is watching their own tranformation. Both BGI and TA started as volunteer-led groups with little private funding. TA started in 1973 during the explosion of environmental consciousness by a volunteer group. Today, it is a fully staffed organization and the leading voice for increasing bicycle commuting and reducing car use in the city. BGI was started in 1998 as an “impossible dream” by Brian McCormick and Milton Puryear to reconnect Brooklynites to their lost waterfront. While Chelsea was getting its High-Line built, BGI focused on getting our 14-mile Low-Line funded. Thanks to BGI, significant amounts of public money have been set aside to begin implementation of the Greenway plan.

Each organization, with modest funding from us and other early supporters, are true testaments to community engagement, hard work and passionate ambitions to make a difference in the quality of life in this city. They are only two organizations representing a much larger pool of talented nonprofits that we have and will continue to support with your help.

Learn more about our Green Communities Fund.

    Do Gooder of the Month: Digital DUMBO

Brooklyn is an ever-evolving landscape that has long-represented a point of view and a place of creativity. Headquartered in DUMBO, it is easy to be reminded daily that we live in changing times. The digital practices here in DUMBO, a community finally being recognized as a hub for entreprenuerial activity and evolving communications, epitomize a critical element of Brooklyn's evolution.

Last week, we were thrilled that Digital DUMBO, a monthly meetup of the up and coming digital entrepreneurs working DUMBO, chose the Brooklyn Community Foundation as its charity of choice as part of its new philanthropic programming. The event was sponsored by local business, the JAR group and a local blog, DUMBONYC -- groups that are heavily invested in Brooklyn, and interested in building community in their own ways.

To us, this initiative represented a critical part of our mission: to encourage local giving. It also reinforced the power and importance of emerging digital communications that we’ve been fostering to help share the stories of Brooklyn’s needs, assets and communities.

Since we launched in October, the Brooklyn Community Foundation has been using social media to share quick bits and bites and help spread the word to do even more good in Brooklyn. Our communities have grown by leaps and bounds, but we've only just begun.

If you haven’t already, please make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And, please tell your friends and communities to join us in our efforts! The more people who know about us, the more we can do for Brooklyn, together.

We also hope you will take the lead of some local innovators who we've had the pleasure of meeting here in our neighborhood. If you have ideas for fundraising initiatives to help us do even more good in Brooklyn, contact our Vice President for Development, Stephanie Hyacinth. For communications or marketing partnership ideas, contact our Vice President for Communications, Dara Lehon.

Brooklyn Community Foundation in the News:

This month, the Brooklyn Community Foundation was featured in the following:

• NBC's NY Nightly News with Chuck Scarborough
• WNYC's the Brian Lehrer Show
• City Limits
• First of monthly columns in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle

A gift to the Brooklyn Community Foundation enables you to make Brooklyn even better. Please join us, tell your friends and neighbors, and Do Good Right Here. This year, donations up to $250 will be matched dollar for dollar by a generous anonymous donor who loves Brooklyn as much as you do.

Until next time,

Marilyn Gelber, President, Brooklyn Community Foundation