Giving Compass' Take:

• In this GrantCraft post, the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation (WFRF) is presented as a case study in how to address community needs by engaging with those who are most affected.

•  From stakeholder interviews to focus groups to door-to-door surveys, WFRF makes sure to stay in tune with constituents, while also carefully collecting and analyzing data. What can other organizations learn from the process?

• Here's more on why the feedback movement is part of achieving impact philanthropy.

To make community change that sticks, the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation (WFRF) turns to those who know best what a neighborhood needs: community members themselves.

For more than 20 years, the foundation has invested in improving the quality of life for children and families living in low-income communities in Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The foundation works toward this goal by giving multiyear grants and capacity-building support to nonprofits that plan and implement neighborhood revitalization initiatives.

The foundation takes a robust approach to grantmaking that is long-term, resident-driven, and data-driven, integrating capacity-building support throughout partnerships with grantees that often last over a decade. This approach has resulted in significant development including new homes, strengthened commercial corridors, renovated community centers, safer parks, and more. The foundation has facilitated these outcomes by building the capacity of nonprofits and residents alike to continue to plan for and make lasting change in their communities even after the initiatives are complete.

Read the full article about what community-led change looks like by Lauri Valerio at GrantCraft.