How prevalent are white nationalist groups in the Northwest? The racist fringe subculture that led the U.S. capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021 is part of a larger movement. Its “alt-right” coalition is shaping the public narrative on national policies, endangering community cohesion and...
In mid-2020, the Wyoming State Legislature held a special session to decide how to spend COVID-19 pandemic relief funding from the federal CARES Act. They settled on $325 million for business grants, but as the proposal made its way through the legislative process, the proposed language did not specify if nonprofits qualified. The Wyoming Nonprofit Network led an advocacy effort to convince state representatives to include nonprofits in the funding, to help ensure stability in the charitable sector during the pandemic. Learn the outcomes and future impacts of this Bright Spot story.
Sometimes we get so caught up in our day-to-day work that we don’t always make time to get out into the field to learn and see for ourselves. Earlier this year, our CEO, Kiran Ahuja and I hit the road and ventured to a part of our region that is personally new to us. The sole purpose of our trip was to learn and connect with grantmakers on the ground in Wyoming.
A fair and impartial judiciary provides a check on the other branches of government and is necessary to ensure equality under the law. However, the process of judicial selection has a tremendous impact on judges’ ability to function independent of political influence. How should judges be...
The effects of natural and manmade disasters have become more frequent, far-reaching and widespread. As a result, preserving the safety, security and prosperity of all parts of our society is becoming more challenging. Our nation’s traditional approach to managing the risks associated with these disasters relies heavily on the government. However, today’s changing reality is affecting all levels of government in their efforts to improve our resilience while grappling with the limitations of their capabilities. Even in small- and medium-sized disasters, which the government is generally effective at managing, significant access and service gaps still exist. In large-scale disasters or catastrophes, government resources and capabilities can be overwhelmed. In this call, Mike Riedy and Matt Cedar will provide an overview of the four phases of emergency management, differences between community recovery and individual recovery and suggest ways to support the long-term recovery group process, including why financial contributions are best.
Day by day, access to broadband, and the advanced applications it facilitates, becomes more integral to the daily lives of Americans and to the vitality of communities across America. While the benefits of increased broadband access and adoption are widespread, barriers like income and geography keep many Americans from taking advantage of the economic, educational and social benefits of broadband access. Karen Perry will provide an overview of the data for Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, describe the framework and online tool, and suggest ways that your communities can participate this year.
Our "virtual roundtable" interviews feature a group of leaders from across our network who work on a common issue area, illuminating the diversity of place-based approaches to the shared topic. We kicked this series off in February with the CEOs of five healthcare conversion foundations, then continued in March with the Pacific Northwest's seven statewide nonprofit associations, April with four arts funders and May with five rural funders. For June, we interviewed representatives of four banks engaged in Northwest philanthropy: First Interstate Bank, Pacific Continental Bank, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.
