Building Bridges: How Salem Leadership Foundation Connects Community

Welcome to this week's episode of What's Happening Salem!

In this episode, Jacob Espinoza sits down with Kyle Dickinson, Executive Director of Salem Leadership Foundation, to discuss the organization's vital behind-the-scenes work connecting and empowering Salem's community. Topics include:

• How Salem Leadership Foundation serves as a connector and trusted advisor across churches, schools, and nonprofits
• The challenges facing nonprofit leaders in today's uncertain funding environment
• SLF's innovative Development Cohort - training 31 local fundraisers to build financially sustainable organizations
• The upcoming "I Start This?" cohort for aspiring nonprofit founders and existing organizations looking to expand
• The Prevention Working Group's collaborative approach to reducing community violence
• Community Partnership Teams bringing neighborhoods together with grassroots funding and action
• Why duplication of services is a myth and how collaboration beats competition
• The importance of being a "bridge" and reconciler in divided times

Timestamps:

00:02 - Introduction to Salem Leadership Foundation's behind-the-scenes impact

01:13 - Field staff embedded in neighborhoods across Salem

02:45 - Stepping into Sam Skiller's legacy with a fresh perspective

05:17 - The perfect storm facing nonprofits and new leadership

08:51 - Listening to needs across churches, schools, and nonprofits

13:14 - Launching the Development Cohort for nonprofit fundraisers

20:07 - The "I Start This?" cohort for nonprofit founders

24:00 - Why we don't need fewer nonprofits, just better collaboration

26:18 - The Prevention Working Group is reducing community violence

31:48 - Being a bridge means getting walked on sometimes

35:05 - Braver Angels: modeling how to disagree agreeably

37:02 - Community Partnership Teams making grassroots impact

42:01 - The power of open-ended questions over yes/no debates