World Harmony Mini-Grants  read more »

Yesterday we had a conference call to discuss the future of this website. There were a few people who couldn't make the call but were interested in staying involved, and a request to post the call minutes to the site. Here are my notes, including a list of participants.  read more »

What are the results of the Massachusetts Civic Engagement Summit? What did people take away from the Summit that has motivated them as they move forward in their communities, neighborhoods, and workplaces? What did people write on the postcards about what they would do and how have they done on these points?  read more »

We recently learned that mass.gov has a page up with some pictures and media from the Summit. Click the picture below, or just go to http://mass.gov and search for "civic summit".

On December 8, from 9 to 1pm. 12 - 20 Volunteers will invite grocery store customers to fill a Warehouse grocery bag with suggested items for the Food Warehouse. As they shop, they will pick up the items they're purchaing for the Food Collection. After paying for the groceries, they will leave their Warehouse bag, filled with their donated items with the Collection Volunteers. This volunteer assignment provides a concrete way to spread the Holiday Spirit and help hungry people eat all winter long and on into spring! Click here to read more...

Lots of people are signing up for MassCivicAction.org, which is great! But many people are still question marks, meaning they haven't uploaded a picture.  read more »

The Civic Engagement Summit was featured in an article in Saturday's Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Here's an excerpt:  read more »

We are an informal group of people who are interested in 1) measuring and extending ethos, and 2) information and communication technologies for positive social change. We meet once a month in Harvard Square, Cambridge for presentations and discussions. Click here to read more...

What is ONE Massachusetts? ONE Massachusetts is a bold initiative designed to transform the realm of the politically possible in our state. Its aim is to change the Commonwealth’s underlying civic and political dialogue by giving activists across the state the tools to respond effectively to the continuous attacks on government that poison public debates and undermine the possibility of progress on so many critically important issues. In its initial formation, ONE Massachusetts will serve as a network for regionally based civic, social and political activists to come together for communications, advocacy, state budget, and leadership trainings. Those trainings will then inform a strategically coordinated effort to jumpstart a long overdue public discussion about the critical role that government plays in all of our lives. Prioritizing broad participation from people of color, the organizers of ONE Massachusetts will also seek to engage activists from all sectors of our state’s civic life so as to create a “ripple effect” that will help move public sentiment towards a much more positive understanding of the role of government in our state over the next few years. Click here to read more...

Where Goes the Neighborhood? Social Capital in Today’s Communities. Social networking may be the rage, but local social ties have weakened over the past generation. This track will explore how neighborhoods and local relationships are changing, highlight effective practices, and share ideas on how to build bridges that span differences in increasingly diverse communities. Join us for the discussion at the Summit, and keep your eyes on this page for session notes and follow-up dialogue.