In the fall of 2022, building on previous research, advocacy, webinars and grantmaking to supportcommunity ownership models, SPARCC convened a four-part series that brought together leadersfrom all six SPARCC metro areas for shared learning and support. Through workshops, peerpresentations, and discussion, the series sought to distill key aspects, challenges, and lessons fromthe field related to […]
Continue ReadingBy Sasha Forbes and Nick Collins At SPARCC’s inception, we knew policy—local, regional, and national—would be a critical component for long-term systems change. But that was met with the hard reality of the 2016 election, which put many policy advocates on the defense. Where we had high hopes for an administration to work with us […]
Continue ReadingBy Mikyla Reta The Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC) is a national initiative created to address the structural barriers facing low-income communities and communities of color that continue to feel the effects of historical redlining, environmental and climate injustice, lack of equitable transportation infrastructure and persistent discrimination. A key focus for SPARCC partners, […]
Continue ReadingAs part of our efforts to make federal funding more accessible, we created an illustrated video walking through: Watch the video below!
Continue ReadingLee este blog en español. Federal Grant Funding Checklist Applying for funding from the federal government is a difficult and onerous task. While the funds are ultimately meant to help a community address local needs, the process of accessing the funds and ensuring they are implemented in a manner consistent with community priorities can be […]
Continue ReadingRecovery from the Great Recession was uneven and painfully slow for lower-income areas and people of color burdened by decades of structural racism. Some neighborhoods never regained housing values or homeownership levels. One thing we know: when parts of our communities are not healthy and thriving, we all pay a price. The multiple stressors of […]
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Named after its sister city that sits along the Nile River in Egypt, Memphis means enduring and beautiful. Memphis is more than music. It’s more than lights, sounds, and world-class barbeque. At its heart, Memphis has always been about people, their connection to each other, and the city they love.
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The Bay Area has long been lauded as a place of progress, diversity, and new ideas. From jazz to flower children, the Black Panther Party to the tech boom, the Bay Area remains on the cutting edge of progressiveness. The Bay Area has always been ahead of its time – pushing, pulling, and shifting the consciousness of the region and even the country like the giant tectonic plates it sits upon.
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“La Alma” by Emanuel Martinez (1978). “La Alma” is one of the earliest remaining Chicano Murals. The mural commemorates the birthplace of Chicano Mural Movement in Colorado that began at La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood by Emanuel Martinez with the support of the community. The mural represents the accomplishments of Indigenous and mestizo peoples past […]
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Atlanta is a city of the future with deep ties to the past. The red clay hills of Atlanta, Georgia hold within them weighted history. Despite its modern look of towering skyscrapers and state-of-the-art facilities, the shadows of slavery still loom large.
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