By understanding your organization's unique needs, you can create a dynamic team that is not only effective but also deeply invested in the success and sustainability of your organization.

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Lasting impacts rarely happen when people are expected to network, advance interests, or blindly produce. They happen when good humans doing important and encouraged to come in quietly and connect. And sometimes, they happen on a Wednesday over waffles.

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By clearly defining roles, you can foster deeper engagement, more efficient implementation of the mission, effective communication, and build trust among board members and staff.

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As we look back on the five-year milestone of the Systems Change Community of Practice, it's worth celebrating that the CoP has not only fostered a supportive community of changemakers but has also amplified our collective capacity to drive meaningful transformation. Looking ahead, we are inspired by the potential for even greater impact as we continue to grow and deepen our practice together. 

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What does love have to do with systems change? It could be its very purpose. A different paradigm from which to consider the individual, relational, and community work needed to create healthier, more equitable, and regenerative systems.

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Change, no matter the scale, can bring with it a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and potential. How we navigate it determines not only our success but also the resilience and adaptability of our teams.

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With support from Rotary Charities for pilot programming, HOM has improved care and expanded its reach to communities throughout Northern Michigan and beyond.

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In this interview, Jennifer Hricik shares her candid experiences, growth moments, and the authentic story of her leadership evolution—revealing the genuine, human side of our coaching program.

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In the face of a youth mental health crisis in northwest lower Michigan, LIFT's dedicated staff finds empowerment in training funded by Rotary Charities’ Learning Fund.

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As summer transitions to fall and backpacks are full of new notebooks and sharpened pencils, local leaders find their seats and prepare for a year of learning, connection, and community.

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To help turn new insight into action, we developed three new reflection and discussion guides that accompany the Stories of Change publication. Learn more about how they can be used for individual reflection or, ideally, individual reflection that is then processed with a group of stakeholders committed to moving from insight to new action.

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Mary Bevans Gillett, Director of the Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network shares their experience, highlighting how the Learning Fund enabled them to go beyond individual professional development, foster collective impact, and ignite a ripple effect of change throughout the region.

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In this guest post from James Dake, Education Director of Grass River Natural Area, learn about interpreting the natural world and creating access for everyone. Dake shares his recent experience utilizing Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

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Sakura and Freya shared our approach to catalyzing positive change with other funders at the GEO Learning Conference. Our participation at the conference allowed us to connect with like-minded individuals who are curious about adopting a systems change approach in their work and funding.

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Prioritizing your learning and taking the time to invest in new skills and connect with other professionals is critical to our long-term success and the success of our organizations.

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Exploring the power of storytelling for nonprofits, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and including the voices of those with lived experiences in communicating an organization's mission and driving change.

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If organized philanthropy aims to make progress on complex, systemic issues, philanthropy itself must transform.

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Five key insights emerged across the four case studies featured in Stories of Change that point to the practices that have accelerated changemakers’ progress in transforming the systems at the heart of complex community issues. These insights are for anyone working to change the odds in favor of communities where everyone can thrive.

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Our Director of Community Development, Kristin Hettich, reflects on her recent trip to Malawi and Kenya with the Traverse City Sunrise Rotary Club.

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In 2022-23, Rotary Charities is experimenting with working more “out loud” by sharing some of our tools and processes, questions we’re asking ourselves, and our work in progress. In this blog, our Director of Systems Change & Learning, Freya Bradford, first shares some of the results of our Changemaker Needs Assessment and then explores a process we are trying to apply learnings like those and the questions it is bringing up for her.

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Rotary Charities of Traverse City is pleased to announce its recent award of $270,000 to seven regional nonprofits as part of its 2022 Spring grant cycle.

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This final installment in Freya's four-part systems change series explores two systemic learning questions, potential indicators of change to look for, and methods we might use to capture signs of change all along our journeys.

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Once opportunities and points of leverage are identified, systems can begin to shift when multiple actions across a system design a constellation of actions that act on those patterns.

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A lack of affordable housing is a common challenge to "gateway communities". Community members may hold the key to a unique solution.

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Five years ago, Rotary Charities began a journey to shift our focus from charity to changemaking in an effort to better help our region tackle our most complex problems and create community assets for all. We have much work ahead.

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