Center for Community Change
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Community Change, formerly the Center for Community Change (CCC), is a progressive
community organizing Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other or share some common problem come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. Unlike those who promote more-consensual community bui ...
group active in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It was founded in 1968 in response to civil rights concerns of the 1960s and to honor
Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
. The organization's stated mission is "to build the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to change their communities and public policies for the better."


Activities

Community Change generally works in low-income areas, especially within communities of color, and attempts to create resident-based groups to work on local issues of concern. The organization sponsors internships and training programs in several areas, including
community organizing Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other or share some common problem come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. Unlike those who promote more-consensual community bui ...
,
service learning Service-learning is an educational approach that combines learning objectives with community service in order to provide a pragmatic, progressive learning experience while meeting societal needs. Service-learning involves students in service proje ...
,
union organizing A union organizer (or union organiser in Commonwealth spelling) is a specific type of trade union member (often elected) or an appointed union official. A majority of unions appoint rather than elect their organizers. In some unions, the orga ...
, electoral engagement, and youth/student organizing. The organization provides resources for grassroots groups including campaign strategy, funding and social media strategy. In 2004, through the collaboration with immigrant groups, Community Change organized the Fair Immigration Reform Movement that "empowered immigrants to speak out". Community Change has helped to create government programs like the
Community Reinvestment Act The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA, P.L. 95-128, 91 Stat. 1147, title VIII of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1977, ''et seq.'') is a United States federal law designed to encourage commercial banks and savings associations to hel ...
and the food stamps program. The organization seeks to create workplace environments that value family, to guarantee minimum wage, "unlock opportunities in the poorest communities, and increase income taxes for the wealthy. The Center for Community Change launched the
Fair Immigration Reform Movement The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) is a grassroots movement that supports comprehensive immigration reform and the civil rights of immigrants in the United States. It was started in 2004 by the Community Change, formerly The Center for Com ...
(FIRM), an immigration reform movement working for comprehensive immigration reform. FIRM received funding from the
Open Society Foundations Open Society Foundations (OSF), formerly the Open Society Institute, is a Grant (money), grantmaking network founded and chaired by business magnate George Soros. Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the wo ...
and the
Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...
.


Funding

Community Change has received funding from a range of progressive organizations including the
Alliance for Early Success The Alliance for Early Success (the Alliance) is a 50-state early-childhood advocacy nonprofit that provides connections, expertise, technical assistance, and targeted investments to help state policy advocates achieve pro-child state policies. Be ...
, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
Carnegie Corporation of New York The Carnegie Corporation of New York is a philanthropic fund established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to support education programs across the United States, and later the world. Carnegie Corporation has endowed or otherwise helped to establis ...
,
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is a progressive American think tank that analyzes the impact of federal and state government budget policies. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Center's stated mission is to "conduct resear ...
,
Democracy Alliance The Democracy Alliance is a network of progressive donors who coordinate their political donations to groups that the Alliance has endorsed. It has been described by ''Politico'' as "the country's most powerful liberal donor club". Members of th ...
, Every Citizen Counts,
Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGB ...
,
MoveOn MoveOn (formerly known as MoveOn.org) is a progressive public policy advocacy group and political action committee. Formed in 1998 around one of the first massively viral email petitions, MoveOn has since grown into one of the largest grassroot ...
,
New America (organization) New America, formerly the New America Foundation, is a think tank in the United States founded in 1999. It focuses on a range of public policy issues, including national security studies, technology, asset building, health, gender, energy, educa ...
,
Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. It is a tax-exempt corporation under Internal Reve ...
, the Tides Advocacy Fund, and The Voter Participation Center.


See also

* Stephanie Land, a writing fellow for Community Change


References


External links


Community Change website

FIRM website
{{authority control Community building Immigrant rights organizations in the United States Civil rights organizations in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Organizations established in 1968 Political advocacy groups in the United States Internship programs Progressive organizations in the United States