social capital

We asked our guests at the SCI Social Capitalist Luncheon some questions to uncover how social capital is being raised in their communities. Even though the event has ended, we are continuing the conversation and we want to hear your thoughts!

To join in on the conversation, answer these questions below using the hashtag #SCImpact. 

Please answer the following questions by first tweeting the number of the question (i.e. A1), your response, and then #SCImpact:

For example: A1 People in Woburn connected via social media to raise $ for those in need of emergency fuel assistance this winter. #SCImpact

Q1 What's an interesting way people have connected in your community to address a local need?

Q2 Do you know your neighbors?

Q3 What community issue are you most passionate about?

Q4 What is something you have done to bring diverse people together?

Q5 Does your neighborhood have activities that bring people together?Read more

How did you get involved in your local community?  Well for me, it was my grocery store closing.  I walked into Johnnie’s Foodmaster and was greeted with “STORE CLOSING” signs everywhere.  West Somerville would be without a grocery store for at least half a year or more.  I’ve lived in Somerville for about a year and half now and despite trying to keep up with what is going on locally, our grocery store abruptly closing came to me as a surprise.  I wanted to get connected with people who dealt with issues like this or at least had more information for me.  I got onto the city’s website and started looking into various meetings that were going on pertaining to issues and projects in the city.Read more

Nonprofit professionals are well aware that sharing information and collaborating with other organizations is important to help sustain the nonprofit sector and the communities we serve, especially since nonprofits are often strapped for resources. At SCI, we may not have extensive financial resources, but we do have quite a bit of knowledge on particular topics that we enjoy sharing with the community at large. 

During 2012, SCI offered frequent trainings and presentations on social capital and related topics. These trainings have helped over 300 individuals strengthen their ability to build social capital in their communities.

David Crowley, President and Founder of SCI, moderated a panel on the topic of "Social Capital in Action" at the Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts annual meeting. Over 80 Massachusetts philanthropists were in attendance, and practical ways to build social capital in communities were generated from this discussion. Read a brief summary from it here.Read more