Catalysts for Change

"Catalysts for Change is a magnificent addition to the Comprehensive Community Initiative (CCI) literature. Martinez-Cosio and Bussell’s book is one of the first to contextualize placed-based development initiatives in the United States by thoroughly assessing the history of the complex relationship between community development and private foundation-led efforts. Moreover, this work takes CCIs into the 21st century by demonstrating how relevant they are today through two powerful narratives of neighborhood change. This is a must read for scholars, practitioners, policy makers, and students interested in understanding the complexities of promoting urban neighborhood revitalization." — Derek Hyra, Associate Professor, Urban Affairs and Planning, Virginia Tech, and author, The New Urban Renewal: The Economic Transformation of Harlem and Bronzeville

"This important contribution accelerates the discussion of community development through the singular lens of foundations. Too frequently, foundations are only seen as a financial spigot. The authors define complex terms like community development, participation, public-private partnerships, and collaboration in real time and settings. Their detailed case studies of two family foundations in San Diego, California—Price Charities and The Jacobs Family Foundation—lend resonance to debates about the role government plays in the face of neglect and poverty. After decades of retrenchment, amid cities declaring bankruptcy, and increasing budget cuts, the authors raise questions that go to the very heart of the debate over values about the public realm. Within the many examples of foundations, different institutional arrangements, processes, and philosophies, they tease out the nuances. The authors offer a variety of methodologies to understand the range of foundation engagement as well as pitfalls that can arise from lack of communication, transparency, and accountability in any situation where money and power are at stake. Their reiteration of the centrality of context does not lose sight of the work people in a community do to improve their neighborhoods. Using systems theory, they foreground the different issues that go beyond any one area such as housing or jobs or health and create an analysis that shows the fit between issues and among foundations, residents, developers, property owners, bureaucrats, planners, policymakers, and organizers." — Jacqueline Leavitt, Professor, Department of Urban Planning, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

"With its case studies, this work provides real-life examples of both best practices and mistakes to avoid in comprehensive community development work. These examples provide an advantage to the reader over other texts that might be lacking in resources for the practitioner." – Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Amy Blackford, Purdue University, USA