Giving Compass' Take:

• Marguerite Casey Foundation and other philanthropic investments have been funding a range of nonprofits and bringing together people from all backgrounds to boost civic engagement.

• How can other philanthropists follow this model of a holistic and inclusive encouragement for civic engagement? What are the benefits of focusing on civic engagement?

• Learn more about the importance of civic engagement.

Low-income families, people of color, members of the LGBT community, and various supporters are banding together with a network of nonprofit organizations. They're standing up to broaden the culture of leadership — as well as its definition — and boost civic engagement.

They're changing a system they say has overlooked their voices in community and policy decisions. They're saying political power, government representation, and decisions about spending public dollars are a shared endeavor — that the promise of U.S. democracy includes everyone.

The goal is to make civic participation more accessible, and to recognize leadership across income, racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation lines. They're doing that with support from Marguerite Casey Foundation and other philanthropic investments that started years ago.

There's the Environmental Health Coalition; the San Diego LGBT Community Center; American Friends Service Committee's U.S.-Mexico border program operated out of its San Diego-area office; Engage San Diego, which works on nonpartisan voter engagement; and the Center on Policy Initiatives, a research and action institute that supports worker prosperity.

Under this framework of equity, movement building, and engagement, these organizations and families are maximizing community leadership efforts through the San Diego Equal Voice Network, which was formalized in 2016.

Read the full article about building civic engagement by Elizabeth Posey and Brad Wong at PhilanTopic.