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In this webinar, New America will help funders better understand several strategies for supporting and maximizing local solutions to civic problems.  We believe somewhere in America someone has figured out and/or tested solutions to many of our problems, but these may not be shared, scaled, tech-powered, or visible to those who need them most.

We aim to share:

• our theory of the case,
• how to architect networks to connect local pilots,
• what are the obstacles to impactful solutions for impact, and
• how a few pilots are overcoming these obstacles.

Webinar attendees will receive practical guidance on how local solutions are scouted, what we have learned from those local innovators about their need for a connected network, a media platform, and technical expertise, how systems can be built for longer term impact beyond the life of the project, and how to measure impact at various points of the work.

In these discussions, we will focus on several diverse examples of such work to illustrate the variety of ways local innovators can be connected and lifted up:

• Rural-Cultural Dialogues – a discussion in participation with March Gallagher: In Wassaic, NY, New America and the Wassaic Project convened a day-long workshop of local and national leaders in art, policy, and philanthropy to discuss the role of arts education, higher education, and regional catalysts for economic growth in the Dutchess county region. The discussion zeroed in on the need for a robust collaboration between government, philanthropy, and local actors, highlighting that national – and even regional – data stand to be bolstered through deeper street level case studies of communities like Wassaic in order to make a real difference to policy makers, both locally and nationally.
• Rural Fellowship Model: In California, New America identifies and invests in rural and urban based civic entrepreneurs, helping them to design and incubate ideas and policy solutions and engage with new audiences. One of the fellows established a network of youth-led media hubs to address media deserts.
• Technology for Community Resilience: In Brooklyn, New America helped Red Hook build and maintain a wireless mesh network that was resilient during Superstorm Sandy. We are partnering with community organizations and local businesses to build mesh networks, and individuals to maintain them in 5 other NYC communities. increasing their climate resiliency and anchoring community connectedness and economic activity.

In advance of the webinar you are encouraged to review the links embedded above, the attached document, and the following articles:

• The Community Network Solution: In reweaving the social fabric of a city or town, relationships trump rank.

• Rethinking the Think Tank

Webinar Presenters

Cecilia Muñoz, New America Vice President, Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives

Prior to joining New America in 2017, Cecilia served on President Obama’s senior staff, first as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for three years, followed by five years as Director of the Domestic Policy Council. Prior to her work in government, she served for 20 years at the National Council of La Raza (now UNIDOS US), the nation’s largest Hispanic policy and advocacy organization, where she was Senior Vice President for the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation.   She received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2000 for her work on immigration and civil rights, and serves on the Boards of the Open Society and Kresge Foundations, as well as the nonprofit United to Protect Democracy.  Muñoz, a Detroit native and the daughter of immigrants from Bolivia, is also a wife and mother of two grown daughters. She lives with her husband in Maryland.

Elana Broitman, Director, New America NYC

Elana has served as the deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Manufacturing & Industrial Base Policy in the Department of Defense and as a senior advisor to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), having spent time in a technology company, with prior service as counsel to the House International Relations Committee.  Broitman brings philanthropic experience, having worked as senior vice president at UJA-Federation.  Broitman comes to New America from Greenberg Traurig, where she was a shareholder. Broitman’s work has focused on cybersecurity, national security, human rights, and refugee issues. She is a graduate of Trinity University and the University of Texas School of Law and speaks both Russian and German.

March Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley

March is responsible for the overall leadership of the organization, including donor services, grant-making, and care and custody of Foundation assets. A resident of Rosendale in Ulster County, March is an attorney with degrees from Boston University, Bard College, Rockefeller College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She comes to the Community Foundations having served most recently as Chief Strategy Officer at Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, focusing on regional quality of life issues. March is a current board member with the Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation and Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Middletown. March also currently serves on the Dutchess County Economic Development Advisory Council chairing its committee on local government and the Dutchess County Community Development Advisory Board. Previously, March oversaw economic development activities for Ulster County Executive Mike Hein. She has served on the boards of the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation, Hudson Valley Regional Council, Ulster County Development Corporation, Ulster County Workforce Investment Board and Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, which she chaired during 2006 and 2007.