Boards & Governance: Building an “Integrity Board”

If there were no such thing as organizations as we currently know them, what would we build to accomplish social missions and propel social change forward? For the past four years, this question has been at the heart of our board’s discussions.* Because Creating the Future is a grounds for experimenting with systems change, this … Read more

Communications Strategy for Creating the Future: Summary of Meeting #1

On Thursday, September 19, a small group gathered to begin crafting Creating the Future’s communications strategy. In this post, first we’ll share what transpired during that meeting. Then we’ll share some observations about the meeting overall. Purpose for the Plan: Creating the Future’s first few years were spent in proof-of-concept. We experimented with re-imagining systems. … Read more

Designing Communications / Engagement Strategy: Conditions for Success (Meeting #2)

Designing Communication/Engagement Strategy Meeting #2 was held on Thursday, September 25th from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET Watch the meeting HERE or, After the meeting – LISTEN TO THE MEETING HERE https://creatingthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Designing-Communication-Engagement_Strategy_Meeting-2.mp3 or Download the MP3 (To download to your hard drive, right-click {or click and hold on a Mac} on the link above … Read more

Designing Communications / Engagement Strategy via Catalytic Thinking

Creating the Future is embarking on a project to propel systems change towards its potential – creating a world that works for all of us. And you are invited to be part of that! The Project Creating the Future is taking first steps in convening an effort to align social change support systems (like funding … Read more

Frustrated at the Pace of Social Change? So Are We!

Note: This post is part of an ongoing project, and as such, is frequently updated. Most recent update: September 27, 2022. In addition, see this January 2022 article in Nonprofit Quarterly, for a summary of our most recent findings. Do you ever feel like Sisyphus in your work to create a more humane world – … Read more

A Different Kind of Conference: PANO & Creating the Future

What would capacity building look like if it aimed at biulding capacity for strong communities vs. strong organizations? During two days of meetings last August in rural western Pennsylvania, that was the question facing staff and board members from several organizations invoved in variuos aspects of capacity building. The meeting was hosted by the Westmoreland County … Read more