The Momentum Fellowship is designed to prepare professionals from underrepresented communities, particularly communities of color, for successful careers in the philanthropic sector through professional development, networking and mentoring opportunities. We're excited to announce that our next cohort of Momentum Fellows will be placed at seven foundations across the Northwest: Marguerite Casey Foundation, The Collins Foundation, Empire Health Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, Rasmuson Foundation, Whatcom Community Foundation and Women's Foundation of Oregon.

Greater Seattle's public, private and philanthropy sectors came together last month to support the annual No Child Sleeps Outside campaign to address the crisis of hundreds of families and children sleeping outside in King County, Washington. Including major gifts from The Starbucks Foundation, Schultz Family Foundation and Microsoft, more than 50 local businesses and organizations and thousands of online and Starbucks store donors raised $4.5 million for Mary's Place, the region's largest family emergency shelter provider.

The presidential election has hijacked America's attention. We have much at stake, of course, but this highly polarized atmosphere has distracted us from what brings us together and alienated too many potential partners. If we look more carefully at communities around the Pacific Northwest, regardless of political preferences, we see that constructive conversations, solutions-based initiatives and community-based approaches have taken root and will bear fruit long after Election 2016. As Philanthropy Northwest's Sustainability Catalyst Fellow, I have an opportunity to take a closer look at eight of these projects and share my findings with our network.