Incourage

Founded as a traditional community foundation in 1994, Incourage has evolved into a place-based philanthropic community steward, dedicated to and led by the people of rural Central Wisconsin. Over two decades, we have adapted our work to meet the complex needs of a region recovering from a severity of disinvestment that parallels that of central Appalachia. Today, Incourage plays many roles in community development: steward, convener, facilitator, trainer, researcher, grant-maker, fundraiser, investor, and advocate. We play these critical roles in an attempt to foster an environment in which residents believe that change-both cultural renewal and economic reinvention-can exist and thrive. O... read more Founded as a traditional community foundation in 1994, Incourage has evolved into a place-based philanthropic community steward, dedicated to and led by the people of rural Central Wisconsin. Over two decades, we have adapted our work to meet the complex needs of a region recovering from a severity of disinvestment that parallels that of central Appalachia. Today, Incourage plays many roles in community development: steward, convener, facilitator, trainer, researcher, grant-maker, fundraiser, investor, and advocate. We play these critical roles in an attempt to foster an environment in which residents believe that change-both cultural renewal and economic reinvention-can exist and thrive. Our mission is to cultivate an inclusive community that is open and productive for all, and simultaneously to build and diversify a sustainable, resilient local economy. We align these operational goals with our philosophical values of equity, opportunity, and shared stewardship. People are our most important asset and positive community change happens when individuals have the opportunity to realize their full potential. Residents who feel a sense of ownership, shared responsibility and shared destiny by virtue of a shared place are essential in shaping healthy, sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Two important theoretical frameworks guide all of our strategic endeavors: To help individuals and organizations learn to build the trusting relationships needed to mobilize for change, Incourage integrates tools and techniques from Adaptive Leadership, a practical framework for collective action in communities facing complex systemic challenges. Changing attitudes and behaviors can take years to achieve, and this model helps Incourage tackle the inevitable interpersonal challenges in that incremental process. Incourage also frequently invokes the idea of Connected Capitals- that effective placemaking requires harnessing all assets (or "capitals") that contribute to community health and prosperity: human, economic, environmental, social, cultural, moral and reputational. Many of rural Central Wisconsin's valuable resources were not previously integrated into the once thriving single-industry ecosystem that has now evaporated. By promoting a comprehensive view of community assets, and by spearheading innovative opportunities for cooperative investment, Incourage helps to strengthen cross-sector networks, fill gaps, and nurture a holistic local economy. Now is an especially exciting time for Incourage. Through our work, we have exposed weaknesses in the traditional structure of a community foundation in meeting the greater needs of a marginalized rural community in America. As we focus on creating a community that works well for all people, Incourage seeks long-term community transformation that addresses our deep history of wealth inequality. Specifically, we are working to transform the underlying social, political, cultural, and economic conditions in our community that have hindered access to opportunity and perpetuated the status quo. Community members who have benefited from decades of inequitable business-as-usual cultural norms actively resist our attempts to fuel change. Lessons learned have allowed us to more recently identify and define our role as a disruptor in the sphere of traditional philanthropic community development organizations. We remain committed to the radical idea that community-led philanthropy can drive the transformation of a sustainable, equitable region where all people can truly thrive, and we are now on the cusp of implementing a new, next level structure to leverage our impact and resources for the people we serve.