In our work with nonprofits, faith-based organizations and other causes, we often find ourselves talking about “community.” We are looking to strengthen community. We are seeking support from the community. We are reaching out into the community with our programs or ministries.
While we all have a sense of what we’re talking about, I’m not sure that prospective donors have the same understanding.
“Community” can mean the place you live. It can mean a group of people with the same interests. It can be a neighborhood or a fanbase or a group of people of the same ethnic descent.
What makes them communities – rather than a group of people with something in common – is the way that the connections they share inspire them to work for and with each other. In other words, a community isn’t just about identity, it’s about action.
These actions can be as small as shoveling an elderly neighbor’s drive or as large as fighting social injustice by leveraging the voices of hundreds of thousands of people across the country. No matter what the scope of the action, it’s taken to help someone else because they belong to the same community as you.
Community sometimes grows spontaneously, especially in the wake of a crisis, but most often it needs to be nurtured. Why? Because community takes action. How can you grow or reinvigorate the community you’re in?
When we think of community as a noun, we miss the very thing that makes it vibrant and alive with possibility. Community, done right, is a verb.
What do you think? Any more suggestions on how to build community? Share them in the comments below.