Bringing Grantees Together

Mobilize cohorts of grantees brings more voices to the table to participate in collaborative community problem solving.

Overview

In order to continue making progress in addressing pressing community challenges, leaders need regular opportunities to share resources and work through solutions with one another. This invaluable networking often catalyzes innovation and collaboration by cultivating interdisciplinary partnerships that often persist long after their initial projects have concluded. It additionally enables more voices to participate in community problem solving, bringing a more diverse set of perspectives.

In addition to having project leaders come together around certain topics, it is also important to consider how the cohort activities can be used as an avenue to seek feedback on organizational challenges and participate in an active exchange of best practices and resources. Public presentations and other sharing opportunities provide low-threshold professional development opportunities while also building a community of practice among grantees. From collegial report-out sessions, to lunch & learns, and project showcases, grantees can share their expertise while also learning from their peers.

Both of these types of cohort activities can be facilitated through a virtual communication platform (such as creating an email listserve or social media group for project leaders) or fostered through more meaningful in-person collaboration (such as hosting a series of regular gatherings). In most cases, a combination of these two approaches creates the most beneficial and actionable way to engage a group of grantees not only while their grants are active but also much further into the future.