On the Table

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On The Table Logo 2014 On The Table Logo.jpg
On The Table Logo 2014

On The Table is an initiative started by The Chicago Community Trust. [1] On a single day individual hosts invite a small group of people (6-12) to a conversation over food. Hosts have included civic leaders and community organizations, but anyone can register to host, and who is invited is entirely up to the host. Ideally those invited do not know each other well except for their connection to the host. There is no agenda or pre-determined outcome of the conversation except to catalog what was discussed and what actions were suggested to address the concerns of participants. The results of the conversations are summarized and reported back to the community in a formal report.

Contents

The Chicago Community Trust created and organized the first On the Table event in 2014 and since then more than 30 communities have held On the Table events. More than 250,000 people have participated. [2]

History

The Chicago Community Trust held a series of “Chicago Dinners” in the late 1990s and early 2000s in partnership with the Human Relations Commission, bringing together area residents from different races and ethnicities to talk about race relations. In 2014, the Trust organized the first ever On the Table to engage everyday residents in discussing ways to improve the community. More than 11,500 people participated and it has continued in Chicago every year since.

In the following year 25,000 participated, then 55,000 in 2016, and 100,000 in 2017 roughly doubling every year. [2] In 2016, the Trust added a new component, the Acting Up awards – small financial awards to sponsor ideas discussed during On the Table conversations.

Expansion and replication

In 2017, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provided $2 million in new funding to expand the program to a dozen other cities. [3] In 2019, The Chicago Community Trust and the Knight Foundation partnered to launch the National Learning Network, a virtual learning community for foundations, civic institutions, and nonprofit leaders who have implemented or have shown interest in replicating the On the Table model. [4]

Events

LocationOrganizationInitiative Name (If not On the Table)Affiliation201420152016201720182019Website
Akron, OHAkron Community FoundationKnight City





October 3, 2017October 3, 2018October 3, 2019 https://www.onthetableakron.com/
Bedford, MAAHA! (Art, History & Architecture)Our StoryFebruary 9, 2017 http://www.ahanewbedford.org/ourstory.php
Birmingham, ALBirmingham FoundationKitchen TableApril 8, 2014April, 7, 2015 http://www.birminghamkitchentable.com/
Bozeman, MTBozeman Community FoundationA Seat at the TableOctober 25, 2018 https://www.atthetablegv.org


Charleston, SC The Library Foundation October 4, 2018 https://www.lowcountryonthetable.org/
Charlotte, NC Foundation for the Carolinas Knight CityOctober 25, 2017October 24, 2018 https://www.onthetableclt.org/
Chicago, IL Chicago Community Trust May 12, 2014May 12, 2015May 10, 2016May 16, 2017May 8, 2018May 14, 2019 http://onthetable.com
Cleveland, OHCleveland FoundationCommon GroundJune 30, 2017 https://www.clevelandfoundation.org/news/common-ground/
Columbia, SCCentral Carolina Community FoundationKnight CityOctober 24, 2018 https://onthetablecola.org/
Columbus, GA Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Knight CityNovember 7, 2017October 23, 2018 http://www.onthetablechatt.com/
Columbus, OH The Columbus Foundation The Big TableAugust 1, 2016May 17, 2017August 29, 2018August 28, 2019 https://columbusfoundation.org/the-big-table
Denver, COUniversity of DenverA Community TableSeptember 17-20, 2018April 10, 2019 https://www.du.edu/ccesl/ourwork/grand-challenges/act.html
Detroit, MI Community Foundation For Southeast Michigan Knight CityOctober 4, 2017 https://cfsem.org/initiative/on-the-table/
Franklin, TNFranklin TomorrowOctober 30, 2018 https://franklintomorrow.org/onthetable/
Gary, IN Legacy Foundation Knight CitySeptember 26, 2017 http://www.legacyfdn.org/onthetable/
Georgetown, TXCity of GeorgetownOctober 2, 2018 https://2030.georgetown.org/how-do-i-get-involved/ott/
Jefferson Hills, PAJefferson Regional FoundationAround the Table SouthOctober 15-19, 2018 https://aroundthetablesouth.org/
Lancaster, PA Lancaster County Community Foundation At the TableMay 20-21, 2016 https://atthetablelanc.com/es/indice/
Lexington, KY Blue Grass Community Foundation Knight CityMarch 15, 2017March 28, 2018 https://www.bgcf.org/onthetable
Long Beach, CA Long Beach Community Foundation Around the TableKnight CitySeptember 27, 2017December 3-4, 2018 https://www.aroundthetablelb.com/
Macon, GACommunity Foundation of Central GeorgiaKnight CityOctober 17, 2019 https://onthetablemacon.com/
Marshall County, KYLexington Public Library FoundationThe Community TableSeptember 12, 2018 https://www.marshallcolibrary.org/resources/community-table
Miami, FL The Miami Foundation My Miami StoryKnight CityOctober 28, 2016October 17, 2017October 23, 2018 https://miamifoundation.org/mymiamistory/
Milwaukee, WI Greater Milwaukee Foundation October 17, 2017October 9, 2018 http://onthetablemke.org/
NationalIndependent SectorThreads: Community ConversationsMarch – August 2015Independent Sector did a series of OTT's 2018 https://independentsector.org/resource/threads/
NationalSAGE FoundationSAGE TableMay 18, 2017April 26, 2018 http://www.sagetable.org/about-us/our-team/
Orlando, FLSouthwest Florida Community FoundationOctober 17, 2019 https://floridacommunity.com/on-the-table/
Philadelphia, PA The Philadelphia Foundation Knight CityMay 23, 2017November 8, 2018 https://www.philafound.org/OurWork/Updates/OnTheTablePhilly.aspx
Pittsburgh, PA Jefferson Regional Foundation Around the Table SouthOctober 15-19, 2018 https://aroundthetablesouth.org/about/
Silicon Valley Region, CA Silicon Valley Community Foundation Knight CityNovember 15, 2017October 25, 2018 https://www.siliconvalleycf.org/onthetable
State of ColoradoColorado FoundationAt the TableSeptember 17-20, 2018 http://atthetablecolorado.org/
Toronto, ON, CanadaToronto Foundation1000 Dinners TOOctober 14, 2014 https://rexdalelab.wordpress.com/2015/07/30/1000-dinners-toronto-2014-final-report/
Vancouver, BC Vancouver Foundation September 13, 2018 https://onthetablebc.com/
West Palm Beach, FLCommunity Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin CountiesKnight CityOctober 24, 2018 https://www.yourcommunityfoundation.org/onthetable

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References

  1. "Where Chicago meets up on a single day". On the Table.
  2. 1 2 "On the Table History". On the Table.
  3. "Knight Foundation Renews 'On the Table' With $2 Million Grant". Philanthropy News Digest. March 3, 2018.
  4. "About". On the Table.