Center for Participatory Change
How CPC Works
Our Basic Values
The mission of the Center for Participatory Change (CPC) is to strengthen democracy by promoting the formation and action of grassroots groups throughout Western North Carolina. CPC works hand-in-hand with people from low-wealth communities as they come together to improve their community’s quality of life.
Our basic goal, to expand democracy, is achieved by strengthening the participation of people who have been denied the skills or opportunity to participate in formal decision-making processes.
Supporting Self Development
CPC can be described as a self development support organization. We assist people in low-wealth communities in building small, community-led self development organizations. We help to bring these groups together, support them as they assess and address community issues, and provide training and resources that enable them to thrive on their own over the long haul.
With support from CPC, these groups plan and implement self development projects – projects that they themselves initiate, plan, own and control. We think of these projects as falling into four categories: (1) relief projects (a food pantry), (2) support projects (an after-school program), (3) development projects (starting community-based businesses), and (4) systems change projects (ensuring representation of African Americans on a Board of County Commissioners).
As they plan and carry out such projects, these groups also join with other grassroots groups across Western NC to carry out regional development projects and influence policymaking at a regional and state level.
Our Programs
Our programs--through organizing, training, networking, and providing financial support--enable low-wealth communities to address the multiple issues they face. CPC provides a way for grassroots leaders to join together and assess community needs and assets, analyze the causes of those needs, plan and implement community development projects, and form as sustainable grassroots organizations — all according to their priorities.
What Makes CPC Different?
In all of our work, there are several things about CPC that make us different from other nonprofit organizations that provide training, funding, or other assistance.
First, we go to the people. We go out and find grassroots leaders and bring them together into a group, rather than wait for them to come to us.
Second, we don't set the agenda. We don't come in offering a predetermined program or service, or pushing a pre-selected issue. Instead, we offer a wide range of services to fit any situation, and we let the direction for the work emerge from the grassroots groups themselves.
And third, we build sustainability. We work with grassroots groups to build strong organizations and skilled leaders, so that they can thrive on their own over the long haul and take their place as equal partners in making the decisions that affect their community.
Learn more about CPC's programs
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