Adirondack Community Foundation’s new awards program encourages people to get social

Adirondack Community Foundation is a Trust Civic Hub grantee and community foundation based out of the rural region of Lake Placid, New York. This November, the foundation launched a new program with a simple premise: throw a great winter gathering in your community, get $1,000.

Called the “Kindling Awards,” the foundation just announced funding for 30 small in-person gatherings that bring neighbors together, without any agenda other than to fuel social connection.

President and CEO Cali Brooks shares how these gatherings like these are entry points for greater community engagement, and what it takes to run a hyper-local program like this: 

You’ve said this program is about combating isolation and fueling connection. What factors are perpetuating disconnection and isolation in the Adirondacks, and how is that impacting community life in your region?
“In our sparsely populated, mountainous region, isolation is baked into the landscape, yet it was traditionally offset by a sense of belonging within our small, tight-knit communities,” explains Brooks. “The pandemic, demographic changes, technology, and more recently the election have all contributed to fraying some of that social cohesion and trust.”

What was the response and reaction from the community to these awards? What was the biggest challenge to finding or learning about hyper-local events that met your criteria?
“As a community foundation, our objectives were to build community and to support groups, clubs, and associations that we don’t normally reach, so we set this up as a nomination process, not a grant application. Anyone in the community could fill out a simple online form, send a cellphone video, or just call and talk to a staff member,” says Brooks. “We thought we might get a couple dozen responses, but we received 78 incredible nominations, so we had to make some difficult decisions.

We love the name “Kindling” because it implies the event is sparking something more. What do you hope will happen because of these social gatherings?
“Exactly right, our Kindling Awards are named after the key ingredient for starting a warm fire to gather around,” says Brooks. “This spark is renewing a sense of optimism, joy, and stronger relationships in our small rural towns, where that is especially important in the long winter months.”

As you reviewed applications, what were the ingredients or attributes that stood out that make a social gathering enticing and exciting for your community? 
“Kindling Award events are open, welcoming, helping people of different ages or backgrounds come together to get to know one another, share experiences, and create connections,” Brooks says. “One of our favorites was a “seniors vs. students” trivia contest that was a collaboration between a senior center and a Students Against Drunk Driving club. Another was a singing group that formed to sing for people in hospice nearing the end of life. 

This is an amazing idea. What’s one suggestion you have for others who see this and want to start a program like this in their own community? 
“Making the nomination process as easy and accessible as possible was key to reaching beyond the usual organizations we fund,” Brooks shares. “There is no tracking of impact or measurable outcomes other than neighbors connecting with neighbors. Small grants or awards can send a powerful message, that every effort to connect with others is worthwhile and makes a difference.”

Learn more about the recipients of the Kindling Awards on the foundation’s website.