Giving Compass' Take:

• Knight Foundation discusses their investment in building up public spaces in Philadelphia (parks, libraries, etc.) and how such a commitment can transform a community.

• All nonprofits should look at this effort as a way to engage with local partners and make a direct impact on people's lives while empowering constituents.

• Here's how to be mindful with your philanthropy and stay in touch with what's happening in your backyard.

Philadelphia’s public spaces are experiencing a resurgence. From recently opened Lovett Library Park to excitement around the soon to be open Cherry Street Pier, new investments in these community centerpieces have created deeper connections between people and their city and invited a cross-section of residents to participate in building the kind of neighborhoods where they want to live.

At Knight Foundation, public spaces form an important part of our work in cities. Beyond the opportunity to meet neighbors, enjoy local arts and culture and take a jog or spend time with family, they help to strengthen civic engagement and the attachment people feel for their cities — both prerequistes for creating more informed and engaged communities. Recent research by the Center for Active Design reinforces this purpose, showing that public spaces can help to facilitate community connection, trust and involvement.

Last fall, Knight Foundation doubled down on its public space support in Philadelphia, following up on what we learned from Reimagining the Civic Commons. We announced $3.28 million in new funding to Fairmount Park Conservancy and partners to develop a citywide, civic engagement strategy to connect people to their neighborhoods and to each other. Since then, Knight-funded trainings and activities have helped jumpstart participation and energy around public spaces. This includes the first-ever citywide summit for hundreds of library and public space volunteers and neighborhood partners to come together to share new ideas and learn from each other ...

Building on this momentum, we have committed an additional $800,000 to four of our Reimagining the Civic Commons partners: the John Bartram Association, Reading Terminal Market Corporation, Centennial Parkside Community Development Corporation, and Mt. Airy USA.

As with our prior investments the funding captures three main themes:

  1. Using place as a platform.
  2. Building community through public space.
  3. Advancing creativity and collaboration.

Read the full article about building a stronger Philadelphia through public spaces by Patrick J. Morgan at Knight Foundation.