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News from F4DCThe Fund for Democratic Communities is a Greensboro, North Carolina based foundation supporting community-centered initiatives and institutions that foster authentic democracy and make communities better places to live.
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Grassroots Economies
In order to build communities that are democratic, just and sustainable, we need businesses that are rooted in their place and responsive to the communities they serve. We are working with people across the Southeast growing new economies based on these principles through the development of cooperative structures. -
Participatory Democracy
We believe in authentic democracy where everyday people join one another on the basis of equality and concern for the common good to make collective decisions and take positive action. Participatory democracy encompasses emergent methods for engaging broader groups of people in the vital work of self-governance. -
Grassroots Matching Grants
Nonprofits and community groups will continue to face shrinking funding streams from large donors and grant sources. Our matching grants program helps these groups develop constituent bases capable of providing long-term sustainable financial support.
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Food Co-op Initiative Announces Grant Opportunity
0Our friends at the Food Co-op Initiative are making grants to new food co-op startups. Below is the press release they issued yesterday: Food Co-op Initiative today announced they are accepting applications for grants up to $10,000 for development of new grocery co-ops. The Seed Grant program provides a cash award along with proven resources [...]
Prometheus Radio Project aims to “change the radio dial”
0The Prometheus Radio Project has long been preaching the gospel on low-power FM radio stations. In the wake of several natural and man-made disasters, LPFM stations stayed on the air when their larger counterparts were knocked out. In addition, LPFM stations are far less expensive to setup and operate, allowing community groups to launch them [...]
A Pathway to Responsible Community Ownership of the Renaissance Center
0Executive Summary The best option for ongoing community wealth building in Northeast Greensboro is to for the City to allow the community to purchase the Renaissance Center in Northeast Greensboro. This document maps out the pathway to that end. Community ownership is made possible by the development of a Community Land Trust (CLT). This community-controlled [...]
The Early History of F4DC’s Role in Community-Based Efforts to Build a Cooperative Grocery Store at Bessemer Center
0Earlier this week, I drafted this history to clear up some confusions about how and when work on the Renaissance Community Coop started, and the role that F4DC has played. We decided to post this history on our website so that more people have access to it during this period when City Council is deciding [...]
Private investment is private investment, whether it comes from individuals or a community
1The Renaissance Community Coop will bring $1.3 million in private investment to Phillips Avenue, and has already raised more than half of that amount. The Renaissance Community Coop (RCC) is really on a roll! Self-Help Credit Union has stepped up with a term sheet offering $700,000 toward the start up costs for launching a community-owned [...]
Eliminating food deserts and building community ownership are keys to sustainable development
0Steve Dubb and David Zuckerman recently published a great article explaining how eliminating food deserts is critical to developing sustainable communities. This is precisely what the folks in Northeast Greensboro are working on through the Renaissance Community Coop. We are thrilled to join them in this effort and excited about the transformative potential it has [...]


