The Philanthropy and Social Enterprise Fellowship consisted of three phases:
- Detroit: March 19-21, 2015
- Research period: April-September 2015
- New York: October 15-17, 2015
Phase 1:
The program began with a three-day, intensive session (March 19-21, 2015) in Detroit. The Senior Fellows engaged in Detroit-based discussions with local leaders in philanthropy, social entrepreneurship and community organizations, including representatives of the Kresge Foundation and the Detroit Institute of Arts. The Senior Fellows explored the remarkable actions of philanthropic leaders and social innovators during Detroit’s bankruptcy, including “the Grand Bargain” – the unprecedented intervention of national foundations to fund municipal pensions and save the city’s art collection.
Phase 2:
In the six months following the initial session in Detroit, the Senior Fellows embarked on independent research projects exploring the role of philanthropy and social entrepreneurship in addressing economic development and issues of social equity in their home communities. Collectively, the Senior Fellows examined geographies as far as Seattle, Denver and Washington, DC and issues as diverse as agricultural development, elderly health care and the corporate social responsibility programs of technology companies.
Phase 3:
Upon completion of the research projects, the Senior Fellows reconvened in New York City in October for a second set of meetings with local philanthropic, entrepreneurial and community leaders (October 15-17). The Senior Fellows shared their research at Humanity in Action’s New York Conference at The New School. Brief reports for each of the projects are now published below.
