The Second Century

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is a collection of essays written by community foundation leaders who set out to respond to Silicon Valley Foundation head Emmett Carson's assertion that we enter the second century of the movement in need of a fundamentally new model of community foundation. It addresses a theme that each of the community foundation heads must successfully meet in their daily professional lives namely, the ways in which the shape and size of a community affects its development. Community foundations, especially those serving rural areas, often look to their peers elsewhere and to others in their region engaged in community development work in order to learn about new ways of building social and financial capital. Building on the initiatives of local residents, community foundations promote dialogue that identifies shared values, strengthens relationships, encourages risk-taking, and cultivates adaptive leadership in community members.