Rooted Resources: Money for the People

How can we use money in new and creative ways for community benefit? GWI hosts a conversation on how community funds can shift power and funnel resources to local people and initiatives, nurturing a rooted, connected sense of thriving. 

In a time of increasing instability and disconnection, we turn towards projects and approaches that are building alternatives. In this session, we will hear from two new community funds that have launched this fall: Mid-Hudson Energy Transition’s HELP Fund and the community-designed grant fund called Kingston Common Futures. Both aim to meet real community needs, informed by community input. They also demonstrate how we can thoughtfully design projects to use money as a transformative shared resource for community health and well-being. 

The session will include short presentations, facilitated Q&A and open discussion, and a chance to meet and hear from your neighbors. Snacks provided!

Rooted Resources is a GWI series that shines a light on localizing economic power to nurture solidarity, awareness, and action. Through Rooted Resources gatherings we offer a platform to learn from each other, connect with ideas and initiatives, and facilitate the hard and powerful conversations that come with looking at how we might better share resources to shift from individual survival to collective thriving.

About the HELP Fund 

The HELP Fund, a program of Mid-Hudson Energy Transition, is a green community investment fund that empowers everyday people to invest in the clean energy transition and contribute to positive climate, health, and housing justice outcomes in their local community. The capital raised by the Fund will be used to provide low-income households with accessible, low-interest financing – set at just 2% – to make home improvements that make their homes safer and healthier, lower their energy bills, and reduce their carbon footprint. 

About Kingston Common Futures

Kingston Common Futures is offering grants directly to the Kingston community, for the Kingston community, decided by the Kingston community. Our purpose is to challenge historic imbalances of power and systems of oppression while working towards a deeply inclusive and collaborative ecosystem empowered to serve the common good. 

Kingston Commons Futures evolved out of the community fund design process facilitated by Good Work Institute in 2023-2024.

About GWI

The Good Work Institute exists to build and amplify the collective power of people to reject systems of oppression and extraction and create regenerative, just, and life-affirming communities.

Our work is guided by these five principles of Just Transition:

• Relocalizing economic power

• Driving racial justice and social equity

• Democratizing  communities, wealth and work

• Advancing ecological repair

• Retaining and restoring cultural diversity